Today marks the final day before the Thanksgiving festivities commence, and the two-day mark before the madness of Black Friday ensues. Black Friday not only indicates the official beginning of the holiday shopping season, but has also been the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States since 2003.
With frenzied shoppers lining up outside of their favorite stores to score extreme markdowns on their favorite products and brands, it’s no surprise that sales soar high on Black Friday.
However, even with more deals and discounts on items of higher value than ever before, sales are estimated to drop from last year’s numbers. According to Bloomberg:
- It’s estimated that although the amount of shoppers will be up 10% (that’s 152 million people) from 2010
- Holiday sales are estimated to rise a mere 2.8% this year on Black Friday, which is about half of 2010’s 5.2% gain
At Sales Result, we have noticed a clearly-defined need for many of our clients to change their previous selling techniques to fit a tough economy and entice their prospect to buy. Have you had a similar experience, either with your personal sales, or the sales team that you manage?
How have you beat the odds and made 2011 your best selling year yet?
Thanks for this post Eric. I wonder how this view is different with B2B and B2C businesses. I think the economy can be a crutch for sales people. My clients grew on average 10% last year, and I encourage them to look beyond the economy.
Hello Eric…..I like your company and would enjoy building it with you….thanks Tom
Hi Eric,
The pulse of the consumer must be met with a more enthused attitude from the sale team. Just sell yourself to the consumer with confidence and knowledge of the company brand, products and timeline. Take ownership and follow through. I can mention more but those are some of the basics.
- Thank you