Garlic has stayed with us a long time. “Garlic was in use at the beginning of recorded history and was found in Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek temples. There are Biblical references to garlic. Ancient medical texts from Egypt, Greece, Rome, China and India each prescribed medical applications for garlic. In many cultures, garlic was administered to provide strength and increase work capacity for laborers. Hippocrates, the revered physician, prescribed garlic for a variety of conditions. Garlic was given to the original Olympic athletes in Greece, as perhaps one of the earliest “performance enhancing” agents.” ⁽¹⁾

I wasn’t thinking about any of this as I wondered how to give my most recent batch of hummus the zip I recalled from a now-closed Boston restaurant, The Sultan’s Kitchen, a place I once haunted for lunch, particularly the hummus and tabbouleh sandwich. My multiple attempts using several recipes had not produced the desired result.

Recalling my family’s uncharitable reactions when I would return home following my Sultan’s hummus and tabbouleh sandwich lunch, I thought, “well, maybe try The Sultan’s recipe again and add more garlic.”

Alone in the house for a few days, I wondered, “How much garlic to add?” to a cup of hummus. I decided, “one clove”, equivalent to doubling the recommended portion in the recipe. I carefully minced the clove, stirred it into the hummus, and left it to sit for a while.

When I scooped the garlic-fortified hummus to taste, it had a LOT of zip. Elated, I slathered the remaining hummus into a half pita, spooned in a half-cup of tabbouleh and some crumbled feta cheese, and sat down for dinner. Marvelous!

Two days later…

While I didn’t notice any ancient Greek Olympic performance enhancement, I did notice that my kitchen still reeked of garlic. My hands smelled like garlic. The just-exhaled breath I inhaled from my face mask smelled like garlic, the dinner delight now transformed into a somewhat unpleasant lingering experience I hadn’t planned for.

And so (and you are wondering how we will get from there to something useful), after we make a sale, our clients’ experiences with us linger on long after their immediate purchase excitement wears off. Best if the experiences are pleasant. We have to plan for that.

Nick Miller and Clarity train banks and bankers to attract and develop deeper relationships with small businesses. Many more Sales Thoughts like this and a host of other articles and resources at https://clarityadvantage.com/knowledge-center/ .

⁽¹⁾   Historical Perspective on the Use of Garlic, Richard S. Rivlin The Journal of Nutrition, Volume 131, Issue 3, March 2001, Pages 951S–954S