Secret to Tapping Into the Holiday Shopping Boom in Your Local Market

During the holiday season, most people are spending and spending and spending even more. They are buying gifts for those they love. Whether it is a gift for a friend, family member, or even an enemy (yes, people do buy gifts for their enemies), huge numbers of people are spending large amounts of money both online and offline to be able to give the perfect gifts.

For those in the Direct Selling Industry (aka network marketing, mlm, etc.), many marketers are making a huge mistake by not tapping into the cash flow stream of the holiday shopping season. What is worse are some marketers are scrambling to try and figure out what new market they can tap into and are inadvertently missing out on the business sales in their own backyard.

During the holiday, or even the weeks leading up to it, is not the time to start thinking about breaking into a new market. Nor is it the time to sit idle and wish or hope for business success. The fact is the holiday shopping season can bring prosperity and joy to anyone in this industry that is willing to take action in putting forth the effort to reach out to their prospects and customers.

In this article, we will share with you, the starting point for marketing your business throughout the holiday season. These are practical tips and advice for tapping into your existing market for the holiday season.

A little known secret you need to know is when you look to your own backyard (your local market), you will discover unlimited possibilities for taking home your share of the holiday shopping boom.

It's the people (your friends, family, relatives, strangers, and even past customers and prospects) in your local market that you already have connections with that will be the most responsive to your recommendations and ideas. So let's take a look at how you can prime the pump for those gift-giving dollars.

TIP - Remember to think outside the gift box.

We don't just make money from gift purchases during the holidays. There are millions of related dollars spent on:

* Food, Food and more Food
* Travel and Entertainment
* Home Holiday Decor (Inside and Out)
* Holiday Cards and Gift Wrap
* Holiday Parties

Think of your unique selling position. What makes you unique and different compared to other marketers and their companies? Look at what niche areas you serve and what products or services you offer.

TIP - Take about 10 minutes and write down as many things you could market. Do not prejudge your thoughts. Make sure you write whatever comes to your mind. Then shorten your list to three products or services you can focus on.

One question I get asked quite often by marketers is, "Who will I market to?" Unfortunately, the possibilities are unlimited. The problem with unlimited possibilities is the fact most marketers get tripped up and become overwhelmed when they are faced with too many possibilities to choose from. This causes them to become blind to the true potential. The result is they end up doing nothing!

The secret strategy to unlock this potential for you is consistent action. Not just any action, but the action that puts you in front of the people most likely to buy. The fact is people are spending money and they will either spend it in your store or at the store of someone else. So you have a decision to make and if you truly want to tap into this holiday shopping boom, you know what that decision will be.

Since the foundational key to sales for every business (both online and offline) is in having a strong list of prospects and customers, you must begin examining your list in-depth to identify possible goldmine spots within your list for holiday sales. Look at who your customers are, how many people are on your list, as well as what the most common theme of wants and needs have been expressed by those on your list.

The fact is if you have been taking action in your business throughout the year, you have a growing list. I am sure you realize there is both good and bad on this list. The good are your repeat customers. This is where you want to focus your marketing effort.

TIP - Santa puts a priority focus on the list. Shouldn't you?

Now is the time to begin capitalizing on the biggest ecommerce season of the year. Yes, even if you are building your business locally, you should be capitalizing on ecommerce. Will you be able to put your list to work for you and take advantage of holiday shopping dollars? To accomplish such a task, think strategically.

If you are like me in the marketplace, you have spent months and thousands of hours and dollars to build up your list. And the drips of information you have poured on your prospects and customers are probably a far cry from holiday shopping. The key ingredient to capitalizing and earning some phenomenal commissions on holiday gifts will depend a great deal on the relationship you have established and built with your prospects and customers.

TIP - Even if your list is primarily cold, it is never too late to start warming up your list.

Hopefully you have been following up consistently and not fouling up. Follow up throughout the year allows you to connect with your prospect. Not just on a business level but also on a personal level.

The fact is the Direct Selling Industry is built heavily on relationships. You are representing your company for one main reason, which is to establish and nurture relationships with your prospects. It pays to get to know your customers and let your customers catch a glimpse of the human behind the business.

TIP - Make sure you focus on establishing and nurturing relationships with your prospects and customers consistently throughout the year, not just during the holiday.

You don't have to go overboard and share the emotional roller coaster of your life with everyone, but you do need to share occasional stories from your home life. A family vacation photo, a short story about how quickly your daughter learned to ride her new bike or how Impatient, the family dog, taught you a lesson in patience; these are all great little bites of life that will help your prospects and customers feel like they are getting to know you.

The secret to tapping into the holiday shopping boom is in your list. You must nurture this list and that begins now. Even if you have a small cold list, you can begin today to grow and nurture that list so next holiday season you break your company sales records. Make a commitment and make it happen.

About The Author-- Jeff Zalewski is a Certified Training Consultant & CEO of Direct Selling Academy, Inc., your training & performance improvement resource. Jeff intertwines his knowledge & in-the-field experience throughout his training and performance improvement resources. Subscribe FREE to his Direct Selling Pro eNewsletter at http://www.directsellingacademy.com

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