Dear Mr. (or Ms.) Customer...

By now, you’ve gotten my email, my phone call and the receptionist at your office let you know I stopped by. You’ve probably browsed the brochure I left and maybe you took a peek at our website. I want to thank you for investing time in getting to know me and my company.

My goal is to help you do your job better. Please know I don’t mean this in some egotistical way. I genuinely want you to be as successful in your career as I am in mine. But first, there are a few things that we should discuss.

You’re too busy to save time

While you’ve been entrusted with a very important role at your company, you are falling behind because your workload keeps piling up. What I’ve learned is that the best solutions to the problems that keep popping up are only possible by trying something new. I know you’ve heard the cliche about the definition of insanity so I won’t repeat it. The answer to your time management issue may literally be knocking on your door.

Your procurement process is costing you more money

You needed to get something done that was really important and the higher ups made you use the low bid vendor. You went along with it because they said you had to. I mean, who doesn’t love a great deal. But then the vendor needed to meet your quality, safety and schedule goals and fell short. In fact, they ended up costing you more money than if you had just made your decision on reputation, references and experience.  Your procurement department is looking for a unicorn. The best vendors are generally going to cost you a little more upfront. The old adage, ‘you get what you pay for” is as true today, as it was when it was first muttered by an unhappy customer.

Salespeople are necessary…even noble

It would be great if I could just know everything. In fact, my wife accuses me of acting as if that were true, but I digress. The truth is I don’t know everything. I know so little in fact, that I sometimes need to get the advice of someone that is an expert. The role of a salesperson is to help you get to where you need to be. Here’s a secret...your company can’t exist without sales. You get a paycheck every week because you and/or somebody else in your company goes out and helps your customers achieve their goals. Talk to your sales team and see what they face on a daily basis.

My intentions are honorable

When I show up, call or email you it is because I want you to be better today than you were yesterday. I have something to sell you that could make your business even better. It pains me to see you continue to do things the way they’ve always been done. There is a better way. Regardless of whether you invite me in, you need my company. And if you don’t, there is someone else in your company that does. It would be a shame if they didn’t know there is another way.

Thanks again for your time. I respect that your time is valuable. In fact, that is why I called, emailed or stopped by. I want to save you time. By giving me fifteen or twenty minutes, you may actually save hundreds of hours. Good luck and take care!

Sincerely,

That Salesperson

You can reach me at [email protected] or stop by and see me sometime. If this article conjured up a response in your head, go ahead and add it to the comments section below. I’d love to know what you think.