Relationship Marketing Made Easy

I Love You – Three magic words.

June 1, 2015 in Business / Relationship Marketing tagged Gratitude / Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy by RonSue

“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 councillor 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.

Ron and Sue

Greeting Cards – The story of Joe Gerard

May 22, 2015 in Business / Relationship Marketing tagged Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy by RonSue

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.

By 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

Point of Difference – Do you have one?

April 17, 2015 in Relationship Marketing tagged Gratitude / Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy / Thank You by RonSue

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).

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.

Ron and Sue