5 Ways to Celebrate National Salesperson Day

National Salesperson Day — a day that recognizes professional salespeople's value and dedication to their jobs — falls on the second Friday of December. This year, National Salesperson Day will be on Friday, December 13, 2019. While organizations should appreciate their great salespeople on a daily basis, this is a great opportunity to give these hardworking employees a little extra recognition.

History of the holiday

Maura Schreier-Fleming, president of Best@Selling and an author, consultant and speaker on salesperson training, established National Salesperson Day in March 2000. In 2010, the holiday was moved to December. The holiday was established in recognition of the fact that salespeople — such as register clerks at the grocery store, door-to-door salespeople, insurance agents, and manufacturer's representatives — provide important services that make all our day-to-day lives better. Given how thankless and uncertain a salesperson's job can be, it's nice to have a day to recognize their hard work and thank them. 

Here are the National Salesperson Day dates for the next five years: 

5 activities to recognize National Salesperson Day.

There are many ways to thank salespeople on National Salesperson Day. The ideas below are just to get you started — when it comes to expressing appreciation for the great salespeople who contribute to your company's bottom line or make your day-to-day life possible, you're the best judge of what would be most appreciated.

1. Thank the salespeople you come into contact with.

You can take National Salesperson Day as an opportunity to give all the salespeople you come into contact with, such as baristas, shop employees or sales staff at your company, a thank you. In the case of your barista, you could add an extra-generous tip to your morning coffee order to express your appreciation for their hard work ensuring you can get your daily caffeine boost.

2. Give salespeople at your organization small gifts in honor of National Salesperson Day.

If you're a manager or team leader at your company, you could suggest that your employer give its salespeople small gifts, such as $5 gift cards for their favorite coffee shops, in recognition of their hard work and contributions. A card signed by their coworkers expressing their appreciation for your company's salespeople is also a nice touch.

3. Express your appreciation on social media.

National Salesperson Day is the perfect opportunity to take to social media to express your appreciation for salespeople. If you choose to go this route, use the #NationalSalespersonDay hashtag in your posts so other people can find them, too. If a salesperson has ever gone above and beyond to help ensure that you get what you need, this is a great way to share that story.

4. Give credit where it's due.

Even if there isn't a monetary reward associated with it, giving a bit of extra credit to salespeople on National Salesperson Day is a nice gesture that doesn't cost a company a cent. Public recognition of employees' hard work is always appreciated, and celebrations like National Salesperson Day are a good reminder to recognize specific employees for their contributions to a company's success.

5. Take the sales team out for a happy hour.

If you're looking to make National Salesperson Day celebrations a team bonding activity, planning a happy hour is a great way to build goodwill with employees and give everyone an opportunity to socialize in a non-work setting. Everyone likes free food and drinks, so you can be sure that people will show up for a company-sponsored happy hour.

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Lorelei Yang is a New York-based consultant and freelance writer/researcher. Find her on Twitter and LinkedIn.