December is not about selling wine

There is a difference between selling and shipping.

In December you ship. You take orders. You make sure the wines get where they belong. You make sure the machine of orders and delivery works perfectly. You correct mistakes instantly. Your job is to make the retailer’s job easier during this busy time, which often means staying out of the way but being there when needed (instantly).

December is not for selling. It’s not for presentations. It’s not for new placements. And it’s definitely not for begging for end of the year placements — the surest sign of weakness and lack of planning.

December should be on auto-pilot. A gift to you, the sales rep, for 11 months of hard work and planning.

The real selling begins again in January. But take the extra time you are finding now (since December is not for selling) and work harder on your planning for the new year. You’ll thank yourself come January 1st, when the selling begins anew.