I’ve never been a fan of the “bribe”, you know the big personal gift in return for an order. Sure, I would love to get a new iPod for free. And if I could get one in return for a personal purchase, I might go for it. But for business to business purchases, it’s different. In fact, many companies have written policies forbidding large gifts of a personal nature.
But the small gift is really a different thing. If you leave a customer something small like a mug or a pen when you visit, nobody will have a problem with that. If you can leave something with your name and number on it, it does double duty.Almost 30 years ago, I was working for a company that sold laboratory glassware. I had some glass coffee mugs made with our name and logo, and handed them out freely. They only cost a couple of bucks each, they were unique, and everybody loved them. A couple of years ago, I was calling on a buyer in the Sarnia Valley, and there on her desk was my mug! We got a lot of miles out of that couple of bucks.
The next time you call on a new customer, if you have a good call, leave them a Tim Hortons gift card, or a baseball cap with your logo. I will bet that the next time you call for an appointment they will remember you, and booking the call will be a lot easier.
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