Rick Davis, president of Building Leaders Inc. and author of the book, “Strategic Sales in the Building Industry,” offers these tips for systematically making inroads with prospective customers and securing the sale.

Closing a sale is not an event, but rather a series of meetings and little victories that start out with the first phone call placed to a potential customer.

Tip No. 1– Get the First Meeting – Successfully scheduling the first face-to-face meeting with a potential customer is a small victory. This is the door that opens toward a new account.

Tip No. 2– Don’t Push for the Instant Sale – Listen carefully as a potential customer explains his or her challenges. Before you determine how your product or service can solve their problems, make sure you truly understand how they run their business and sell their products.

Tip No. 3 – Establish Reasons for the Second Meeting – When all else fails, you can always say that you’d like time to digest the information about their company before making a sales pitch. Then, schedule the next meeting while you are still in front of the client to lock it in.

Tip No. 4 – Always Keep the Focus on Your Client – Use a follow-up meeting to reiterate what you learned from a previous meeting. Show how you processed the information and can support their needs. While building a personal relationship, explain specifically how your product or service will benefit their profits.

Tip No. 5 – Follow-up – Use every resource available to you for following up personally with a potential customer. Send a handwritten thank-you note, e-mail a relevant article or document, drop off a follow-up package of materials, call and/or leave a message.

When will the sale be closed? Maybe when you connected personally while discussing your local sporting team. Perhaps when you send a thank-you note that demonstrates your professional and personal courtesy. It’s possible the close will even happen when the bid is presented, making the rest of the sales process merely an administrative formality. You may never know. However, what you will always know is that by systematically tackling the ground work, you’ve done everything possible to build a relationship that should lead to future business.

Based in Chicago since 1998, Building Leaders Inc. has distinguished itself as a premier sales and sales-management education specialist in the building-materials industry. For more information, visit www.buildingleaders.com or call 773.769.4409.

Howdy from Group Editor, Karen Butler. I'm making a guest appearance to share a photo of your favorite Corporate Logo Editor, Debrah Rosen, hard at work...

I happened to find the world's largest marshmallows yesterday (at Food City, of all places), so I brought them in the office to share. Considering they're personalizing M&M's these days, I'm sure somebody will jump on the bandwagon soon to bring messaging to these oh-so-spacious (and might I add, delicious!) marshmallows. Seriously... I have an orange on my desk, and one marshmallow eclipses it. I'm so glad I didn't find these until after our Chubby Bunny competition last weekend!

You heard it here first!

Charley Johnson is the vice president of sales for Salt Lake City-based SnugZ USA. The company produced neoprene bracelet emblazoned with the phrase, “Pay it Forward.” Recipients wear it as a reminder to do something good for others. When thanked for their good deeds, they give the other person the bracelet and ask them to pay it forward.


PAY IT FORWARD is getting stronger and more people involved every day. Great stories below.

“Hi Charley,
“Remember the several hundred PAY IT FORWARD bracelets you sent?
“Well, it was tied together to a "Go Out and Do Something Good" sermon at our church, and the stories keep coming in about Pay it Forward situations. One story came in about a lady in a grocery store line who didn't have enough money. Someone gave their band to the lady, paid for the groceries, and said "Pay it forward." Another story was told about a kid giving her wristband to another kid at school and telling them to "Pay it forward."
“Cool stuff.
“Attached is a letter sent to us by the church pastor. We have about 1,000 people in our church and the wristbands were given away at three services. I thought you might like it.
“Thanks for your support and the wristbands. We really appreciate it.
“Sean Fremon
“Cole Industries Inc.
“www.promosuperstore.com”


“November 26, 2007
“Dear Sean and Angela:
“I experienced yesterday a great joy, one that has been happening about every day since we gave out the bracelets last week. I heard more stories about how people are using them to break out of their shyness and share their love for Jesus!
“Thank you so much for the great idea, and then for the gift to make it possible. People of all ages are benefiting, and that blesses everyone. …
“Gratefully,
“Brenda Young”
Cornerstone Free Methodist Church
Akron, Ohio

“Hi Charley,
“Nice to electronically ‘meet’ you.
“Shelly Duben asked if I had ever dropped you a line. I was privileged to meet her at a recent One Book-One Community event in Northern MI (she drove four hours to meet me and tape two little messages for the folks at home). She tells me that you have given her 4,000 of the Pay It Forward bracelets!
“That's pretty generous. Almost fits the Pay It Forward concept itself (kidding, of course, it perfectly fits it).
“I also know you were very generous in sending a good supply to our Pay It Forward Foundation, and that Vance and Charlotte were very excited about that. I probably should have dropped you a line at the time, but frankly it never occurred to me that you would want to hear directly from me. Until Shelly suggested that you might. I guess I spend so much time with me, I fail to see the big deal. But I do want you to know that I'm out here noticing what you do.
“It's really cool to have a Pay It Forward bracelet. One of those things that makes me feel that the concept has really ‘arrived.’
“Thanks for being so nice about spreading them around with your compliments.
“My best to you,
“Catherine (Ryan Hyde)”
C. Ryan Hyde's page
Pay It Forward foundation
Pay It Forward movement

Rob Yelvington is a sales rep for Lee Wayne Corp. He is based in the Midwest and has more than 15 years of industry experience.

