In today’s economy, it’s more important than ever to differentiate your company from the other guys. When you and a rival are neck and neck in pursuit of a prospect, sometimes a small personal touch can tip the balance by convincing the potential client that you’ll be more pleasant to do business with.

One such small touch is to send out thank-you cards. Although they seem trivial, they can give you an edge if the competition isn’t also sending them. An article in Canadian Business Online sales reps to send three to five thank-you cards per week. There are a number of reasons to do so, including:

• After an initial face-to-face meeting or sales call: Tell your prospect you enjoyed meeting her and learning more about her specific goals or business. Then add that you’re looking forward to working with her in the future.

• After a client has agreed to do business with you: Sending him a card after he has signed a contract or reached a verbal agreement with you will reinforce his decision and reduce the odds of buyer’s remorse.

• When someone sends you a referral: This is one occasion when it’s critical to extend your thanks.

• When a client provides a testimonial or endorsement: If she has taken the time and effort to write an endorsement, you should take the time to thank her. This will confirm that her decision to help you was a wise one.

• When a prospect declines to buy your product or service: Sending a thank-you card for having considered your offering demonstrates a high level of professionalism. It’s very rare for salespeople to do this, so this is one way for your reps to really stand out. And it might impress the prospect enough to mention your classy gesture to other potential buyers—or to consider buying from you himself in the future.

What are you doing to differentiate yourself?

This entry was posted on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 at 5:08 pm and is filed under