Category Archives: Special Days

Today is National Receptionist Day

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receptionist for National Receptionist DayToday is National Receptionist Day – or has some of us in sales would like to call it “Gatekeeper Day.”

Seriously, receptionist tend to have a bad rap in our profession. We view them as being the enemy when really they are our friends. Treated right, receptionist can help guide us to the right decision-maker.

And when you think about it, the receptionist is not just an administrative worker. They are marketers. That’s right. They help market the right image to all visitors and callers.

So what is the purpose of Receptionist Day? First, the obvious answer is that the day gives recognition to a receptionist. While most of them are underpaid and sometimes treated badly by salespeople or angry clients, receptionists should be recognized because they help your company’s image, branding, and impression. A cheerful or smiling receptionist can make a visitor feel relaxed and at ease.

I’ve actually gone to offices where the receptionist would barely give me eye contact – I immediately picked up a negative vibe that may be uncomfortable for the rest of my visit.

No one really knows the origin of Receptionist Day.

However, the National Receptionist Association is taking credit for the day. According to its website, when the organization was created in 1991, they initiated the day. The association created the day “because we wanted to distinguish the role that a receptionist plays in business and note that it should not be combined with Secretaries’ Day or Administrative Assistance’s Day.”

So if you have a receptionist working in your office, give her a special thank you. And if you call and find yourself speaking to a receptionist today, try to be extra nice to her – after all, it’s her day!

Today is Renewal Day (seriously)

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Renewal Day in SalesToday is Renewal Day. I’m serious. It’s a real special holiday.

No one has any idea why or when the holiday started.

As defined by Merriam-Webster, renewal is “the act of extending the period of time when something is effective or valid: the act of renewing something.” It is also “ the state of being made new, fresh, or strong again: the state of being renewed.”

But for salespeople, renewal means something else – it means renewing your subscriptions with your clients. Those subscriptions can be anything from niche publications to software programs.

As we all know, renewing is a lot easier than obtaining new business or sales. For one thing, you are working with clients who are already familiar with your product and will most likely continue to renew with you year after year. For another, unless you are dealing with high-end or high-priced products, all you have to do is send your clients renewal notices, and most of the time, they will send you back the payment.

However, I would recommend not waiting until renewal time to contact your clients. Again, depending on the size and price of what you are selling, it’s always a good idea to stay in touch with your clients throughout the year. Also, depending on what you are selling, you may be seeking up-sell or cross-sell opportunities.

Whether you are in sales or not, Happy Renewal Day!

Today is Blah, Blah, Blah Day (for real)

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blah blah blah daySalespeople are always being accused of talking too much. You know, “blah, blah, blah.”

Well, believe it or not, today is Blah, Blah, Blah Day. That’s right. It is a copyrighted holiday created by Wellcat.com. The site is created by Ruth and Tom Roy, who are credited for creating more than 70 copyrighted “holidays.”

So what does “blah blah blah mean? According to Dictionary.com, it means “and so on; and so forth.” It also means “meaningless chatter” and “idle gossip.”

So just for today, don’t be accused of saying “blah, blah, blah” to your clients or prospects – even if it is a special holiday!

Tomorrow is National Stress Awareness Day

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how to avoid stress in salesSales can be stressful. We all know that.

And to remind you how stressful sales can be, tomorrow is National Stress Awareness Day – yes, it’s a real special day!

How you can reduce stress?

1). Set priorities – don’t try to do everything at once. Have a clear plan for your top goals on a daily basis. Yes, it’s tough to do that because there are always emergencies – a client calls to complain, a package wasn’t shipped out on time, your computer crashes, etc. But if you write down your daily goals, that will help you minimize your stress.

2). Sleep – yes, it’s tough. But getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night will help.

3). Listen to relaxing music when commuting – while I love Rock n’ Roll, I prefer listening to classical music when I commute. It helps to relax me.

4). Turn off the news – at least until you get home. In sales, you always want to maintain a positive attitude. The last thing you want to do is listen to bad news while heading to work. That will only make you more stressful.

5). Avoid negative people – yes, that’s hard to do in sales if you have some angry clients who are always bitching and complaining. That comes with the territory. But if you are dealing with negative people at work, try to avoid them as much as possible.

6). Exercise – you don’t have to go to the gym every day. Take a walk. Maybe walk during lunch. Maybe bike ride to work.

Stress is a killer. According to the American Institute of Stress, work stress increases the risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and stroke. In fact, according to the Institute, stress is the basic cause of 60% of all human illness and disease.

So please – take good care of yourself. Work is important. But so is your health.