Why Buyers Actually Want You to Wear That Tacky Name Tag

Let’s take a vote: Who likes wearing a plastic name tag at work? Anyone?

Of course not!

I know I have been guilty of “accidentally” forgetting to slap that gorgeous accessory on my new Armani silk blouse before heading off to work. “Oops! Silly me, I forgot again!” It just doesn’t seem to compliment any outfit, does it?

But let me tell you something—and this is going to sting a little so get ready for it—a name tag is not for you, so, get over yourself! A name tag is for your buyer!

And your name tag is not just for any buyer, it is for your BEST  buyers, your loyal buyers. It is for the buyers who will do repeat business with you and want to know and remember your name.

Follow me on this one. The person who buys from you once doesn’t care if your name is Anne or Joe or Bob or Jen.

But do you know which buyers do care? The repeat buyers and the buyers for whom the sales process takes longer than normal.

Let me give you an example.

There is a children’s clothing store around the corner from where I live that I just love. I shop there all the time. But, there’s a problem. (And no, it’s not my credit card bill.)

All the ladies there (including the owner) know me and call me by name. They even call my kids by name too! Great, right?

Yes and no. They know my name but I don’t know any of their names and it makes me feel awkward.

Why don’t I know their names? No name tags!

Now, I know I could ask, but somehow that feels wrong too. It feels like I know these ladies. We talk about our families, they ask about my home renovation …it feels just plain wrong for me to say (after a year of interacting), “Hey, what’s your name again?”

I know that name tags are not chic.

I know that Prada has not come out with a 2015 spring collection of designer name tags for you to accessorize with.

Perhaps you could call in a special request to your favorite jewelry designer and get one blinged out for you. Anything is possible, right?

Either way, remember this: It’s not about you. It’s about the customer.

Remember that, and you can change someone’s world…