The holidays are an amazing time to grow your business and team. The sooner you think about it and decide to include a holiday focus in your business plans, the more you’ll benefit. By working smarter, you’ll find it easier to balance family traditions with a booming holiday business.
Some people begin their holiday season on October 1st by playing Christmas music and dreaming of evergreen trees. Then there are others who refuse to hear the word “Christmas” until after the Thanksgiving holiday. In either case, almost everyone has concerns about finding the perfect gifts for those they love. By asking questions, this holiday season you can discover eager customers, hostesses, and motivated recruits who need your help, and who can also help you take your business to the next level.
I’m a big believer in asking questions to reveal a customer’s needs. By understanding a customer’s desires this time of year, you’re able to offer them products that fill their greatest needs. Usually your business focus is on the desires of the individual, but by asking questions, you can reveal additional gift-giving needs. They have family members and others they love whom they wish to bless with the perfect gift. Will they also need gifts for a neighbor, teacher, or friend? The other issue many face is: “How do I afford all these gifts?”
Recruiting
There are two important events that closely link this time of year and can help you grow your team by leaps and bounds. Children have returned to school. Some moms are wondering if there’s an opportunity to make some extra income while still being available to their children. There are many reasons a mom might be looking for your opportunity. She may desire to connect with more people and make new friends. She may feel the need to pay off a credit card or pay for dance lessons. She may simply wish to have an outlet of her own where she can develop her talents.
The second important event is Christmas. Your client may want the ability to get those special gifts for those she loves while enjoying a Christmas “paid in full.” Christmas can be such a stressful time instead of a joyful experience if there is a constant nagging in her head and heart about how to pay everything. Asking potential recruits what they need this time of the year can help you discover many more business builders.
Sales
An important skill to develop is asking people their needs rather than using the show-and-tell approach with your products. Helping potential clients fulfill their needs can sky rocket sales. Asking, “What are your health goals?” “What makeup must you apply before you leave the house?” “How many times a week would you like to have family dinners?” Questions reveal the needs of the individual. You become a partner with your client to help create solutions.
During the holidays, thoughts naturally turn toward the needs of family, friends, and loved ones. If someone you know has a Christmas shopping dilemma, you might have the perfect solution. Here are some questions that will help you help them, and help you increase your sales this season:
“Who is on your Christmas gift giving list?”
“What are some of their interests?”
“What was their favorite gift in the past?”
“What’s your price range?”
“What are your feelings regarding gift cards?”
Using these questions will make you a very effective elf for your clients, plus increase your overall sales.
Remember that this time of year is an amazing opportunity to recruit and increase your sales. By learning a few good questions, you can work smarter and maximize your efforts and time.