Using Sports to Connect with Customers: Case Study #2

2XPM84CB4EE6 Since opportunities to connect with customers can occur just about anywhere – your office, their office, on the phone, at a restaurant, on the golf course, at a Happy Hour, etc. -- it's important to consider where the communication is taking place. In most cases, the scene can influence your choice of an opening question or observation.

Here's how Ashley, a pharmaceutical sales representative, maximizes sales visits to a particular customer:

“There’s one dentist's office I call on that makes it really easy for me.  All of the staffers are huge fans of everything... During baseball season, they’re wearing baseball stuff, football season, football stuff, hockey season, hockey stuff. They say they do it to connect with their patients. But, it makes it easy for me, too.  All I have to do is say something like, “Are you happy with the team this week?” And, they’re chattering away. Then I bring out my samples, and they’re ready to listen.

Ashley’s wise to piggyback on the same strategy her client uses to make their patients comfortable. It doesn’t get any easier than that!  In fact, any sales rep who wouldn’t pick up on the sports clues and use them to their advantage should consider a different career.