People buy from eyeballs.  Or the more common phrase is “people buy from people.”  I think quite often with the ease of communication (not the lack of, but the ease of) we forget this.  Especially when we are busy.

When we lose a job around here quite often I hear it is price.  Or more often I hear nothing… we just lost it.  And sometimes it was a customer that we thought was “loyal.”   And you know what?  Quite often WE get upset at the customer!  Shame on us, like they have to buy from us!  How we forget the customer gets to choose the relationship NOT US.

When you dig deeper you almost always find out the customer hasn’t seen their salesperson in a long time… a real long time.  They couldn’t SEE their EYEBALLS.  They will never tell you, “hey you need to be my friend.”  They will never say, “I need to see you.”  YOU need to make that happen.

Voice mails, phone calls, texts, and e-mails are all super for speed and efficiency.  And we think “hey, look at me, I am taking care of my guy whenever he calls.”  But you know what?  People buy from FRIENDS.  Not e-mails.

Be careful texts, phone calls, and e-mails can be a trap.  While the 1950’s three martini lunches are a thing of the past, building relationships might SOUND old school, but that is THE ONLY WAY to build and retain customers.  Giving your customer PRESENTS and just be there friend. Maybe a 3 martini lunch is EXACTLY what your client needs!  DOING THINGS WITH THEM THAT THEY LIKE TO DO  IS A GREAT WAY TO GET BUSINESS.  Actually, it’s the best way!  Take time to be with them.  And then look em in the eye ball.

So this week, go through your accounts and rank the last time you saw that person and had a good talk with that person face to face. Then start working at the bottom of the ranking. I don’t care how big or small  they are  but make a point to go look at them in the eyes.  Or I will bet you they will be looking at your competition’s eyes really soon and spending there money there.  Don’t be surprised when it happens if you haven’t taken the time to look ’em in the eye.

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Bonus tip:  If you are an outside sales person:  LEAVE THE OFFICE.  Your inside sales team and delivery team (or whatever team depends on you) depends on you for sales.   So leave.  Go.  Visit.  Look em in the eye. You think you are “helping” your inside team by not delegating and doing the work yourself.  WRONG.  They are counting on you TO LAND JOBS.  Or they themselves might be out of a job.  They WANT you to leave and make revenue for the company.

Being on a bidders list is NOT THE GOAL.  Sending over more quotes to people YOU WOULDN’T KNOW IF YOU SAW THEM IN CHURCH is WRONG.

Try this: At 3:30 or 4:30 or whenever you are wrapping up your day instead of saying, man I work hard, I am going home to mow the lawn or make dinner or work out or dang just chill, make ONE MORE PHONE CALL for the NEXT day.  Schedule your NEXT DAY, TODAY.  And make it for someone you haven’t seen in awhile, make it for a face to face meeting: breakfast works great!  I am 100% confident your sales and quote to order ratios will improve significantly!

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– Joel Fleischman.  Joel is the president & Head Coach of the solution providers for Drexel Building Supply.  (drexelteam.com).   You can follow him on twitter:  @JoelmFleischman.  He has provided solutions for builders and their clients since 1996 and a whole bunch of other stuff that you probably don’t care about.