Part one — FIND THE LINK! What do you have in common with your prospect? That will build rapport and lead you to a sale faster than anything.

Contrary to popular belief, “Customer types” don’t matter. That’s right, take your amiable, driver, tightwad, analysis sheets and toss them in the trash.

Here’s the challenge… If you spend 30 minutes trying to figure out what type of person you’re dealing with, and then all of a sudden discover you both like model trains — or your kids both play soccer in the same league — you will most likely make the sale no matter what type of person he or she is.

Part two — FIND THE MEMORY! If you can find one thing about the other person, and do something creative and memorable about it — you can earn the appointment.

I was courting a big client in Milwaukee. Found out the guy liked chocolate and was a Green Bay Packer fan. The next day I sent him a Packer hat full of chocolate covered footballs. The next day I was hired. Coincidence or luck? I have no idea — I just continue to do the same type of thing as often as I can — and continue to make sales.

INSIGHT: To establish the ultimate long term relationship, to be memorable in the service you perform, you need personal information about your prospect or customer. Information that provides insight. (And, oh yes, lots of sales.) The difference between making one sale and building a long-term relationship lies in your ability to get this information.

BIGGER INSIGHT: The more information you have, the better (and easier) it is to establish rapport, follow-up and have something to say, build the relationship, and gain enough comfort to make the first sale — and many more.

BIGGEST INSIGHT: If given a choice, people will buy from those they can relate to. People they like. This stems from things-in-common. If you have the right information, and use it to be memorable, you have a decided advantage. Or you can decide “It’s too much work, I can make the sale without it.” This philosophy gives the advantage to someone else — your competitor.

1999 All Rights Reserved – Don’t even think about reproducing this document without written

permission from Jeffrey Gitomer and Buy Gitomer www.gitomer.com 704/333-1112