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In a Tight Economy, Relationships More Than Ever Will Determine Your Success

By Tab Norris

I love to play the guitar. I had been saving for a new guitar for a while and the time had arrived for me to make my purchase. The research had been completed and I knew exactly what I wanted, I just didn’t know where to find the instrument at the most competitive price. After a few phone calls I narrowed my search down to two local music stores.

As I entered the first store, I was greeted with a warm welcome and once I told the associate what I was looking for, he said that he carried that guitar.  His recommendation was that I spend a little time playing it and even if I had my mind made up it would be a good idea to try a few others to see how it compares. He then escorted me to the “room,” brought me a couple of guitars, offered me a drink and told me to let him know if I needed anything. It did not take long to conclude which guitar was mine. The problem was this was my first stop and I wanted to see if I could get a better deal across town. So I thanked the associate for his help, told him I would think about it and then jumped in my car to check out the competition.

This experience was much different. As I walked in, there was no warm greeting. I had to track someone down for some help. When I asked if I could play the guitar he gruffly said, “It’s on the wall to the left. You can try it out if you want.” No “room,” no drink, nothing but the instrument I wanted. The good news was that they had the exact guitar I wanted and it was 10% cheaper than my first stop. Guess what I did? I drove back across town and paid a higher price for the same guitar.

Relationships Have Impact

Why would I do that? It was the same product. It’s not like I would have to come in for service and have a long-standing relationship with the guitar store associate. Once the purchase was completed I’d be done.

You are right. If you put the decision on a spreadsheet and did some analysis I made a stupid decision. The reason I paid more was because the first guy made me feel unique and special. He did not just take care of my request and offer me the product I was in search for – although he did do that. He was not just nice and respectful of me. He went above and beyond what was expected. He went the extra mile and that has impact on who you want to work with. At times it can even cause you to pay more for the same product or service.

How Can I Go The Extra Mile?

If the relationship has impact on why someone will purchase, we need to be looking for ways to do more than what is expected for our prospects and customers. Here are a few things you can do to go the extra mile to bring in more customers and greatly increase loyalty with your current customers:

• When starting a relationship with a new customer start looking for clues to their preferences, hobbies, family, etc.
• Make sure to put personal information about your customers in your database and update after each interaction.
• Send hand written notes on your stationary to existing customers with “extra” information that they might find helpful.
• Create a folder to keep creative “extra mile” ideas.

Going the extra mile will help you land more business and not lose the clients you have worked so hard to find.

About Aslan

Aslan Sales Training is a global training and consulting firm that offers customized inside sales training, field sales training, and sales leadership development. For over 15 years, Aslan has helped internationally recognized brands, such as FedEx, Oracle, Xerox, GE, Apple and others, improve the performance of their sales reps and managers. Aslan recognizes that selling, managing customers, and prospecting over the phone require a unique skill set. As a result, the company has developed a total solution that includes hiring strategies, transitioning managers into coaches and leaders and improving overall performance.