When someone earnestly complements you, how does it make you feel?
Most human beings savor the momentary attention when they know their best has been delivered and it is received with appreciation. In today’s hectic world many businesspeople overlook this fact. They then wonder why building their business is such a struggle.
Genuine kindness it the best
Kindness is your best marketing, branding and sales tool wrapped up into a gift. The gift is the appreciation shown to your clientele. Your reciprocated gift is that of repeat business, referrals and testimonials. Or to a job seeker, the return gift will be hearing HIRED!
Corporations, alongside mom and pop stores, began to model this concept years ago. Some instituted “Customer Appreciation Day” while others offered coupon cards that were punched upon each return visit. It was their way of thanking their clientele.
Entrepreneurs may put their unique spin on the concept further demonstrating their brand. After an event you attended and enjoyed, write the organizer a note to that effect and point out the top one or two things that made it so special.
Consider doing something similar for a speaker you particularly enjoyed or a person with whom you had a stimulating conversation. By being the first one to show appreciation, you will further attract interest in you as a person and then you the entrepreneur.
Dependent upon the size of the sale you received and your budget, the following will have a long lasting effect on future sales:
1. Always write a thank you note
2. Offer to take your client to lunch
3. Send an appropriate gift basket for the team
Don’t get lost after the sale. Check in with your clientele in a variety of formats dependent upon how they prefer to communicate. If you don’t know which style, simply ask, “Do you prefer phone, email, social media, or video for keeping in touch?”
Stay in touch to build the relationship
Your client will be thrilled you asked and will gladly tell you the how and the when. Your job then becomes to make certain you do follow-up. This too demonstrates you truly care and provides another form of appreciation. It also encourages further business.
The old sales creed is, “People buy from people they like”.
The words you choose, active listening, facial expressions and body language all work in unison to further your connection with your clients and prospects. It’s very important to work on increasing your likeability factor every step of the way.
The appreciation must be sincere and it must be received well. On either end, if it’s not shown or accepted in good faith, then it will fail miserably. When executed properly, the appreciation you show will serve to connect you better with your prospects and clients.
The gesture of kindness should become a part of your normal business development. It will help generate repeat business, referrals and testimonials, as well as new opportunities for collaboration. Your reputation will spread favorably and attract far many more people to your business thus building your brand. I call this a very Smooth Sale! (www.smoothsale.net)
Author:
Elinor Stutz, CEO of Smooth Sale, LLC authored the International Best-Selling book, “Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results” and “HIRED! How to Use Sales Techniques to Sell Yourself On Interviews”. She provides team sales training, private coaching, and Inspirational keynotes for conferences to standing ovations. Elinor is available for consultation. Call (800) 704-1499 today.
