By Deb Walton, Chief Gift Officer & Queen of Client Courting
Before they even get down to business with a prospective customer, Craig Huckstep and his staff at CMH Builders, Inc. start with a simple “Thank You” to those folks who have taken the time to come into the company’s showroom.
This Thank You takes the form of delicious shortbread cookies that Craig purchases from Indy City Gifts. Not only are the cookies tasty, they are also branded with the CMH Builders logo. “It’s a small gift we give to say, ‘thank you for sitting down with us today,’” says Craig.
This approach seems to be paying dividends as a part of their larger marketing strategy. “We spend a lot of time every month tracking our sales,” explains Craig. “Our close rate used to be 30%, but is now almost 50%. Working with Indy City Gifts is a large part of our increase.”
“They ate the cookies” has become salesperson Brandon Kriese’s code for describing new customers who have enthusiastically signed up for a basement renovation. As a result, today CMH Builders remodels 75 basements year, well over one per week, and has a considerable amount of referral business, thanks in part to their attention to details—as simple as saying “Thank You for your time and business.”
For more information on how your company can embed your very own attitude of gratitude into a successful and meaningful marketing plan, contact Deb at deb@indycitygifts.com or learn more here.
