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Thank You Cards in Business – do you use them?

 in Relationship Marketing / Thank You Cards by

Thank You Cards

Something for you to ponder; why do customers leave?

According to a customer retention survey conducted in the nineties, an important piece of information comes to light. A fact that is often at odds with our usual way of thinking and seeing things. You see our typical view is that our customers have left us because they got a better deal or a better price – when sadly the reason is that they just felt like we didn’t really care!

The statistics of this survey reveal that 20% leave for a physical reason, like death, or moving out of the area, or no longer having a requirement for the product or service and other similar reasons. Well conditions really. It’s nigh on to impossible to do anything with this lot!

10% leave for no particular reason; perhaps it’s ‘greener pastures’ syndrome.

3%, that’s right, just 3%, did leave for a better price! And what’s more they always will!

68% left because from their point of view, you didn’t care!

Thank You cards

Now you can argue all you like about how you do care, the service you provide, your great price, and your customer relations and so on. But have you ever taken that extra step and told them how much you appreciate having them as your customer and what they really mean to you?

You can reverse that 67% by letting them know you care.

This is where expressed Appreciation or Gratitude in your marketing mix plays such a crucial role. But it needs to be done in an effective manner and the most effective and cost efficient way to do this is in the form of a Send Out Cards Thank You card. But realistically, any off the self card or a written letter, will still get the job done.

The important part is to take action – let them know you care and that they are important to you – say Thank You.

Thank You cards

Ron and Sue

Birthday Cards – do you love to receive them?

 in Birthday Cards  tagged Birthday Cards by

Birthday Cards – Who loves to receive them?

Birthday Cards – great at any age.

Yesterday was my birthday and there is something about such a day that makes you stop and reflect upon all the years that you have lived through. Luckily I have much to be grateful for and even a few bumps that I would have really preferred to have avoided. I have been preaching ‘gratitude’ and validating it as a way of being and doing for quite some time now and I must say that it is really worth the effort.

I have also been encouraging people to put it into effective action in the form of words and pictures openly expressed and written in a greeting card. Having your birthday acknowledged by others, especially loved ones and those you respect and admire adds a special quality to your being and makes you feel great.

But here’s the thing I really noticed this birthday – all of the greetings were appreciated, but really it was the birthday cards that carried the most impact. Facebook posts and messages, emails and electronic cards all let me know that people thought enough to wish me well, but it’s hard to explain just how the cards carried that something extra that made them really stand out and actually draw a little more attention to the sender. Maybe it is that little extra of making it more tangible and personal.

My favourites were the ones from my grandchildren that included family snaps taken over the past year and one from a colleague with a photo of us clowning around at a recent seminar. Birthday cards

Ron and Sue

Point of Difference – Do you have one?

 in Relationship Marketing  tagged Gratitude / Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy / Thank You by

Point of Difference – What is it and do you have one?

One of the best marketing strategies you can use—is to do the unexpected!!!

Do you have a memorable and outstanding point of difference?

I was in discussion with a group of small business operators and the subject turned to what we were doing in our businesses to stand out from the crowd – you know that something extra that really sets you apart.

Pricing, exceptional service, on time delivery, value adding and free gifts at time of purchase were all put forward as Point of difference’s, but in reality, isn’t this just what we expect and require from a business transaction. What’s really needed is something to make you exceptional.

A real standout is to do the unexpected – Create a memorable moment in your customers’ life by surprising them with something special; a card on their birthday, or a ‘thankyou’ card for doing business with you. Or what about sending them a double movie pass, or some delicious brownies, or shout them a couple of cups of coffee with a gift card. Best of all is the surprise sent for no particular reason at all. (At least from the customers’ point of view).

Thank You Card

You see, what a lot of us call our Point Of Difference is in reality just what our customers are looking for and expecting. The standout, the exceptional, is the business operator who does the unexpected and does it with style. It’s the POD that gets people talking about you, liking you and staying with you!

When it comes to a ‘gratitude marketing tool’ that can help you stand out from the crowd; one that is easy, convenient to use and very low cost, I would have to recommend using a SendOutCards account. And of course I must declare my bias as a SendOutCards distributor, but I can’t think of a better or more economical system for communicating and letting people know they are important to you.

Birthday card

Ron and Sue