My Dad, he’s a business dude. Salesman through and through. We can talk for hours about strategies for building relationships, earning trust, sales ups and downs. It’s been so cool teaching him how to use technology to make sales more efficient. I’m like, “Dad, your customers are sick of going to lunch with you! Take them to a wine bar or to a shooting range – something they dig!” Watching the light bulb go off in his head like, “Whoa… you are right!” is so rewarding because he taught me so much about business.
Well, this past trip to St. Louis, he SHOCKED me. I was sharing stories about a recent business trip and some of my new cool clients. I told my Dad about the dinners we had, recipes we shared, and insight I learned about what really matters to their business. He was proud and then he TOTALLY one-up’d me!
My Dad told me he recently had an upset customer who he really wants to continue working with. The customer was so pissed, they stopped giving him the opportunity for business. Good old Dad made the ULTIMATE proposal, showing more passion, investment, and committment than any other sales pitch I have EVER heard -
My Dad said, “Sir, I want to learn the nature of your business and processes through and through. Please allow me to work as a part of your staff at no charge for a week so I can learn what it takes for my company to add TRUE value to your company.”
Holy shiz. My Dad just squashed my business dinner and shooting range visits and propelled into an entire new sales universe! Here is a man who owns 2 businesses, could easily send someone else to work on staff for a week but no way! He is so invested in helping his customers see how committed he is, he wants to get dirty and learn how to add value.
What company wouldn’t appreciate an offer like that?
It makes me think- How can I step outside my box and offer value to my clients that they REALLY care about? Free lunches are old news. It’s time to switch up our “go-to” offering and serve up something fresh and meaningful to our clients current business.
Have you added “outside the box” value lately to your clients and peers? Did it go along way? I want to hear it all!