How To Impress A Hard Person To Impress

(By Pat Bryson) Those who know me understand that I allow myself a few indulgences. One such indulgence is a special perfume that I have used for decades. It’s my “signature scent”. I once lost a scarf while on-premise with a client. One of the salespeople returned it to me saying, “I knew it was yours. I recognized your perfume.” You get the picture.

Which brings us to today’s article: I haven’t been able to find this particular perfume for nearly a year. I had resigned myself to smelling like the frankincense soap I use. When I attended the NAB Show in Vegas last April, I decided to visit several of their famous big stores to search for the perfume. I took a few hours off from trolling for new clients in the halls of the Encore and Bellagio and went on my quest: Saks, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s – no luck anywhere. I was met with, “We haven’t been able to get that fragrance for months!”

At Neiman Marcus, they thought they could order it. Oh, happy day! But they soon figured out it wasn’t available to order either. The nice salesperson offered to give me a couple of small travel-size atomizers from their tester. I eyed the tester greedily, offered to buy THAT, and briefly debated grabbing it and running from the store. I decided, however, that grand larceny should not be the way to fulfill my desire (see, Mom, I DID listen to Sunday services). I thankfully took the small samples and left my card, as I did at each of the previous stores. Please let me know if you receive the perfume. She promised to do so.

Fast forward. I arrived home and mentioned my quest to a friend who shares the same passion for this fragrance. She said she had managed to order it online. Although I had previously not been able to locate it online, I found it, ordered it, and was once more recognizable before I even entered a door.

All of the above is background. Now to the sales lessons involved in this transaction. In August, I received a call from a strange number from Las Vegas. Potential client? No, it was Julie from Neiman Marcus. She still had my card from April. She left a message saying she now had received 3 bottles of my perfume. She had sold one but wanted to know if I still wanted it.

Lesson #1: She Listened and Understood My Need.

Lesson #2: The Follow-up When She Could Fulfill My Need.

It’s a good thing I wasn’t behind the wheel when I called her back (of course, I NEVER do that: we have laws in OK about that) or I might have driven off the road.

Remember I had already purchased perfume. I was so impressed with her follow-up and customer service that I said, “Yes, send me one.” To which she replied, “Would you like both of the bottles I have?” (Lesson #3: Go For The Upsell) I almost said, “Yes” because I liked her style. For the sake of my credit card, I resisted. Two days later my package arrived at my door.

But the story doesn’t end there. When I opened the package, there was a nice note from Julie, her card, and a small gift:

“Thank you! This is a refillable atomizer perfect for travel. I’m here to assist with anything at Neiman.

Talk soon,
Julie”

Lesson #4: Send a Thank You

Lesson #5: Always Go The Extra Mile

If I had clients in Vegas I’d be trying to recruit Julie to join our team. I still have her card. Will I call her? You bet. Extraordinary service is so rare these days that we need to celebrate it.

To recap:

1. She listened to my needs
2. She retained my information even though she couldn’t fulfill my desire immediately and called me as soon as she could do so.
3. She tried for the upsell.
4. She delivered what she promised.
5. She went the extra mile.

Do you? If I called a random client on your list, what would they tell me about you? Are you their “go-to-person” when it comes to anything marketing? We should take a lesson from Julie. What do you bet I hear from her again in a few weeks or months? She “Will have been thinking about me” and will have something I need.

So, that’s our lesson for today. Thank you, Julie, for not only making me smell like a room full of flowers but for giving me fodder for this newsletter and for restoring my faith that there ARE still wonderful sellers out there.

Pat Bryson is the CEO of Bryson Broadcasting International, a consulting firm that works with sales managers and salespeople to raise revenue. She is the author of two books, “A Road Map to Success in High-Dollar Broadcast Sales” and “Successful Broadcast Sales: Thriving in Change” available on her website. Read Pat’s Radio Ink archives here.