Vending has to be one of the most inspiring and enthusing industries to be in at the moment.

The industry is in growth, with innovation like never before. There’s a huge increase in the number of people who care about their hydration and nutrition and their workplace surroundings, and that’s meaning unprecedented interest in our products.

That also means that there’s competition out there. Quite a bit of it, actually. Lots of people trying to sell your customers and your prospects the same kinds of things that you sell.

But the great news is, you can win this business. Not by focusing on price, or discounts, or deals, or any of the kneejerk stuff. But by simply being memorable.

People buy from people. They buy from people they know, like and trust.

So if you can come across as a memorable, likeable, and trustable person – and you can deliver a great vending solution that meets your customer’s needs – you’re going to walk away with a lot of this business. Because believe me, this stuff is simple but not as common as it sounds.

1. Be human.

This sounds almost too obvious to be valuable – but just walk in there and be friendly. Being professional is great, being corporate makes you look like a machine and turns people off straight away. Find some common ground with the person you meet and build rapport on that. People like people that are like them.

2. Be enthusiastic

You can’t expect your customers to be excited and fired up about what you can offer them unless you are! Don’t be afraid to let your inner fanatic run free and bubble over. People love the positive energy that comes from a cheerful, exuberant sales person. Zig Ziglar famously said ‘For every sale you miss because you’re too enthusiastic, you will miss a hundred because you’re not enthusiastic enough.’

3. Keep it simple.

By which I mean, cut the jargon. Imagine you were telling your partner or your best friend about the product. Would they know what you meant? If not, change the word. You might know what a direct chill UV filtered system with a rear-fix install solution is – but your customer might well not do.

4. Give a compliment.

You don’t have to be unprofessional about it. Even a comment on the company premises, a compliment on how well the company seems to be doing, or if there’s something particularly cool about the company website –mention it, as long as you’re being genuine!

5. Follow up.

And follow up quickly. Vary how you do it –you might send an email, but follow it up with a phone call or a message through LinkedIn. You might let them see you’ve visited their profile page or even send a letter. But follow up at least 5 or 6 times, adding value to the customer each time.

So there you have it. Follow these steps, and you’ll be astonished how many new deals you close this year – simply by being more likeable and more easy to remember than your competitors.