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What’s In A Name?
I am convinced that every successful company began the same way — the owner knew their customers by name.
Not account number.
Not invoice history.
Not “the couple who bought the sofa.”
By name.
As businesses grow, systems improve, locations multiply, and staff expands. Unfortunately, something else often shrinks at the same time — the personality of the business. The owner’s warmth gets replaced with procedure. The neighborhood feel gets replaced with efficiency.
Growth is good.
But the real goal is to get big while maintaining the small-business image of the friendly neighbor who just happens to sell furniture… jewelry… appliances… or provide pawn services.
And that starts with something incredibly simple:
A name.
One of Your Goals in Every Presentation
Every salesperson should understand that one objective early in any sales presentation is to learn — and use — the customer’s name.
You cannot build a relationship with “sir.”
You cannot create loyalty with “ma’am.”
And you will never become their trusted advisor while thinking of them as “the lady looking at rings.”
Friendship in business begins on a first-name basis.
Early in the conversation, it can be as simple as:
“By the way, my name is Brad.”
When you offer your name first, something interesting happens. The customer almost always responds in one of three ways.
The Three Responses
1. They Give You Their First Name
This is the most common response.
“Nice to meet you, Brad. I’m Lisa.”
That’s your green light. A level of comfort has been granted. Now you can say:
“Lisa, tell me what brought you in today.”
Notice how different that feels than:
“So… what are you looking for?”
In a jewelry store:
“Lisa, What’s the special occasion?”
In a furniture store:
“Lisa, What area(s) of your home are you looking for?”
In a pawn store:
“Lisa, are you looking to sell or pawn today or just exploring options?”
The name personalizes the experience. And personalization increases trust.
2. They Respond with Mr., Mrs., or Ms.
“I’m Mr. Johnson.”
This response tells you something important — the relationship isn’t there yet.
It doesn’t mean they won’t buy. It simply means they value formality. Respect it.
“Very nice to meet you, Mr. Johnson.”
Continue professionally. As rapport develops, they may later say, “Please, call me Tom.” When they do, that’s progress. You’ve earned something.
3. They Don’t Offer a Name at All
Occasionally, the response is:
“That’s nice.”
No name. No reciprocation.
That tells you something as well. There is no relationship yet. You may need to work harder to build comfort. Ask better questions. Slow down. Listen more.
In rare cases, personality mismatches happen. And sometimes, turning the customer over to another team member may be the best move for the sale.
But at least now you know where you stand.
Why It Matters
Think about this:
When was the last time a salesperson greeted you by your first name — and truly used it throughout the presentation?
Chances are, a sale was made.
Why?
Because hearing our own name triggers connection. It signals attention. It communicates:
“You matter here.”
In a jewelry store, it turns a transaction into a memory.
In a furniture store, it turns a purchase into a home solution.
In a pawn shop, it turns a sensitive situation into a respectful conversation.
People buy from those they feel comfortable with.
They return to those who remember them.
They refer those who treat them personally.
And it all starts with something we learned in kindergarten.
Names matter.
What’s In A Name?
Connection.
Respect.
Trust.
And often… a sale.
One of the simplest secrets to increasing your closing ratio isn’t a new script or a new promotion.
It’s learning to say:
“By the way… my name is ______.”
And meaning it.
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