This year, we at the Salesforce Blog decided to celebrate the holiday season with the 12 (Business) Days of Salesforce. Keep an eye out for a new post every business day counting down to December 24th!

So to begin, on the first day we bring you...1 Awesome Holiday Post!

Taking some inspiration from our friends at Marketing Cloud and their holiday-themed post, we rounded up quotes from some of our favorite holiday movies, and the lessons salespeople can learn from them!

 The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Grinch: “If I can’t find a reindeer, I’ll make one instead!”

The lesson: Have a little imagination! Just because the solution to your sales problem isn’t right in front of you, doesn’t mean that it’s nonexistent. Consult your sales manager or your trusted colleagues — they may have run into similar selling problems and can point you in the right direction.

A Christmas Story 

Narrator: “Randy lay there like a slug. It was his only defense.”

The lesson: Sometimes, try as you might, you just can’t win. The customer can’t convinced of the value you provide, or wants to lower the price to a number you can’t deliver. It’s important to know when to walk away and cut your losses, rather than continuing to sink time, money and energy into a prospect who won’t budge. 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Santa Claus: "What I’m trying to say is, Rudolph, with your nose so bright, won’t you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Rudolph: "It would be an honor, sir."

The lesson: Don’t be afraid to step up and be a leader when called upon (or when it’s not expected). Tackle the tricky accounts, offer to mentor a new salesperson on the team — your boss may not be Santa Claus, but he or she will certainly be impressed with your ability to lead.

 Elf

Buddy the Elf: “You sit on a throne of lies!”

The lesson: The time-worn adage, “The customer is always right,” isn’t always — well, right! Sometimes customers are just plain wrong: they think your price is too high when it’s right in line with the market, or they think implementation is taking too long when it’s actually going smoothly. While we wouldn’t suggest using Buddy’s “throne of lies” comment, it’s important to be able to explain the confusion — without losing their business.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Charlie Brown: “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

The lesson: Some potential customers may prescribe by the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it philosophy.” It’s important to show prospects that your product or solution isn’t about completely turning their business on it’s head and changing everything — it’s about making improvements that are in their best interest.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

Mr. Frank Shirley: "Remember how I was toying with the idea of suspending the Christmas bonuses?"

Mrs. Helen Shirley: "You didn’t! Well, of all the cheap, lousy ways to save a buck!"

SWAT Commander: "That’s pretty low, mister. If I had a rubber hose, I would beat you…"

Mr. Frank Shirley: "I changed my mind. I’m reinstating all of the bonuses."

The lesson: Your employees work hard all year round to close deals and keep customers happy. While handing out bonuses may not be a part of your company policy, making sure your employees feel appreciated should be a part of your company’s DNA, not just a once-a-year ritual during Christmastime. After all, Gallup found that lost productivity due to employee disengagement costs more than $300 billion in the U.S. annually.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Jack Skellington: [singing] "Just because I cannot see it, doesn’t mean I can’t believe it!"

The lesson: Convincing your prospects that your solution or product can have a big impact on their business can be difficult, especially if they’re satisfied with the status quo. The secret to getting them to believe in something they can’t see? Data! Having numbers to back up your anecdotes about customer success is the key to transforming skeptics into believers. Tools like the Salesforce Analytics Cloud unlock the power of data for all of your salespeople to use during the sales process.

It’s a Wonderful Life

Clarence: [In book inscription] "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."

The lesson: Work-life balance is notoriously difficult to obtain, but its importance can not be underestimated. A study by Accenture found that work-life balance now ranks as the key determinant in whether more than half of men and women believe they have a successful career — ahead of money, recognition, and autonomy. During the holiday season, the “life” part of work-life balance often takes center-stage, but it’s important to carry this through even after the holidays are long past.

Love Actually 

Sam: Let’s go get the sh*t kicked out of us by love.

The lesson: Let’s face it...sometimes being in sales can get you down. Selling can be a roller coaster of highs and lows — some days you’re on fire, and the next you feel like you can’t do anything to get your deal to close. It’s important to have tools and rituals for pulling yourself out of a slump, whether it be listening to a motivational speaker like Tony Robbins, re-reading your favorite sales book, or speaking with a favorite client.

So there you have it! Did we miss any of your favorite quotes or holiday movies? Let us know, and keep an eye out for the remaining installments of the 12 Days of Salesforce.

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