SendOutCards Tip: How To Save a Card for Mass Mailing or Repeat Use!

Did you know that you can create a card in the SendOutCards system and then save it? All you have to do is go to "Manage Campaigns", click "Add New Card", then select your card...customize it...and save it.

You can then send this card as many times as you want. I use this feature for a standard birthday card, calendar card or a "thank you for your order" card. You can also send your campaign card to numerous people at the same time. This would come in handy when sending holiday cards, thank you cards after a special event, "we've moved" cards, "just listed/sold" cards, grand opening cards and many others!

When you are ready to send your campaign card, go to your Contact Manager, select the contacts you wish to send the card to, select the name of the campaign (upper left corner of your screen) and then click the gray button that says "Send Campaign To Checked". You're done! You've just sent your card to 1 or hundreds of people at the same time.

This feature of the Send Out Cards system is a great time saver and well worth the few minutes it takes to master it!

Happy card sending!
Kimberly
SendOutCards Independent Consultant

SendOutCards Gets "Best Home Business Opportunity" Award for 2007!

News found on the internet:

Send Out Cards gets our 5 Star “Best Home Business Opportunity” Award for being the best all around home business for 2007. After reviewing hundreds of home business opportunities our research team has carefully chosen SendOutCards for this prestigious award based on 12 important criteria.

1. The opportunity has a low entry fee to get started. ****

2. The company has a squeaky clean reputation. *****

3. The product is in high demand by business owners. *****

4. There is a high success rate for distributors. ****

5. It has a simple marketing program that is easy to implement. *****

6. There is excellent training and follow up support for new distributors. *****

7. It does not require a high skill level to be successful. *****

8. The nature of the product is unique, with little competition. *****

9. The company is in its beginning growth phase. ****

10. The management team is experienced. *****

11. The company is financially strong. *****

12. The compensation plan is extremely generous. ****

Overall Home Business Opportunity Assessment *****

Send Out Cards is a greeting card business that consists of a web-based system for creating and automatically sending custom greeting cards. Small business owners and independent professionals such as realtors, insurance agents, and sales professionals are particularly attracted to the Send Out Cards system because of it’s ability to automate the follow up marketing and relationship building required by professionals to be successful.

The SendOutCards business opportunity has a relatively low entry fee to get started and a very clean reputation with the FTC and it's members. The product itself is unique and has no competition. The company demonstrated that it has good training and follow up support and an experienced management team.

Send Out Cards has passed it's initial start up phase and is now in its early growth phase, which makes it a good time to join. The company is financially stable and has a good compensation plan that includes a long term residual income component.

Because of its' reputation, support, uniqueness and stability, ScamAlert.com has awarded Send Out Cards its 2007 Business Opportunity of the Year Award.

SendOutCards™ Will Save You Time & Money and Increase Your Business Referrals

Why You'll Save Time, Save Money & Increase Your Referrals with SendOutCards™...

Gifted Lady's SendOutCards™ System is Not an e-card!!

It's a 'real' greeting card! And a great system for maintaining personal contact with clients, etc...

Here are just some of the reasons why:

• You customize online (it's quick & easy)
• The service prints, stuffs & mails for you (you save time)!
• Add your own photos, logo, scanned business card, just about any image, etc... (create highly personalized cards)
• Type in your own handwriting font (it's really cool...)
• Add your own signature (how's that for personalized?)
• Include gift cards from Starbucks, Home Depot, Barnes & Noble, etc... (quick & easy way to send a gift and a greeting card at the same time)
• Includes a birthday reminder function (never forget another birthday)
• Includes a marketing campaign feature (automate your marketing and customer service communication by setting up weeks or months in advance)
• And so much more!

The SendOutCards™ online service is a very powerful, effective system that will help you increase your referrals by keeping you personally connected with prospects and clients. It's also great for personal use!

Click here to Visit My Online Tutorial.

SendOutCards™ Greeting Cards Have Gone Green!

SendOutCards™ has gone green! All of their cards are now printed on premium recycled paper.

Send Out Cards™ is an online service that allows you to customize a real greeting card or post card online...click "Send Card"...and then rest assured that your card will be "printed" and "mailed via the US Postal Service" by SendOutCards™.

That's right...these are real greeting cards...NOT e-cards.

Make someone's day, send a greeting card their way!

For more info on the SendOutCards™ Service, please visit GiftedLadyGreetingCards.com.

