How to Catapult your Business into 2011 by Janet Callaway

What you say?  How can I do that?  The holidays are here, no one wants to listen and besides I don't have time.  After reading this post, you just may want to rethink your position. Opportunity is truly in the eyes of the beholder.  Let me tell you a story.

Once upon a time a shoe company sent a couple of its salesmen to Australia. Neither man knew anything about the other being there.

In less than 24 hours both salesmen contacted the company.

One said, “Aborigines don’t wear shoes, get me home now!”

The other said, “Aborigines don’t wear shoes, send boatloads!”

Guess which one made lots of money?

Both men looked at the same fact yet saw it entirely different.

Networkers and December are much the same story.

For pros, December is the best; for amateurs, it's non productive.

Even though December lays the foundation for the coming year, the vast majority of networkers stop by the 10^th.

Maybe I shouldn't say this, however, that's fine with me because it narrows the field by about 90%. Come January, that 90% spend the first 6 weeks of the year trying to kick start their business; they've lost their forward momentum.

When you do the math, you realize that by shutting down on the 10^th of December and not being fully engaged until mid-February, they have give those of us who are serious a two month advantage because they Closed their businesses for the holidays. Thanks, folks.

Let’s look at this another way to make sure you understand exactly what I mean.

Pretend you own a family style restaurant and there is another family style restaurant across the street. Essentially both of you are competing for the same dollars, from the same customers. What if the restaurant across the street closed for two months? Nice advantage, don't you think?

We know that realistically speaking, about 20% of the people we talk with are serious; the other 80% are not. In most any month except December, the 80% are going to give you excuses why they “can't” do it or even listen to what you have to say. Maybe they have home repairs to do, they're going on or returning from vacation, it's whatever season; the excuse list is endless.

In December, however, things change. Now that 80% has a “built in” excuse instead. Now they say, “give me a call after the holidays.”

Because amateurs hear the same excuse over and over rather than many different ones, they believe that no one wants to talk to them until after the holidays so they decide to wait “until after the holidays.”

Though the December excuse seems the same as those used in the other months, here is where it is different . While the 20% who come to the table in the other months are “fairly interested,” the 20% who come to the table in December are highly interested, ready to buy and ready to join.

Why is this so? Because in December people most feel their lack of money and their lack of time. They start looking ahead to this time next year and know they don't want to be in the same place—lacking both money and time. They are ready to take action to remedy the situation; they are looking for someone to provide a solution. Why not you?

What's your experience with business and the holidays?