You probably have a budget for entertaining and courting clients. Whether you spend it on the golf course, a dinner out, or a gift of boutique wine, the question is not how much you spend but if this strategy for wooing customers is successful. For most consultative sales reps, the goal is to build a long-term relationship with profitable clients.
Most research shows, however, that client incentive programs don’t work toward this end. Then what does?
Think about how you make many of your own day-to-day decisions, e.g., the route you take to work, the food you have for lunch, the order in which you attack your daily tasks, the TV shows you watch at night. Most of these are made according to habit.
If you could crack the code on how buying decisions are made and habits are formed, you could shift the way clients operate and successfully insert yourself and your company into the process.
If you are following a consultative selling script that does not start with the buying habits of your target clients and finish with adding clear value and insights, then those dinners and golf outings are likely wastes of time.
