What if the secret to lifetime customer loyalty costs less than $10 and takes five minutes?
Sales trainer Curt Tueffert has spent years training over 200 sales professionals as VP of Sales Development at DXP, a $1.5 billion company. He’s also an adjunct professor at the University of Houston teaching sales. After all that experience, he’s learned one thing for certain. The fortune really is in the follow-up, and most salespeople completely blow it.
In Episode 201 of Gratitude Geek, Curt reveals why “always be closing” is dead wrong, how to treat gatekeepers so they become your biggest advocates, and the surprisingly simple thank-you strategy that turns one-time buyers into clients for life. If you’re a solopreneur who hates “selling” or feels awkward following up, this conversation will shift everything.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation:
The Real ABC of Sales
Forget “always be closing.” Curt has a better version. Always Be Curious.
“I want to know about you. I want to know about how you grew up. I want to know about all these other things,” Curt explains. Furthermore, he does this in a way that draws out different personality types. Some people need you to be quick and direct. Others want to talk for hours. Still others need time to build trust before they’ll open up.
The key is genuine curiosity. Not interrogation. Not manipulation. Just authentic interest in the person sitting across from you.
When you approach sales this way, something shifts. You’re no longer trying to convince someone to buy. Instead, you’re discovering whether what you offer actually solves their problem. Moreover, you’re building a relationship that lasts beyond the transaction.
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Why Gatekeepers Matter More Than You Think
Here’s something most salespeople get wrong. They treat the receptionist, the administrative assistant, or the person behind the counter like an obstacle to get around. Big mistake.
Curt calls them gatekeepers, and he’s adamant about this point. If you treat a gatekeeper poorly, you’re done. That person will walk into the decision-maker’s office and say, “This person treated me like garbage. If they treated me like that, they’re not worthy of our business.”
On the other hand, if you treat gatekeepers with genuine respect and kindness, they become your biggest advocates. Additionally, they might be promoted someday. The gatekeeper today could be the decision-maker tomorrow.
I learned this lesson years ago when I was the gatekeeper for a purchasing department. A sales rep spent two years building a relationship with me, taking me to lunch, keeping me informed about new products. He never once treated me like I was in his way. As a result, I convinced my boss to try his product in three stores. Eventually, we rolled it out to all 30 locations.
That’s the power of treating everyone with respect. Consequently, it’s not just good manners. It’s good business.
The Fortune Is in the Follow-Up
Curt’s favorite marketing tip is simple. The fortune is in the follow-up.
Most salespeople fail here. They’re afraid of rejection. They’re too busy. They’re lazy. Or they make excuses like “my handwriting is terrible” or “I don’t have time for that.”
Meanwhile, the holidays are coming. That means it’s the perfect time to send a card, write a note, leave a Post-it on a colleague’s desk, or send a small gift. These tiny gestures make people feel seen and appreciated. In addition, they set you apart from every other salesperson who never bothered to follow up.
Curt suggests doing a gratitude challenge. Say one nice thing to one person for 30 days. Send one card. Make one phone call. Reach out in some meaningful way. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. It just has to be genuine.
The truth is, people remember how you made them feel. A thoughtful card or small gift might arrive on the exact day someone needs encouragement. You’ll never know the impact, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful.
The $7 Gift That Changes Everything
So what’s the $7 gift Curt keeps talking about?
Sea salt caramels.
Seriously. He’s used them to build customer loyalty for years. So have I. In fact, when my husband and I were selling custom beds for $5,000 to $7,000 each, we sent sea salt caramels as thank-you gifts. We never had to advertise. Our customers shared testimonials and photos, and those referrals sold the next client.
Recently, the CEO of the company I use for sending gifts sent my husband a box of sea salt caramels for his birthday. That tells you something. When the founder of the company sends you the same gift you’ve been sending to your clients, you know it works.
But here’s the thing. It’s not really about the caramels. It’s about making someone feel important. Mary Kay Ash said everyone walks around with an invisible sign on their neck that says “make me feel important.” When you send a thoughtful gift or a handwritten note, you’re honoring that invisible sign.
Think about it this way. If someone spends $2,000 on a car repair, that’s a mortgage payment. Sending them a small thank-you gift acknowledges the trust they placed in you. One auto repair shop started doing this, and their customer loyalty increased dramatically. People came back for tire rotations, brake changes, and oil changes because they felt valued.
That’s the lifetime value of a customer. Once you’ve spent the time and energy acquiring them, don’t lose them over a lack of follow-up.
Remembering What Matters
I’ve been purging old greeting cards recently, reading through them and deciding what to keep. Most of them I can thank the universe for and then let go. However, I found one card from a client who has since passed away. When I read the message inside, I was so moved that I put it in my “never throw away” pile.
You don’t know what your message will mean to someone. It could be as simple as “I really enjoyed spending time with you today” or “You made me laugh harder than I’ve laughed in years.” That little message might be the thing that turns someone’s day around.
Curt’s lesson on remembering people shows up in unexpected ways. When you’re curious about others, when you follow up, when you make them feel seen, you create relationships that last. Not just transactions. Relationships.
Connect with Curt Tueffert
Want to learn more about building authentic sales relationships that last?
Website: https://PeakSalesStrategy.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/curttueffert/
Curt offers sales coaching and training for professionals who want to stop “selling” and start building genuine connections.
The service Curt and I both use for follow-up: https://sendoutcards.com/147356
Related Episodes You Might Love
Episode 186: Larry Wilson on How to Talk to Humans
Episode 195: Phebe Trotman on Business Lessons Learned from Playing Soccer
Want more on building authentic relationships in business? Curt’s insight on follow-up and making people feel important connects perfectly with lessons on genuine connection.
Stay Groovy!
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