Thank You

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

The Power of Gratitude in Business

April 6, 2015 in Business tagged Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy / Thank You by RonSue

WHY NOT PLAY WITH THE BIG BOYS.

The Power of Gratitude

All the big corporates have appreciation or gratitude programs; Qantas have frequent flyers, Woolworths have rewards and cents off your petrol, most of the best coffee shop chains reward you with free coffees and large franchise car washes say thanks with a freebee every sixth time. So what’s your appreciation program?

As much as we may have our gripes with these big players, maybe one of the reasons they are so big is that they understand the power of gratitude. Gratitude comes under the direction of the Law of Cause and Effect, or what you give is what you get.

Even though I often suspect their motivation is more about keeping us as a customer, rather than a genuine outpouring of thanks – it still works extremely well.

The more you can express your gratitude in a practical way – the more you get an equivalent coming back to you. In business this is usually in the form of more and better customers and more dollars in the till.

Have you wondered how you can compete with them and their grandiose schemes?

Big corporate uses reward and discount as their expression of gratitude, because for them it’s easy. However there is a more powerful way to access this law and make your customers feel even better – let them know how much you value and appreciate them and say “thankyou” and mean it! Better still; put it in writing in a card!

Ron and Sue

Thank You – Just Good Manners

April 3, 2015 in Thank You Cards tagged Relationship Marketing / Relationship Marketing Made Easy / Thank You by RonSue

Imagine, you have just done a favour for someone and you made it clear you didn’t want anything in return. So the person takes you at your word and doesn’t do anything, zilch, nada, nothing at all, not even a ‘thank you’. You did mean to convey that you weren’t expecting a reward, but you still would have appreciated and expected at least an acknowledgement, or a word of thanks. I guess I could say you are not real impressed!

This little experience has ended on a sour note, when it should have been smiles all round. Please make sure you are never the cause of this yourself and ensure you always express your gratitude.

This reminds me of that add on TV for “Family Favourites” chocolates or “the thing you bring when your asked not to bring a thing.” – You know it’s the right thing to bring an unexpected something, especially if you don’t want to feel awkward and out of place.

Don’t ever let yourself get into this position, of being the “ungrateful so and so”. Make sure you always acknowledge people and the things they do for you. More often than not a simple, spoken “Thank You” will be all that’s needed, and you can imagine the difference it would have made in our scenario above.

Like the TV add, the “perfect thing” when it’s not expected is a printed card with a few well chosen words written within, just like the ones you can send with SendOutCards. And if it was a big favour, or you want to impress your gratitude, add a gift, like some of the most delicious brownies you have ever tasted.

Ron and Sue