Pearls of Sales Wisdom on Vacation

By Steve Martinez

Shhhhhhh, My wife will probably never know I wrote this story about a vacation experience unless you tell her. It is just too good of a story to pass up. It is a great example of using a small gift to get attention and sell something. It all starts when we are on vacation at a typical tourist trap and we are looking for a gift for our Grand Daughter. Our budget is about $25.00 to $50.00 and we aren't sure what to purchase so we stroll around the shopping center. We end up exceeding the budget and it isn’t for the Grand Daughter.

As we enter the building, a young lady approaches me and offers me a key to open a treasure chest on the counter. I thank her and walk by since I’m on a quest for a gift for our Grand Daughter. My wife stops and accepts the key and sure enough, her key opens the box. Inside the box is a free opportunity to try her luck at an oyster for a pearl. The young lady picks out a pearl, gets my wife's name and rings a loud bell before she opens up the pearl. This becomes an event and my wife feels special. This induces a little excitement for my wife in the hope that she is lucky. Well, wouldn't you know it; the oyster has a pearl inside. Who would have guessed? At this point I have wandered around to another area seeking to find the gift for Taylor, our Grand Daughter. My wife is all excited about her new success, the lucky pearl.

Every Pearl needs a setting

At this point, I find all of this too obvious but I don't want to spoil my wife's fun since we are on vacation and we have plenty of time. My wife learns that there is a small cost to purchasing the pearl, which seems very reasonable. However, every pearl deserves a setting. Next thing I know, my wife is looking at various settings for her new lucky pearl. At this point I remember hearing those bells ring again because another key had opened the box to find a pearl inside. Was my wife really that lucky? I must tell you that while we were in the store, those bells rang many times. It seems that every key opened up the little treasure chest and every oyster had a pearl. As you might expect, every pearl needs a setting so this is where the store makes its profit and my wife adds to her collection.

Why coupons and special offers work

Coupons, special offers, gifts or certificates apply the law of reciprocation.  This law isn’t found on law books but it does exist. It exists in our minds when someone is nice to us. The urge to reciprocate back to the business or person who gave us something is a strong emotional response.  In my wife’s case, she felt a small obligation after winning the lucky oyster. Although It might seem small, the purchase advantage went to the salesperson.  My wife, Sallie stayed there and ended up buying something she never thought she would. Sallie is very pleased with her purchase and enjoys her lucky pearls. The sales clerk succeeds with a sale because she quickly profiled my wife as an outstanding prospect. My wife was wearing a pearl ring which the clerk determined made her a good candidate for pearls. When the sales lady offered multiple compliments on my wife’s jewelry and I knew we were in trouble. My wife beamed with pride as she spoke about the history of her pearl ring.

The power of reciprocation can be applied to almost any sales situation. What amazes me is how any small gift will work. Donuts, coffee of cookies and gestures of kindness apply this law with impact and allow us to secure a little more time with a customer or prospect. The compliments we offer work wonders for us too. If you are in sales, and we all are, add a little kindness to your customer contacts, you might be surprised how these acts of kindness return huge dividends in sales.