Build deeper relationships with customers
Instructions
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List down your five biggest customers.
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Write down everything you know about to whom they sell.
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Follow the same process with the individual you work with at each customer
Who are their customers? To whom do they report and work? -
Create a 90-day plan of who you need to meet and the questions you need to ask.
This will cover any information gaps from steps 1-3. The person you are selling to will hold you in higher regard due to your proactive learning, leading to uncover new opportunities. -
Focus on deepening relationships with customers and learning about their customers.
Sending a senior-level person an email with a link to a newsworthy story about their customers is a great strategy. Consider:
a) Sending the email at the weekend as senior executives are very busy during the week, and at the weekend, they are often working on the business itself.
b) Including a summary and commentary on the email:
-Summary - two or three quick statements to summarise the article
-Commentary - two or three quick statements about why you feel it is important. This could include a question or two for them to think about -
If you are working with purchasing departments, ask the following questions to gain insights.
You may get answers or a firm ‘no,’ but you have nothing to lose!
- What are the key issues you face in managing your supply chain?
- What are your objectives for inventory turn and cash management?
- Do you have order fulfillment or invoice accuracy objectives?
- What is the mission of your department, and what are the annual goals?
- What are the key metrics you must achieve?