Trust me… going to hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices is not fun. I hope you are not at that phase or your health is better than mine. Don't get me wrong. I am healthy and jog, play golf, and do yard work, but I have had a series of incidents that have put me on this medical treadmill.

• I had liver issues (that's when they found gallstones and wanted to remove my gall bladder – it's still here)
• I got Sepsis (that's when they discovered I was born with one kidney)
• I got Afib (they guessed it was caused by an NC tick bite – no issues in two years)
• I could go on…

Now, I have a doctor, a cardiologist, a gastroenterologist, a urologist, a dermatologist, and the -ist list goes on. And I have an annual trip to meet each of them. I recently had to schedule a colonoscopy, cystoscopy, and other -py's that have me traveling from office to hospital to dark alleys (that last part is a joke).

The older you get, the more specialists you tend to acquire (like Pokémon Cards).

I will say that you should at least get an annual or biannual check-up. They draw blood, make you pee in a cup, and yes… my prostate is fine, so I can avoid it… THE FINGER! (You men know what that means, but at least we don't have to have our breasts compressed into a pancake and have to deal with stirrups.)

None of this is fun to think about or enjoyable, but if you want to remain healthy, the older you get, the harder it becomes.

Jerome

While I was sitting in a hospital waiting room for a consult, I saw this guy pushing a cart. After a few people said “No Thanks”, he approached me.

He asked me, “Can I get you anything?” At that time, I was craving a cup of coffee, and his timing could not have been more perfect. Since I was not scheduled for a blood draw or cup of pee, I could load it up with sugar and creamer. Then he gave me the cup and a couple of biscuits to go with it.

I asked his name, and he said, “Jerome.” I noticed his sign: “Hospitali-Tea” & Coffee, compliments of UNC Health Care Volunteer Association. He was a volunteer. This was an association to lift the spirits of people throughout the hospital waiting to deal with much more complicated issues than I was.

I asked Jerome if he could accept tips (I carry cash for just such an occasion). Jerome said, “This is complimentary, but I can!” It was my pay-it-forward moment, and after I handed him two dollars, he said “It's all about paying it forward, and THANK YOU!”

Kindness

Life can get complicated, confusing, and cloudy at times. Even if you have your life humming along like the Seven Dwarfs, chances are people you meet are not quite as lucky or have the mindset that allows them to stay happy (or Sneezy, Dopey, Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy – But I can guarantee you, in a hospital, there are a lot of people who answer to Doc!).

It's always helpful to remember that when someone annoys or angers you, they are likely going through things you are unaware of.

In business, that is no different. People at work have issues that can make their jobs and livelihoods complicated, confusing, and cloudy at times. It's always good to start and come from a place of kindness over conquest.

Our job may be to close a sale or convince someone to buy. But beneath the surface, there is a life filled with uncertainty. Keeping people and kindness in the forefront of your mind leads to good things.

What's Your “Hospitali-Tea”?

Sometimes, you have to ask probing questions, while other times, people will just blurt out what's happening in their lives. They may have problems with their kids at school, or another may have a kid who is achieving at sports. Whatever is happening, there is a way for you to support them.

Below are five ways I have learned to help (tip the person) without getting too intrusive or patronizing just for a sale:

• Ask a leading question: “How are you doing?” I tend to follow up with a personal milestone or story to prime the pump for more depth.

• Make it clear that you offer options for communication, such as phone, email, social media, and online portals, and offer to let them choose how they want to communicate. Also, I find that text messaging tends to lead to more casual conversations.

• When a call is over, provide a clear to-do list. AI assistants can do that for you, but make it more personal than the basic cut-and-paste. This reduces customer effort and enhances their overall experience.

• I regularly ask questions like “Is that clear?”, “Does that make sense?” or “Did I miss anything?”

• It pays to lead by example, but it also helps to explain the “Why” that supports the “How.”

The bottom line is building trust is a deeply personal issue because it involves vulnerability, emotional investment, and the risk of being let down. Ultimately, trust is intertwined with our emotional well-being, past experiences, and expectations of others.

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Comment below and share your thoughts, ideas, or questions about business-to-business sales and marketing today! Do you have a sales or marketing communications strategy that works for you? What tips or techniques can you share that work for you and your business?

To learn more about this and other topics on B2b Sales & Marketing, visit our podcast website at The Bacon Podcast.