The easiest and least expensive customers are
REFERRALS and REPEAT BUSINESS.
It’s friends, family and associates of their current customers
that enable them to have business come back to them PRESOLD!
They are the easiest and least expensive customers to attract.
But most businesses in the U.S. spend their time and money
advertising or cold-calling to "attract New customers."
If you are a business owner or an independent sales or service professional... you already know that people do business with people they know, like and trust. They also refer business to people they remember. Even if you are well-liked and respected, if you are not remembered it doesn't matter. What if you sent one card every other month to your top 60 customers (a Thank You card, a Thinking of You card, a Birthday card, a Holiday card, etc). How many more customers might that generate for you per year? Do the math!
If you have employees or manage others... one of the most effective ways to encourage excellence and hold on to your best employees is to share appreciation when someone does a good job. Studies show that "not feeling appreciated" is one of the top reasons given by valued employees who quit their jobs.
"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."
William James
At a presentation to a group of 40 realtors... the group was asked, "How many of you currently send cards to thank your customers?" Only 2 out of 40 raised their hands. The next question was asked: "What is a cusomer worth over their lifetime?" Their answer: $4000 (a very conservative amount). In other words... Most of the realtors did not consider a person a source of revenue after the first sale; and, they don't do any kind of follow-up that could lead to referrals or repeat business.
"People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."
Anonymous
Realtors, small business owners, loan officers, consultants, and any sales professionals can use this simple system to double or triple their business in one year... simply by making their customers feel special and cared about. Send out one unexpected card a day and watch your business transform in a year! It's now so easy to stay in touch, even with large numbers of people. With the click of a mouse, you can import contacts from other databases, set up contact groups, and create customized campaigns... or you can simply send one card at a time.
Tom Hopkins is the #1 Sales Trainer in the World. Sending cards is one of his most powerful sales tools. "I built my original real estate sales business from nothing to being a 98% referral business within three years by keeping in touch with my clients. I heartily endorse the SendOutCards program." Here are just a few examples of ways you can use greeting cards to build relationships with your clients, prospects and referral partners - click here.
"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give."
Winston Churchill
You can now even include a gift card or gift check with your greeting cards -- a great way to express special appreciation for a referral, a good deed, or a job well done. In addition, you can now send an actual gift. The card is placed in a see-through envelope which is inserted into the box that contains the gift. So the gift is delivered with your handwritten card inside it!
You can create campaigns that will automatically send out thank you cards, birthday cards, holiday cards, promotional postcards, and more. The campaign system does a "mail merge" of the recipient's name to personalize the card. We'll show you how to set up a campaign for your business in just minutes. You can even personalize each individual card anytime before its scheduled date to go out.
Ideas for how to use Custom Greeting Cards
FOR THE REALTOR: Carry a digital Camera. Take a picture of your client in front of their new home and ask for the names and addresses of 3 of their best friends. Tell them you will send their friends a photo of them in front of their new home. Send an introduction greeting card with the picture in it. "Hi my name is _____, and I just sold your friends this new home." It will be displayed on their counter top or in a photo album. People don't throw away photos with their friends in them!
Open House Idea... Create a card that includes the picture and an invitation to the Open House, and send that to your prospects and other agents. You'll save time (SOC will send them for you) and money AND you'll be sending something that is different from the typical flyer everyone else sends out.
Another idea... Take a list of your old customers and send a "Thinking of you" card letting them know that you'd like to get caught up sometime soon! Some will call you and you are almost guaranteed to get more business. A realtor recently made $22,000 after sending out 150 cards to a group of potential buyers. The home sold in 5 days (normally takes 5 months) and she did NO advertising.
And another idea... After you sell a home, set up a gift account for the seller and gift them 50 points and 50 stamps. Create a custom postcard with your real estate agency info on the front of the postcard (contact info, picture of you, a picture of a house in the background with a message that says, "Someone special is moving." Send your custom card to their gift account (forward as a campaign card). Walk the client through how to send the custom New Address postcards to people. When the postcard arrives, it will be a great advertisement for you as a real estate agent, and the customer will most likely want to get their own permanent SOC account, which you can set up for them.
FOR THE POLITICIAN: Create a Custom Card campaign to thank campaign donors and volunteers for their support. The card is personalized with a hand-written note from the politician (using his or her customized font that is on file). The TOTAL cost for producing and mailing this greeting card (including postage) is $1.03. All of the stuffing, licking and stamping is done by SendOutCards, making it much easier and less expensive than going to the expense of printing thank you letters and taking volunteer or staff time to prepare the mailings.
FOR THE JOB SEEKER: Make a Custom Card with your photo and name on the front and put your resume in the card on the right hand side. After an interview, send your potential employer a thank you card in your handwriting. When they receive your "Resume Card" with your picture on the front, you will immediately go to the top of the pick list!
ALSO SEE: "10 Steps to Writing an Effective Thank You Letter" (after a Job Interview) - click.
FOR THE ARTIST: Custom cards can be created of the artist's work. The cards can be sold by the artist and can also serve as a great way to promote their work and their website. Another way to use these cards is to announce a "Showing" of the artist's work and reception info, etc.
FOR THE CAR SALESPERSON: Take a photo of the potential customer in front of the new or used car that they are interested in. If they make a purchase, send a Thank You card with their photo on the front (they'll show it off, and refer you as someone who really cares about them). If they don't buy, send them the Pcture Plus Card with a note like this... "I wanted to thank you for coming by to see this car and talking with me. You really looked great in that car, and it's still waiting for you if you haven't bought one yet." OR -- If they didn't buy (but were seriously looking), send them a card with a photo of them in it, along with a note saying that you have their car waiting, or if they come in by a certain time, you will give them a special add-on or discount, etc. They will be reminded of their dream car every time they look at the card.
Joe Girard, the famous car salesman who sold more cars than anyone, was ahead of his time
with relationship marketing by showing gratitude and appreciation on a daily basis. He built his historic business empire by sending "Thank You" cards. In fact, he employed three (3) full time staff members to send them out - literally thousands of cards every month! It was no coincidence Joe Girard is still listed the "Guinness Book of World Records" for selling cars.
FOR THE SERIOUS NETWORK MARKETER: Take pictures of you and your new distributors and send them a "Welcome to the Team Card" with a picture of both of you in it. Great for recognizing and acknowledging promotions! If one of the people in your Network provides you with great service, take a picture of them and send it to the others in your Network, giving that person a strong testimonial. This helps to promote their business and yours. It will come back to you... tenfold!
FOR THE EMPLOYER:
If you really want great productivity from your employees, consider sending them a card acknowledging outstanding performance in the workplace. You can send it to their spouse or to their home right from your desk at work, as you are observing it. You will be the most popular boss in the company.
FOR THE PERSON WHO APPRECIATES SERVICE PROFESSIONALS: Take a digital camera wherever you go. When you get good service (bank teller, auto mechanic, grocery clerk, IT support person at work, etc.), take an "action shot" of them at work. Then send a thank you card with a note of appreciation for the great service they have provided for you, including an uploaded photo of them doing what they do so well.
FOR A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION FUND-RAISER: This is a must for building relationships with donors, benefactors, centers-of-influence, etc., not only in thanking them for what they do, but for announcing new events, activities and fundraising programs as they develop. Your Contact Manager becomes invaluable with opportunities like this.
Don't delay any longer! Get started now and make an extraordinary difference in your business and personal relationships. Contact the person who sent you here, or get more information about how to join here.
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"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Maya Angelou
