I ran into a sales rep acquaintance recently that I hadn't seen for several months. Very early in our conversation, he asked what I was working on at the house. This is notable not only because it's been a while since we've spoken, but also because he doesn't sell anything to me. He has no business reason to remember that we're thoroughly remodeling our late-1970's home.

Good salespeople make note of both personal and business "touchpoints" with their customers and prospects (and even acquaintances). It's a way of bonding instantly with those people and getting them to talk.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to tell you I'm glad this guy doesn't sell anything I'm interested in. He strikes me as a little slimy. But at least in this one area, he plays the selling game very well.

You can't bond with your customers unless you know them. If you can't bond, you can't build loyalty that drives further business and insulates you from competitors.

So, as I say daily, get to know those you sell to. But don't just sit on that knowledge -- use it to reach them, use it to make the sale, and use it to keep the sales coming.

Labels: customer centered, marketing, research