It’s that time of the year again... Mince pies, terrible jokes and of course, stalled deals and indecisive prospects.
Engaging over a sustained period of time is tough, regardless of the time of the year or how long your sales cycle is. It’s getting harder given the level of competition, how people buy and the saturation of digital channels. When the end of the year comes around, targets still need to be hit, even if your prospects are busy slamming shots of eggnog and attending endless Christmas parties.
How then, can Direct Mail and Gifting have a positive effect when closing deals?
I’ve outlined a number of different areas where myself, the team here at Reachdesk and our clients, have used Direct Mail whilst running, nurturing and closing a deal during the festive period.
Nurturing
Sales Cycles are like Ru Paul. They can seriously drag. There are many ways to stay top of your prospect’s mind over the course of the holiday period. Sharing relevant blog posts, short video messages and sending over newsletters are some of the most popular.
Legals, security and procurement can be a slow burner – there’s often a lot of back and forth which slows down the process. Budgets might not be approved until January. Prospects might start going away on holiday. The push backs can be endless.
Don’t let the snow put out that fire though, keep things Cliff Richard and throw more logs on the fire. A great way to remind the wider team you’re still there is to send personalised Christmas cakes. You might choose to customise these with your logo, their logo or even give them a festive theme. Maybe even add a message saying something like “Getting you onboarded will be a piece of cake. Looking forward to working with you in 2021”.
Get by with a little help from your friends
The relationship between a BDR/SDR and a BDM/AE is vital to the sales process. As a BDM, there’s nothing better than running meetings with highly engaged prospects who already see value in your product. I’m a believer that a prospecting role is just as important as closing and Direct Mail for us plays a big part in the transition.
I recently ran a meeting where one of our BDRs sent an Uber Eats for the team to enjoy during the demo. Lo and behold, I ran a very successful demo whilst they sat around eating a festive team lunch. Not only did this method of strategic gifting go down a treat, it helped the deal move through seamlessly.
Meeting attendance
It’s 5PM on a cold, frosty winters night. All you want is to be slouched in an awkward yet weirdly comfortable position on the sofa, devouring your fourth mince pie and watching Love Actually for the third night in a row. Alas, you’re instead sat in the office, eagerly waiting for your prospect to enter the meeting room. At 5:10PM, it becomes clear that you’re on the receiving end of what the dating world would class as, being stood up.
E-Gift cards are fantastic for pre meeting engagement. We use this approach to remind busy prospects that the meeting will be going ahead and that we want to reward them for their time. Schedules are hectic and all sales professionals know a meeting booked is never guaranteed. Who doesn’t want a Spiced Latte in this weather?
Rewarding your champion
Everyone loves an external advocate of what you are selling. Your champion is always a blessing in disguise, fighting your case against the internal demons that are blocking that sweet, sweet sale from moving your way. What better way to reward a champion than a bundle of joy arriving on their doorstep? I’m talking about a branded gift bundle, not a baby – this isn’t Harry Potter.
We always try to reward our champions for the hard work that they do. This doesn’t have to be a complex gift, a small bundle just to say thank you goes a long way when celebrating the legends out there fighting that good fight for you!
The final straight
December can be a drab month for the world of Sales. Prospects are busy finalising plans for next year… plus the excessive partying, drinking and eating that takes place doesn’t help. This often means deals get stalled and pushed back to next year – how rude-olf them. How do you explain this to your sales manager? This doesn’t just go for Christmas - strategic gifting is important throughout the year, so get your thinking boots on, it’s time to get creative.
If you’re reading this outside of December, don’t worry, I’ve got ya back. We’ve got a calendar for the year ahead hanging in our office, which means we are constantly planning ahead for what targeted campaigns we will be sending each month. Gifting holidays that have worked really well for me are our Halloween ghosting box, a Thanksgiving coffee voucher and personalised Christmas crackers.
Not all events need a call to action or specific reason for sending, creating moments that matter for people and showing empathy are important for solidifying relationships. Ideas such as Headspace, Calm or Massage vouchers for World Mental Health Awareness Day or empowering gifts for International Women’s Day, can go a long way in your quest for getting people on board.
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So there we have it, some hot tips on a cold day for you to warm up your prospects through Direct Mail this festive season. Get out there, get sending, get selling and get signing. Those targets won’t know what’s hit em!
