To stay top-of-mind with prospects who aren't ready to buy, map out the critical decisions they'll face around a compelling event. By providing resources that help them navigate these inherent challenges (e.g., compliance, tax), you become a trusted advisor, not just another vendor waiting for an opportunity.

Go beyond transactional perks. Unexpected, tangible gifts—like a pumpkin delivered in the fall—create a powerful emotional connection. This "surprise and delight" strategy fosters extreme loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing that a standard service call, no matter how perfect, cannot replicate.

Instead of focusing only on the primary decision-maker, send thoughtful gifts to stakeholders who do the heavy lifting but are often unappreciated, like procurement or operations teams. Acknowledging their work builds allies within the account and can remove friction from the buying process.

Use customer data to perform radically thoughtful, unexpected acts of kindness. Sending a customer a personalized gift related to their hobbies (like a signed jersey) can create a powerful story that generates referrals from high-value connections within their network.

Salespeople often worry about being annoying during follow-up because they frame it as a transactional attempt to close a deal. To overcome this, reframe follow-up as an opportunity to build and enhance the relationship. By consistently providing value—sharing insights, making introductions, or offering resources—the interaction becomes helpful rather than pestering.

Gifting isn't just for prospecting; it's a powerful tool for customer success. After a sale, create contests and reward key adoption activities with small gifts. This gamification encourages users to engage with your product, turning initial usage into lasting habits.

Instead of a direct "just following up" message, tag your prospect in a relevant industry post on LinkedIn. This provides value, gives them visibility, and serves as a subtle reminder, positioning you as a helpful resource rather than a persistent seller.

To ensure gifting is a consistent part of your sales process, treat it like any other critical activity. Block out 1-2 hours weekly, like on a Friday afternoon, and set a minimum KPI for sending a specific number of meaningful gifts or handwritten notes.

When you don't have an established relationship, personalizing a gift can feel intrusive. A safer and more effective approach is to connect the gift to your sales message (e.g., a desk plant to "grow our partnership"), making it clever and relevant rather than overly personal.