Relationship Marketing

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

Customer Relations – One Little Button

 in Business / Relationship Marketing  tagged Customer Relations / word of mouth advertising by

Customer Relations are Key to getting Positive Word of Mouth Advertising.

One Little Button

It might be hard to believe, that the whole of your marketing impetus, your good name and reputation could be brought undone because of customer relations, one little button and the story spread by word of mouth starting with your customer.

This story, I hope will cause you to look closely at your attitudes and actions when it comes to your customer relations.

I was living in Toorak in the 70’s and my business required me to be well dressed. In fact most of my acquaintances at that time had several business suits and it was not unusual to have two at the dry cleaners, two on the rack and one on your back. So you could say that having the number one position for dry cleaning and mending was an enviable place to be in.

Apart from a handful of independents, there were two major players in the dry cleaning business in Melbourne in those days. Both quite profitable outfits, but one had the market lead with a great reputation for workmanship, reliability and service. It was always the first choice among those I knew at the time.

Now, I don’t believe this story I am telling was the sole cause of its fall to number 2 but I do know it contributed quite a lot. (more…)

Ron and Sue

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