I read that 38 billion water bottles are going to end up in landfills this year alone in the United States. This is a staggering number to me, especially since I refill the same bottles again and again and keep them cold in the fridge or frozen for use in a cooler.

I’m big on selling water bottles as a way to tote water around, delaying a trip to the landfill. I love the polycarb bottles and ferry one with me when I go back and forth from the gym. But the less expensive sport bottles are a great item too.

It helps to have customers in the health field when making this pitch, but if you can find someone with a “green” streak in them, you have a nice little add-on sale.

Similarly, I sell coffee mugs as a way to keep paper from making a trip to the landfill, as well as a way to keep your name in front of a customer. I like travel mugs, even more than ceramic desk mugs, as a way to save money on a cup of “fourbucks” coffee. You can get the refill price in many stores when you have your own cup. It stays hotter and you don’t burn your hands. Everyone wins … except the landfills that are cheated out of a 16-ounce paper cup.

I recycle. I get large amounts of cardboard and I dutifully break it down. (It takes up FAR less space broken down. If you’re gonna make the effort to recycle, for goodness sake … flatten it!) I also recycle newsprint, glass, etc., and take it to the recycling center.

My daughter has taken recycling to a whole new level. She left a note for me on a chalkboard at my house, informing me that I can now recycle toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls, too. My consciousness has been raised to seemingly unheard of levels about what can and can’t be recycled, thanks to her.

Anyway, I’ve become even more annoyed with those mounds of plastic bags that groceries come home from the store in. I live alone; I make few small trips to the local supermarket … and yet my garage is filled with those flimsy white plastic bags.

I’ve read how these bags could be a larger environmental train wreck than water bottles. In the meantime, they are all wadded up in my garage in the hopes that science will determine these piles of white fluffy nothingness can eventually be used to run a car. I’ll be the Standard Oil of my neighborhood. Seriously. I have a lot.

Until then, however, reusable bags are a great alternative to plastic. Grocery stores are even starting to push reusable bags to make an environmental statement, save a little bit of money and get some advertising to boot.

A new ASI company, Care Co. International, has a bag called the Pack ’n Tote, which can be sold to reduce the waste of plastic bags. And it has hooks to grab onto the sides of the shopping cart. I got an e-mail about them recently, and I can’t wait to get my hands on a couple. It opens up new markets to go after such as health-food stores and smaller grocery stores that could use the novelty and advertising that a bag like this would bring. I’m gonna order sample bags; to show, to use and to give to my daughter. She’ll be as excited as can be when she gets them.

Care Co. International Inc. President James Soucie with his future top salesperson, his fourth grandson.

Sarah Bonn works in relationship development for a software company in Scottsdale, Ariz. She’s also the sister of Corporate Logo Managing Editor Debrah Rosen. Sarah agreed to blog about her experience at the AZPPA trade show in Phoenix, where she was invited as a guest of her distributor to the end-user portion. She lives in Tempe with her fiancé and her dog, Farrah.

Working for a software-development company provides for an ever-evolving environment. We spend most days discussing programming, development and the meat and potatoes of what our software actually does: payroll taxes. Our software has the ability to take those chunks of your paycheck designated for tax and deliver them straight to Uncle Sam.

Of course, we also have our non-technical discussions when the deviations from the norm step in. Every even year we host a user conference, and we are constantly on the lookout for trinkets to give out as awards, gifts and traditional bag stuffers for all the attendees. What better place to find the latest and greatest than a promotional-products trade show?

Historically, we have worked with Team Shop Premiums to bring in examples and prototypes of our requested giveaways, as well as to offer suggestions along the lines of our conference themes and marketing ideas. This year, our TSP representative invited two of us to visit the promotional products show as guests of the company. There were two bonuses to this invitation: leaving work early and becoming privy to more creative ideas than I’d ever imagined.

We stopped at booth after booth to view and touch the products: shirts that would make magnificent replacements for our current trade-show uniform, visors for our conference golf outing, and then there were the countless ideas for bag stuffers. And not just rulers and pens, but things people actually use! Candles, who doesn’t love candles? And chapstick…I love chapstick! There was another line made completely from recycled materials. This gave me a great feeling that there are companies able to build a business through exposing the importance of recycling.

Between my co-worker and I, there was one piece that stuck out to us both as something that would be an absolute hit for our conference attendees and for use down the line. What we fell in love with was a coffee mug that lights up according to the heat and drink level in the mug. It was a very modern design on the traditional travel mug, and being that the two of us are committed coffee drinkers, we couldn’t have been more excited about the product.

Generally, the booths had some inventive ideas and proved to me that you can really stick a logo on anything. I like that whole concept, as it allows companies to offer real, usable products in their own marketing and promotion. I have left too many trade shows in the past with paper clips and highlighters that soon find their way to the garbage. Items I can use in my everyday life, now that’s a promotion to pass on.

Audra Dahlgren works for  Crystal D  in St. Paul, Minn. Below she describes the advantages of choosing crystal over other substrates for your awards.

