Get Well Cards Rescue the Sale

I am a senior salesperson who had a really positive experience with Get Well cards.  In November, I was pursuing a lead for a new account.  My contact for the potential business was the CIO.  We had been to lunch a few times and I started feeling like the new deal could be mine.  I sell software which monitors network activity and it is pretty pricey.  Every deal is a potential huge deal for me.  When I called the CIO’s Executive Assistant to confirm our next appointment she told me that Dan, the CIO, would be unable to meet me on the scheduled date.  Startled, I asked whether Dan simply didn’t want to pursue the deal with me any further and she replied, “It’s not that.  Dan is in the hospital having bypass surgery”.   I hung up disappointed and dejected because not only was the deal off, but I felt I had been building a good relationship with the CIO and certainly did not like hearing that he was ill.

Obviously sending flowers to the hospital or visiting was entirely inappropriate considering that this was a business relationship with someone I only gotten to know two months ago.  I decided then that I should send a business get well card to at least express my hopes for his speedy recovery and return.   The get well card went off in the mail and I forgot about the lost deal as several months went by.  Then, in January I got a phone call from you know who!  It was Dan, back at work and ready to pick up our conversation.    A few days later we went out to lunch to discuss the deal and Dan said, “You know, there were 5 competitors out to get this sale and not one of them was as thoughtful as you.  As soon as I received your card I knew we’d be doing business together.”  I can happily report that Dan is feeling much better, the sale was made and I can thank  business get well cards for sealing the deal!