Kosta_Konfucius

Sales Rep

Sending Prospects Booze

As these posts about drinks got me thinking about sending clients booze. I have numerous managers with different opinions all across the board. I had managers suggest sending a bottle of wine to people we have not met with.

Also had leaders say its completely inappropriate even with your best relationships. As you can guess I didn't vibe with that leader.

What is everyone's thoughts on giving wine/scotch to clients?

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

🤝 Networking

29 comments

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CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

As a thank you after a big deal is signed? Maybe if they aren't sober.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

Great idea when to send it!

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

skip them and send it to @CuriousFoxexpect hold the wine and send Mango White Claw

CuriousFox

WR Officer

🦊

You get me ❤

antiASKHOLE

Tycoon

Bravado's Resident Asshole

I have been following your trends for a while now. hahaha OR I just paid attention to how many Mango references you have made. Let me know the shipping address and I gotchu.

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

I wouldn't beforehand. Maybe after, if you know them.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

After winning the deal or at what point do you think it’s okay

jefe

Arsonist

🍁

After winning the deal, and after you’ve built some rapport and know it’ll be well received.

DungeonsNDemos

Big Shot

Rolling 20's all day

Really depends on who your clients are. Do you drink with them now?

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I typically don't, outside the few that we take out to dinner. However, sending gifts has been a big push with the new team I joined.

UrAssIsSaaS

Arsonist

SaaS Eater

I used to give my reps $2k a month to buy bottle of win/booze to walk into restaurants with. Worked like a charm.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

If I was one of your reps I would conveniently get "ghosted" a lot after buying the wine.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Yes just 2k noose bonus. Just enough to get through the month

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

I don't drink, but if someone sent me a nice bottle of liquor or wine, I share that with my husband. Look, if someone doesn't take a gift in the spirit (ha) intended, that's on them, really. If someone sends me anything I don't personally care for, like alcohol or pretzels, I just share with family members and still feel gratitude that someone remembered me enough to send something.

However, if your company is into gifts, it doesn't hurt to use one of the gifting companies like Alyce, where you can select a suggested gift in a certain price range your company approves. Your customer will get an email with your message and a link to redeem for the gift so it can be sent to them and you aren't chasing them for their home address. A couple of nice things about Alyce is that it enables you to allow your customer to exchange the suggested gift for something else in that price category if you guessed wrong, and it has AI if you want to use it to see if there's anything appropriate you can send to that specific prospect or customer. For example, the AI might determine that they like sports including which team, and I've found that sports related items are always a hit. There's nothing like a Yeti with their favorite team's logo on it to make a customer happy!

Maybe I'm bullish on Alyce because during 2020 when it was so weird and kind of quiet in the business world, I at least had a big budget to spend on gift giving, so I got to go virtual shopping and feel like I was sending out little treats when everything else was so awful. I know it was a bright spot for me.

GDO

Politicker

BDM

I don’t like those kind of gifts. Makes it feel financial. I would rather prefer to get a bottle of something with a story behind it.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

You can use it the first time, so when the holidays come around you

know what they like and their address

GDO

Politicker

BDM

Mmm, yeah maybe. I just don’t like the idea of picking your own present

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Yeah, if you have that relationship established, it works well to be super personal. Then again, if you have a more passing or casual relationship and want to extend a gift, this could be the way to go. Nothing's 100% successful either way, and I definitely didn't use this on all my outreach, but it was a tool in my bag and worked when I did it right.

We had a cheese tray as an option - turns out it was local to my area, so I was able to send it out to contacts with a note about how much I personally enjoyed this cheese selection and hoped they did as well. 100% hit rate on that.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

In this case, you (the rep) have the opportunity to allow or disallow the exchange, so that's in your control. I like doing it when I guess a bit - what if I do send something to someone who is allergic? Gives them a chance to make sure they get something nice that won't kill them. If I recall, there was also the chance to decline receiving anything personally, but to send a donation to a few charities instead. Eh, to each his or her own, it's one tool.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

I really like that idea! Literally asked the team how do you plan on sending gifts when we are 100% sure if they are in the office.

Alyce seems like a great tool and an easy way to make giving gifts across the country easy.

Thank you so much for sharing!

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Alyce is one of many options. Sendoso is another one. Your own marketing department, or you, can also do this, but then you are getting the items and packaging them and collecting mailing addresses. Doable, and certainly if you're not working at scale. One nice bottle of something? Don't use a big service unless it's retail from the winery. :)

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

I wouldnt. there are just TOO many ppl that really struggle with alcohol for me to send it to someone who i dont know. you can always give something else.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

Sales Rep

True and it’s not like they bring that up on a zoom call

TennisandSales

Politicker

Head Of Sales

haha yes very true! some people are very friendly, but ive never met someone that friendly that they would bring that up

Sunbunny31

Politicker

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Most people don’t know that I don’t drink. It just doesn’t come up. So I imagine it’s common.

fresh

Catalyst

Sales

For those who have struggled with alcohol addiction (but don't make it a known fact in the workplace), it could be a trigger. I'd just try to find out if they like booze. Then, yes, boozy gifts are great.

Gourmet food is also a win if you're unsure about giving alcohol. Locally sourced, bonus points.

I've never heard about sending gifts as an introduction, but I'm curious to learn more about this.

Corpslovechild

Politicker

Inbound Sales Manager

I have done that, golf balls, or really whatever the prospect likes. If I am spending $100 on a gift, I don't care what it is as long as I get the prospect's attention.

frenchiemom1120

Member

Inside Sales Representative

Sooo there is also a bribery feeling if you send it before the closing. Any gifts at all. And some companies are not behind giving or receiving either. That’s a whole other note apart from the alcohol topic.

FranchiseSalesQB

Politicker

Franchise Sales QB

I think anything real is a good idea. Skrew all this automation.

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Kosta_Konfucius

Sending Prospects Booze

29 comments

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