Business information naturally is what you should be gathering on all of your calls. How the business is run, what their specific needs, wants, and objectives are.

Get Personal Information

If you do any type of account managment, calling customers on a regular basis, you also should be sure to get personal info about your customer. This includes such data as hobbies, special interests, family, accomplishments, leisure time activities, organization memberships, and special dates such as birthdays.

You can glean this info from several sources.

o From the prospect/customer. Of course this is your best source. You can be reactive, listening carefully to any clues they bring up during the call, and then acting on them. Like if they mention they're going to be gone for a week, ask, “Oh, business or pleasure? Where are you going? What do you like to do when you're there?”

Or, be proactive, and ask about them personally, “I'll be spending the weekend at kids' basketball games. You have any kids Mike?”

o From secretaries/assistants. They can be bountiful sources of information for you. Ask them about the boss. What does he/she like to do with their spare time? Ask them to describe the boss' office. What is on the walls, shelves, and desk? Any photos, trophies, plaques? When is his/her birthday?

o His/Her Competitors. Don't laugh. If you sell to your customers' competition, listen carefully to what they have to say.

o Publications. If you specialize in an industry, be sure you get the trade pubs for that niche. You'll learn more about the industry, the competition, your customer's business, and maybe even your customer.

To make recording this information easy, have special fields set up in your contact management program. At the end of each call, update your fields with the new info you gather. Set up reminders to alert you to birthdays each month.

Using Your Information

There is a wide gap between people who are perceived as “Product/Service SALESpeople,” and “Buyer's Helpers.” You bridge that gap when you use custom information. Here are ideas.

o On your calls. As you build your relationships, try to mix personal information in your conversations. Get the prospect/customer talking about their interests, and you'll also find them talking about orders. Every phone call doesn't have to be a business call either. Why not a Happy Birthday call?

o Through the mails. Send birthday cards, anniversary cards, notes of congratulations or thanks, or anything to mark special occasions. News clippings about personal or business interests are always a fine gesture. The important point here is that every time your customer receives one of these items from you, you are amplifying your image in the customer's mind.

When you use personal, custom information, you peel away the layers of business formality and possibly resistance that exist before most, and during many sales transactions. By appealing to personal needs and interests on a one-to-one basis, you burn a long-lasting impression into the customer's mind that translates into loyalty, appreciation, respect, and mutual benefit in terms of the business relationship.