By Kerry Frank October 14, 2025
I once read a story about old school sales tactics that made me laugh. Back in the day, salesmen (and yes, they were all men) would hunt down rare Italian leather shoes. Then they’d mail just one shoe to a client they wanted to meet with. Inside was a note that read, “Now that I’ve got my foot in the door, let’s set up a time to meet so you can get the other shoe.”
It was bold. It was clever. And it made me think, what could I do that would make me stand out?
That’s when the Garrett’s Popcorn tradition started.
For those who don’t know, Garrett’s is a Chicago classic. Their caramel popcorn is famous, and when they opened a counter at O’Hare, I knew I had my thing. Anytime I was heading to meet a client, I would stop and grab a bag of fresh popcorn. Many times I’d even pick up a bag for the flight crew, because taking care of people is always good business.
It became my signature.
I’ll never forget the day I was heading to meet JetBlue. On the way to O’Hare, traffic stopped cold because of a crash. By the time I reached the gate, the door was closing behind me. No time to stop for Garrett’s.
By the time I arrived at the meeting, I was exhausted. The room was jam-packed. People were sitting on the floor because there were no seats left.
Then someone asked, “Where’s the Garrett’s?”
I laughed and told the story of my chaotic morning. But the disappointment in the room was real. I could feel it.
So I told them, “Listen, I’m so sorry. But I already texted my admin and Garrett’s is being shipped. It’ll be delivered to you tomorrow.”
The relief in the room was instant. Smiles spread across faces. And that’s when I knew, I could never forget the Garrett’s again.
Because here’s the truth: it wasn’t really about the popcorn. It was about the care. About being remembered. About showing that clients mattered enough for me to bring them something small, consistent, and thoughtful.
Do something small that shows your clients you care. It doesn’t have to be Garrett’s. It doesn’t have to be clever like sending one shoe. It just has to be genuine.