6/30/2025-“I thought that buyer LOVED me.”

"I don’t get it…we had a rip-roaring time right before Memorial Day, but the buyer’s been a ghost since then."

Yeah…it happens.

Sometimes, you catch one at the right time, share a few yucks, and you put it in the "connected" column. Other times, pffft… evaporation.

Here are a few relationship-building truths:
1. Nobody owes you anything in exchange for a few drinks or a game.

2. Having the same dog breed as a KDM buys you something, but not a lot.

3. Always bring the value…even when you’re in social selling mode. "Connecting" plus "value" is hard to beat.

Think about upcoming customer interactions. Whether you’ll be at a bar, on the course, at a conference, writing an email, at a cafe, pitching for the first time – no matter where or what – focus on bringing the value. (BTV!)

Value = industry insights, competitive info, value prop enhancements, a service story.

Push yourself to figure out what "value" means for your mate, whether you’re in the mosh pit or at a cafe.

It’s not just your charming personality that builds relationships; it’s what you do to make your customers’ lives easier that makes the difference.

Say it aloud: "Bring the Value"! (BTV!)

It’s irrefutable that having a champion on an account can send you into the sales stratosphere. Two or three champions pushing on your rope across multiple accounts can propel you into the Hall of Fame for any given year.

Ahhh, if it were only that easy.

There is no formula for developing a champion because every one of your prospects and clients is a unique individual who wants different things and is driven by different motivations.

Having said that, four constants exist around champion development:

1. Play the incrementality game. Start by asking for small favors.

2. Payback in spades. Concert tix and meals are good rewards, but making the champion shine inside their org is ideal. Do things that make them look good! Make them feel good…and smart.

3. Determine relationship strength and limits: if you don’t ask, you never know if that buyer can grow into a champion.

4. What do you want? Have a specific plan about what you need from the champion… there are only a handful of things, and the list probably looks like this…
– help to get other company officers to put their pens in their hands and sign the contract
– information
– unlocking internal problems and obstacles
– introductions

Don’t ever stop champion development…you need all the heavy hitters on your side that you can get.

Quick, what’s the opposite of value selling?

Manipulative hucksterism???

Sure, go with that. And it’s on perfect display in the movie Tin Men, a sleeper comedy featuring the sleazy lives of door-to-door aluminum-siding salesmen. (Yes, aluminum-siding.)

Watch this fun clip to see what it looks like to NOT sell value.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtaZo46fMO0