I learned in my salesman days that the most important part of making a sale was developing a good rapport with your potential customers. In a nutshell, people buy from people they like.
What has been everyone’s experience in smaller communities and markets where people are more likely to know you and (hopefully) already like you? Is it easier to close accounts with someone who might recognize you and who already has a good impression of you?
Definitely. Branding and community support probably gets a better ROI in the smaller communities.
I try to maximize every opportunity for face time: I take my checks to the counter for deposit vs. using the drive through, I go grocery shopping more frequently, I pay bills in person vs. electronically etc. The local gas stations appreciate my face time marketing technique 
Soooo much truth to that statement, more than most people know. I’m in a community of less than 60k people and most of the time closing a deal has nothing to do with the price. People buy not only from who they like, but who their friends like.
