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I Love You – Three magic words.

 in Business / Relationship Marketing  tagged Gratitude / Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy by

“I love you.” These are three magic words that I believe we all love to hear, especially when said in truth and expressed with conviction. I know that as a husband I love to hear them. I most certainly felt reassured and validated when I heard those words from my parents and just as surely they hold the space for all our children to grow into the best version of themselves.

Way back in my twenties I had a friend who was a Mormon and he told me it was a part of his religious practice to tell his wife at least six times every day that he loved her. Not because he thought she would forget, but rather to strengthen their relationship, especially as we all love to hear these words from those who matter most to us. He also pointed out that every time he said the words it reminded him of why he loved her so and her importance to him.

I valued his lesson and have used it since to strengthen and support my own marriage and family relationships. I am not a marriage I Love Youcouncillor or advisor, but if there is one tip I could give you for a more harmonious relationship with your spouse it would be this one.

So what’s this got to do with business? Everything! The more you can let your customers know that you love them—the more harmonious and profitable (and I don’t just mean money) your relationship will be. 

Now I know we can’t just pop up and say “I love you” to our customers—they might think we’re a little bit loopy and misunderstand our intentions. However I would ask you to consider other ways and means to get your message across.

One of the best ways I have found to let my customers know that I love them (let’s also face it, without them we don’t even have a business) is to put it in writing, gift wrapped in a card.

Naturally, I am assuming that you are providing excellent service and value for money with what you are offering, just like my friend did in his marriage, but he also made sure his wife absolutely knew it and never forgot it.

So my tip for your business would be to do all in your power to make sure your customers know you “love” them and never forget it.

And another tip, if you like the idea of using cards to convey your message, take a look at Send Out Cards, they have an efficient, easy to use and very cost effective way of letting your customers know how much you value them by sending them a card and telling them so.  

Gratitude card

Ron and Sue

Gratitude Can Change Your Life!

 in Gratitude  tagged Gratitude / Relationship Marketing by

Gratitude Can Change Your Life!

“If the only prayer you say in your life is ‘thank you,’ that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart

Gratitude is thankfulness; it is a way of being, of counting your blessings and acknowledging all you receive. It comes down to living your life as if everything in it was a miracle, and being aware of just how much you’ve been given. Gratitude shifts your focus away from what is lacking in your life, to the abundance that is already at hand. Expressing your gratitude or giving thanks, strengthens relationships, improves health, reduces stress and makes people happier and far more resilient. It brings real joy into your business.

As business people we have a tendency to take things for granted and in particular good things. This little exercise may help you to notice and appreciate one of your most valuable assets: Imagine losing all of your customers. Then imagine getting them back, one by one. Now consider how grateful you are for each and every one of them.

Now that you have recognised each of them for the real value that they are to you, what are you going to do about it? One response would be to say that this was just a game and carry on as before, taking them and your relationship with them for granted, assuming that they will always be there. A better response would be to recognise their importance to your life.gratitude

Or, you might like to share your rediscovered joy at having them in your life and send them some sort of acknowledgement and appreciation for their real value in your life and business.

The more you become aware of things to be grateful for, the more enjoyment you will find along with greater appreciation in simple pleasures and things you just took for granted previously.

Gratitude should not just be used as a response when you’re getting what you want; it serves you best as an ‘all-the-time attitude and action.’ Living in gratitude is where you notice the little things and where you constantly look for the good, even in unpleasant situations. Today, right now, start bringing gratitude to all of your experiences, instead of waiting for good experiences in order to feel grateful. Do this and you’ll soon be making your way to becoming a ‘master of gratitude’ and having it change your life for the better.

Ron and Sue

Greeting Cards – The story of Joe Gerard

 in Business / Relationship Marketing  tagged Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy by

Greeting Cards – The story of Joe Gerard

At a networking event a group of us were talking about unusual sales records when mention was made of the salesman who made a fortune and became the best ever car salesman by sending his clients greeting cards. I had known of him by reputation but little else and this inspired me to look him up and learn some more.

Joe Gerard is his name and I would encourage you all to Google his name and learn about his amazing story. In brief and citing Wikipedia “he was born in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan and after various jobs, was employed as an American automobile salesman. He sold 13,001 cars at a Chevrolet dealership between 1963 and 1978, Girard was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s greatest salesman. In 2001, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.

These are his sales credentials:

Sold more retail “big ticket” items “one-at-a-time” than any other sales person in any retail industry including houses, boats motor homes, insurance, automobiles, etc.

Averaged six new retail automobile sales a day (no used automobiles)

Most new retail sales in one day (18 automobiles)

Most new retail sales in one month (174 automobiles)

Most new retail sales in one year (1425 automobiles)

Most new retail sales in 15 year career (13,001 automobiles)

All retail, no fleet or wholesale.”

And how did he do it? What’s the secret?

He developed and maintained strong relationships. Joe used to send cards to all his prospects and clients. Actually he sent 13 every year, one every month and one for Christmas and by keeping in touch with them he imprinted himself into the psyche of his prospects and clients.

greeting cardsBy keeping in touch with people regularly; sending them “Thank you” cards, season’s greetings and even cards just saying “I like you”, he became “the world’s greatest salesman.”

Imagine what a similar campaign might do for your business.

Joe had to employ two assistants to buy the cards he sent, write in them, to address and stamp them, and get them to the post office, but it obviously paid great dividends for him.

What could sending cards and improving your relationships with your prosects and customers do for you and your business?

Fortunately, today you can operate a SendOutCards account and have your personalised cards and gifts sent in an easy, efficient and very low cost manner. If you don’t have a SendOutCards account already, I would encourage you to get one. Talk to your SOC distributor. If you don’t know a SOC’s distributor, by all means talk to us.

Ron and Sue