The Sweat Equity of Trick-or-Treating

Happy Halloween, everyone! I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween. Earlier today, I spent some time with my two kids at their school’s Trunk or Treat event. Cars were decked out in all kinds of costumes, most picked up last-minute on Amazon, or using the same setup they’ve stored for years, like the artificial Christmas trees we bring out every year right after Halloween. (Just kidding—we wait until after Thanksgiving.)

Tonight, the streets will be filled with kids running door-to-door in their favorite costumes, hoping to fill their bags with treats. When they get home, their parents will sift through those bags, snagging the candies kids tend to ignore anyway (Almond Joys, Skor bars, Heath bars, malted milk balls).

It got me thinking... Just because you’re not everyone’s favorite "candy" doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there who loves what you offer. Like Laffy Taffy—someone out there appreciates you and your product.

So, even if you’ve made 100 calls today and only heard "no," it doesn’t mean "yes" isn’t around the corner. Just like trick-or-treating: you might knock on 100 doors tonight and only get a few pieces of your favorite candy. Still, it’s worth the effort, the costume, and ringing each doorbell!

The Sweat Equity of Halloween Trick-or-Treating: Lessons for the Sales Game

Halloween night. Kids decked out in costumes, sprinting from house to house, fueled by the hope of filling their bags with treats. But here’s the thing—they know not every door is going to open, and they’re bound to get a few “no lights” along the way. That doesn’t stop them. They’re out there, giving it their all. Sound familiar? It’s not just trick-or-treating; it’s a crash course in sales.

Like those little costumed go-getters, sales pros put in a ton of sweat equity—calling, emailing, showing up—just to hit the same roadblocks and setbacks. But just like Halloween night, all that effort? It pays off. Here’s what we can learn from kids hustling for candy and apply straight to our sales strategy:

• Keep Knocking: Kids don’t stop at one or two houses. They know the score: every door could mean candy. In sales, persistence is everything. Each call, each pitch, it’s all adding up. Every “no” is just one step closer to that “yes” you’re working for.

• Make Your Presentation Count: Halloween costumes aren’t just for show; they’re designed to make an impact. Same with sales. Whether it’s your product demo, your pitch, or even your follow-up, how you show up matters. Put in the effort to make it memorable.

• There’s a Market for Every Treat: Not every kid loves Almond Joy or malted milk balls, but some do. Same with sales. Just because one prospect isn’t interested doesn’t mean the next won’t be a perfect fit. Your goal is to find that customer who values what you bring to the table.

• The Reward is in the Effort: At the end of Halloween, those kids have bags full of candy as a payoff for their hustle. In sales, the rewards are closing a deal, making a connection, hitting those targets. But none of it happens without sweat equity.

Halloween reminds us: the effort is real, the hustle is tough, and not every door’s going to open. But keep at it. Keep showing up, keep pushing, and trust that the effort you’re putting in is going to pay off.

Today in History:

• 1517 – Martin Luther’s 95 Theses: On this day, Martin Luther famously nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany, challenging the practices of the Catholic Church and sparking the Protestant Reformation.

• 1864 – Nevada Becomes a State: Nevada was admitted as the 36th state in the United States, just days before the 1864 presidential election. Known as the “Battle Born” state, it became a state amid the Civil War.

• 1926 – Death of Harry Houdini: Famed illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini died on Halloween in Detroit, Michigan, due to complications from a ruptured appendix. His death gave rise to legends about his connection to the supernatural.

• 1941 – Mount Rushmore is Completed: The Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota was completed, featuring the faces of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln.

• 1984 – Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi Assassinated: Indira Gandhi, the Prime Minister of India, was assassinated by her bodyguards, which led to widespread violence and riots across the country.