Don’t save the “good stuff” for important customers.

The person who seems unimportant today may introduce you to your biggest customer tomorrow.

What it costs you

Eleven people are watching.

You send the owner a nice bottle of wine for the holidays.

It arrives at the front desk. Eleven people watch the receptionist carry it back to the boss’s office.

What did you just tell those eleven people?

“You don’t count.”

The boss signs the check. But the boss is almost never the only one who decides.

Somebody answers the phone. Somebody keeps the calendar. Somebody places the reorder. Somebody pays your invoice.

A real example

Maria at the front desk

A sales rep for an office coffee service calls on dental offices.

Every other rep walks in and asks for the dentist.

He walks in and says, “Hi, I’m Tony. What’s your name?” “Maria.” He remembers it.

A few months later, he stops by with a box of donuts. Not for the dentist. For the whole front office. Every time, he asks Maria how her son’s soccer season is going.

He never asks her for anything.

Then one day the dentist walks up to the front desk. “The coffee machine died again. Who should we use?”

Maria doesn’t even look it up. “Call Tony.”

The receptionist isn’t standing between you and the customer. The receptionist is the customer. Just a different one.

Most reps0names learned. A card left at the front desk that ends up in the trash.

Tony1box of donuts, one name remembered, and “Call Tony.”

Same front desk. Same dentist. Only one of them got recommended without asking.

Why it happens

Why the good stuff only goes to the boss

“She’s just the receptionist.”She decides whose message gets passed along.

“He doesn’t sign the check.”He places the reorder, and often picks who gets the next one.

“The nice gifts are for the big accounts.”The big account is sitting at the front desk, watching.

“I don’t have time to learn everybody’s name.”Then somebody else will.

Every one of those people can help you. Every one of them can quietly hurt you, too.

Do this instead

Send enough for everyone.

At almost every customer, there’s a whole team between you and the check. Most businesses only thank the boss. Thank all of them.

Who	What they decide
The receptionist	Whose call gets through and whose message gets passed along.
The office manager	Places the reorder. Often picks who gets the next one.
The assistant	Controls the boss’s calendar, and the boss’s ear.
Accounts payable	How fast your invoice gets paid.
The receiving dock	Signs for your delivery, and tells the boss if it was a mess.
The everyday users	Use what you sell every day, and complain if it’s bad.

Same budget, maybe less. Skip the one bottle of wine. Send a big box of cookies, a pizza lunch, a popcorn tin or a mug for every single person in the office. Learn their names the first time and use them every time. And when someone on their team makes your life easier, tell their boss: “Maria at your front desk is fantastic.” She will never forget who said it.

Do this today

Cost: about the price of lunchTime: 15 minutes

1
Pick one of your best customers.
2
Write down everyone there who touches your order, by name if you know it.
3
Send a gift for the whole team, not just the boss, with a note that thanks them all.
4
Next time someone there makes your life easier, tell their boss.

The boss signs the check. Thank everyone who makes it happen.

Stolen from the masters · Mary Kay Ash

Mary Kay Ash started Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1963 with her life savings and a tiny storefront in Dallas. It grew into one of the biggest beauty companies in the world. She said to picture everyone you meet wearing an invisible sign around their neck. And the sign says: