Last time we examined the first 5 selling seasons of the year: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Valentine’s Day/Presidents Day, St Patrick’s Day/Easter, Memorial Day, and Independence Day. Now let’s take a look at the remaining 4:

Labor Day – Starts the day after Independence Day and runs for 2 months. This is the “official” end of the summer and the beginning of back-to-school days. This is the last chance of the year to promote anything “summer” such as picnics, outdoor activities and summer vacations.

Halloween – This is another relatively long, 2-month plus selling season interrupted only by Columbus Day, which, although a Federal 3-day-weekend holiday, does not sport a “Columbus” theme with much popularity. Although Halloween is not a 3-day-weekend holiday, many Americans enjoy celebrating it, and the markets are decorated with the fall harvest color theme of gold, orange, brown and rusty red. Plus, there are the mandatory pumpkins and goblins.

Thanksgiving – The time between Halloween and Thanksgiving is just over 3 weeks. Now we are officially into “The Holidays.” With the addition of Veterans Day on November 11^th which is also a Federal Holiday, the dominating theme during this period of time is family, food, and home. Discover how your product or service fits in, and how you can best present your offerings in a way that compliments these predominant themes.

Christmas-New Years – From Thanksgiving to New Years is about 5 weeks and the theme is holiday shopping, home, family and friends. Vacation time adventures, snow recreation, and year-end themes also abound. This is the most competitive time of the year for many businesses but a relatively slow time for others that rely on fair weather. Savvy consumer products marketers will have already pre-sold displays to retailers many months prior. They will be watching their inventory to replenish it when it depletes at every level including the supplier, manufacturer, distributor, and retailer warehouses. They will also be watching the retailers’ shelves for out-of-stocks. They will point out that retailers can order more without fear of over stock because they can sell off any unsold balances during the Valentine’s Day- MLK Day selling season starting January 2. This also is the last chance for brand builders to move product that will be counted in the total sales for the year. Those numbers will be critical in January when most buyers make all their buying decisions for what to keep and what to discontinue for the coming year.

The key to seasonal selling success is to look at the year in advance and decide how your products and services can work with the various holiday themes that already exist in the marketplace. Make plans sufficiently in advance so you can reserve the space, pricing and programming, and have all the celebratory materials designed, produced and delivered in ample time to take advantage of these seasonal opportunities.

Seasonal selling seasons are going on whether you jump on them or not, so get with the program and plan ahead!

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post The 9 Selling Seasons: Seasonal Selling Can Get You More Sales, Part 2 appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.

The soldiers being honored on this day are buried in every city, town and village across the nation. In fact, officially there is a National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 PM local time every Memorial Day to honor those fallen heroes.

Today, too many Americans see Memorial Day as just another three-day weekend for picnics, barbeques and family gatherings. But our ability to enjoy these recreational activities and even live in this great country with our freedoms, security and standard of living is in large part due to the sacrifices of these young men and women.

During the past year we have had the privilege of helping disabled vets start their own businesses by sharing the guiding principles for success we learned building the Barefoot Wine brand. During that time we have been inspired by the discipline, dedication to duty, and love of our country these men and woman have demonstrated by their commitment and sacrifice on our behalf. It has given us a renewed and greater sense of respect for what it truly takes to be a soldier.

When we ask them what their top concerns were coming home to civilian life, the answers were always the same: How will they be viewed by their countrymen? Are they going to be viewed as somehow odd or different? Are they going to be marginalized? Will they be able to get a job that will be sufficient to support their families?

Since the repeal of the draft and the establishment of the all-volunteer army, many American civilians have taken a less personal view of the military. All the wars up to and including Vietnam were fought with mostly conscript soldiers. In many cases, they were drafted into service against their will, giving them no choice. The draft really brought the wars home and gave the civilian population a personal reason to honor and appreciate our military personnel.

But now, two generations later with a professional army, it’s easier for civilians to feel isolated and insulated from the military. It’s easier to say “It’s somebody else’s job.” It’s easy to forget about the price that has been and continues to be paid by others to give us what may easily be taken for granted. Being in the military is not just another “job.” It’s knowingly stepping into harm’s way while serving our country!

When we ask the soldiers what they wanted most when they came home, they said, “A thank you from a stranger would make my day.”

So, let’s enjoy this great American holiday and have some fun with family and friends, but let’s also remember those who made all this possible. Let’s not take our freedom, security and standard of living for granted. Let’s give recognition and gratitude to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to make our way of life what it is today. And Monday when 3:00 PM rolls around, wherever you are, share in that national moment of remembrance.

Happy Memorial Day everybody! And a big, heartfelt THANK YOU to every man and woman who has served our country.

Who We Are

Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Harvey co-authored the New York Times bestselling business book, The Barefoot Spirit: How Hardship, Hustle, and Heart Built America’s #1 Wine Brand. The book has been selected as recommended reading in the CEO Library for CEO Forum, the C-Suite Book Club, and numerous university classes on business and entrepreneurship. It chronicles their humble beginnings from the laundry room of a rented Sonoma County farmhouse to the board room of E&J Gallo, who ultimately acquired their brand and engaged them as brand consultants. Barefoot is now the world’s largest wine brand.

Beginning with virtually no money and no wine industry experience, they employed innovative ideas to overcome obstacles, create new markets and forge strategic alliances. They pioneered Worthy Cause Marketing and performance-based compensation. They built an internationally bestselling brand and received their industry’s “Hot Brand” award for several consecutive years.

They offer their Guiding Principles for Success (GPS) to help entrepreneurs become successful. Their book, The Entrepreneurial Culture: 23 Ways To Engage and Empower Your People, helps corporations maximize the value of their human resources.

Currently they travel the world leading workshops, trainings, & keynoting at business schools, corporations, conferences. They are regular media guests and contributors to international publications and professional journals. They are C-Suite Network Advisors & Contributing Editors. Visit their popular brand building site at www.consumerbrandbuilders.com.

To make inquiries for keynote speaking, trainings or consulting, please contact sales@thebarefootspirit.com.

The post Memorial Day: More Than Just a Day Off appeared first on The Barefoot Spirit.