Crystal is just one of many substrates that can be used to create a meaningful and lasting recognition award. Which leads to the question: Why use crystal? There are three reasons why crystal is preferred over other substrates:

• Crystal is considered a luxury product

• Crystal has physical characteristics that are distinctive and unique

• Crystal provides life-long memories

Luxury Product

Throughout time, crystal has been a highly regarded material most often associated with beauty, distinction, and reverence. Its high-perceived value, delicacy and rarity make crystal the perfect symbol of achievement in the form of a recognition award.

Crystal is not considered a justifiable everyday purchase. Instead, it is seen as a luxury item. For this reason, people are willing to work hard to earn this type of reward because it is something they wouldn't normally buy. Receiving a luxury item such as a crystal award is like the "icing on the cake." Not only does the recipient have the intrinsic satisfaction of their achievement, but they also have a symbol that is truly extra special.

Physical Characteristics - Clarity, Weight, Light Refraction

Crystal, as a substrate, has inherent characteristics that elicit curiosity. People wonder what it is used for, how it is made, and how it maintains its clarity. The most attractive qualities of crystal include its clarity, weight and ability to refract light.

Crystal is available in many different forms; however, each form of crystal is incredibly clear. This clarity makes crystal a perfect candidate for adding a recipient name or company logo. This decoration accents the beauty of crystal without overwhelming the eye.

Although crystal is clear and appears to be weightless, it is quite strong! An average-sized award weighs approximately three to five pounds. Each piece balances the delicacy of the substrate with its strength. This balance between strength and delicacy is not evident in substrates such as wood, metal or stone.

Crystal naturally refracts light in a way that casts rainbows throughout a room. This refraction is unique to crystal and is just another characteristic that sets crystal apart from other substrates.

Life-Long Memories

There is no better product that will evoke long-term memories of a meaningful accomplishment than crystal! Many promotional products have a shelf life. They are disposed of because they stop working, break or lose their luster. For example, pens run out of ink, apparel will fade in the wash and acrylic will yellow over time.

Years later, your crystal award will have the same brilliance it had on Day 1. What better product than crystal to communicate a message of appreciation for a job well done? These awards are symbolic - turning today's accomplishments into tomorrow's memories.

Christine M. Bordonaro is a public relations manager and account executive for Charles River Apparel. The Medford, Mass.-based company can be found online at www.charlesriverapparel.com.

What would happen to your company if your IT manager left for vacation and never returned? How would you handle an unexpected termination of your chief operations officer due to a serious indiscretion? Who would temporarily fill in for a human resources manager during interviews for potential candidates? Is there such an employee who can do it all?

Performance outerwear manufacturer Charles River Apparel has the answer: Every company needs a Sharon.

Sharon Hennessy joined the family-owned business, more than 23 years ago. She is the ideal employee for any organization and if you don’t have someone like her, you could be in trouble.

She can process and facilitate orders. She can supervise production and communicate with overseas factories. She can control all of the company’s financials — including payroll, accounts receivable and accounts payable. She can manage all operational and technological functions and train other employees on them, as well. She can serve on the company’s board of directors as its secretary. She can educate employees on the company’s code of ethics, polices and procedures, and advise them on which benefits are available. She is a major contributor in the organization’s computer upgrade and software conversions. She can be a great friend and coworker.

Sharon began at Charles River Apparel as the owner’s personal assistant. Soon after she became the company’s office manager and then the general manager. Today she is Charles River Apparel’s accounting and licensing manager — by title — but often times plays the role of a human resources, operations or IT manager.

So, now the question is how to find a Sharon. First, look at your current employees. Is there anyone who has been working with you for a long time, someone whom you trust and confide in? Is he or she familiar with the basic foundation and structure of the company? Does he or she truly understand the business’s practices, policies and regulations? Can he or she perform any task requested? If you do not have an employee like this, start looking.

It’s important to keep in mind the following qualities when hiring a new employee to act as a Sharon. First, will he or she make a long-term commitment to the organization? Was he or she at their previous job for more than 3 years? Next, does it seem like the candidate has multitasking abilities? Can he or she wear multiple hats in different departments? Finally, will the individual be loyal and responsible to not only your business, but also to other employees? These qualities will be obvious during several interviews as well as after speaking to his or her references. Don’t be afraid to ask for additional references in order to get to know your candidate better.

It really all comes down to finding the right employee who can do it all! You never know when you are going to need someone to “fill in.” When the Lipsett family hired Sharon Hennessey more than two decades ago, they never imagined that she would play so many roles in helping the company to grow. Charles River Apparel grew to be a $35 million company throughout the years, and the family often reminisces that without her, it probably wouldn’t have happened.

Barry Lipsett, president and CEO, noted that Sharon is a “utility infielder.” You can count on her for anything, and no job is too big or too small. Barry rewarded her for her dedication to Charles River Apparel and recently sent her and her husband on an all-expenses-paid vacation to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

So next time you are evaluating your employees or hiring someone new, make sure you look for “Sharon qualities.” You never know when you are going to need someone to assist you when the going gets tough. Having a Sharon is a blessing… you should consider that today.