Last week my family and I enjoyed a week at the coast. Every summer we rent a beach house overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The view never gets old.
There is a local farmers market located a short walk from the house. Last year my daughter purchased some fresh coffee from a local company, and she says it’s the best she’s ever had. She continues to order regularly online from this local vendor. For Father’s Day she set up a private tasting for me at their facility. Coffee is one of my favorite beverages.
When we arrived, the aroma was heavenly. We enjoyed sampling the coffee, the intimate atmosphere, and the opportunity to meet with the owner. I asked a lot of questions hoping to learn about the story of the coffee, the business, and the owner. I was disappointed that the owner seemed more interested in talking about the day-to-day business details. I was expecting a passionate coffee person but felt like I had encountered a retail clerk. I did end up making a purchase mainly out of a sense of obligation. I left appreciative of my daughter’s gesture of the gift, but disappointed that I had no real relationship or connection to the purchase.
My other favorite beverage is wine. Several years ago when I was developing an interest, I ran into a podcast where the host mentioned a particular bottle of wine he had been given and how it paired so well with a nice juicy steak. Driving to work that morning I made note of the name of the wine. At the office, I went online, found the winery, and made a phone call. To my surprise, the phone was answered quickly, and I was talking to the winemaker. It turns out he attended a rival college of mine here on the East Coast. We immediately found common ground. He went on to tell me about the winery, how he was a third-generation winemaker, and about this wine that he wasn’t currently selling.
He was only making enough for friends and family at the time but had plans to increase production and promised to reach out when he had enough available to begin distributing. Later that year he contacted me and offered a couple of bottles of the next vintage. Every year since he contacts me and offers me an opportunity to buy a little more as his production has increased.
I love serving this wine to guests because I feel a real connection to it. I have a story to tell. The coffee I purchased last week is also excellent, but I honestly have no story to share with anyone about it. It feels more like a commodity than a friend.
What do you sell? What is your product or service? Do you take the time to build and share a story about it with your customers? How about your own story? Do you take the time to share that with your customers? Does their purchase from you feel more like a commodity or like a friend? Do they love telling their friends about the product and the story of their relationship with you?
Building value is one of the primary roles of a professional salesperson. There are lots of ways to do that. Don’t miss an opportunity to build value by telling the story of your company, your product or service, and your own involvement. When you do that, you are enhancing and adding value to your customer’s purchase.
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