The Dash Movie - A Message About Life!

You really must watch this movie! It was forwarded to me by a loving family member who knew it would touch my heart! It's about LIFE... Click here to view, The Dash Movie!

Corporate Gift Giving Guidelines - Part II

Part I of this article covered what to avoid when giving a business gift. If you missed it, I suggest you go back and take the time to read it.

Now on to Part II:
Giving corporate or business gifts can help you stay in touch with prospects and clients. It can also help you show appreciation for someone’s business, establish new relationships, mend relationships, obtain referrals and build customer loyalty. Follow the guidelines below to ensure that your business gifts are effective:

Good Choices for Corporate Gifts:

• Gourmet and snack food items that can be shared easily within an office. Cheese, crackers, sausage, chocolate treats, cookies, flavored coffees and teas, mixed nuts, specialty nuts, gourmet popcorn and trail mix are all good choices. When these items are placed in a classy gift basket they will leave a lasting impression.

• If a gift is for an individual (not a group), include in the gift something that pertains to their hobby, collection or area of special interest. Doing this let’s the gift recipient know that you put some thought into what they would like.

• Examples would be golf, theatre, sports, reading, collecting Hot Wheels, decorating, needle crafts, hiking, etc…

• I once created a custom gift basket for a gentleman that performed civil war reenactments. It was obvious to him, and others that saw the basket, that it was made especially for him. The gift basket was a thank you gift from his mortgage consultant. The mortgage consultant got several referrals and new loans as a result of having the gift basket delivered to his client’s place of work.

• Apparel with your logo discreetly placed. Polo shirts, tee shirts, sweatshirts, ball caps and light weight jackets are very popular choices and will generally be worn by the recipient.

• Promotional items such as calendars, mugs, tape measures, letter openers, paper weights, note pads, etc… Pens are also a good choice and change hands an average of 7 times. Try to give items that are useful and of high quality so they last a while. Also, any item that the recipient will sit on their desk or in their office is a good choice because your name and contact information will always be in front of them.

• Tickets for a sporting event. Some companies give out pairs of tickets and others rent a sky box at sporting events so they can entertain a group of business associates. Food and beverages are generally provided therefore making this a favorite among most recipients.

• Gift cards for Starbucks, movie theatres, home electronic and computer stores, dinner restaurants, etc…

• A good book or DVD on business strategy or team development. (If you know the values or priority business issues of the recipient.)

The giving of corporate or business gifts happens on a daily basis. Make sure yours are business appropriate, of high quality, timely and personalized when possible and you’ll see a positive impact on your business. The bottom line is that appropriate business gifts Make People Smile and Make Them Feel Appreciated and that is the Secret to business success. Happy giving!

Authored by Kimberly Yow, owner of Gifted Lady Gift Baskets. Kimberly has spent years helping her clients market their businesses through the use of gift baskets. She not only offers her clients advice on appropriate business gifts she also helps them select “WOW” gifts that leave a lasting impression. To start using gift baskets as an effective marketing tool, contact Kimberly today at GiftedLady.com.

Corporate Gift Giving Guidelines – Part I

Giving corporate or business gifts can be highly effective and is a common practice. However, if you mess up and give something that is not appropriate your intent may be misunderstood, you may ruin a business relationship or you may never get your foot in the door with a prospect.

Part I of Corporate Gift Giving Guidelines covers what to avoid when giving a business gift. See below for basic, yet very critical, guidelines:

• Not too extravagant. You don’t want the recipient to feel uncomfortable accepting the gift or feel obligated to you in any way. Also, many companies have limits on the value of a gift that their employees can accept.

• No religious items unless you know the person very well. These items are very personal and you don’t want to offend anyone by giving them something that goes against their beliefs.

• No bath or spa products unless given by a female to a female. In any other circumstance, these items are just too personal for a business gift and may be misconstrued.

• No items with a heart motif or anything representing love.

• No risqué calendars or printed items. Many companies have policies banning this type of thing from the work place. Actually, all companies should have this policy because displaying items like this in the work place can be viewed as sexual harassment and could get a company in a heap of legal trouble.

• No apparel or logo items with obscene motifs or wording.

• No apparel or logo items that can be construed as racist.

• No alcohol unless you know what the recipient likes and you know it doesn’t go against any company policy. Many companies have “no alcohol” policies and will not allow it on their premises or at any company events.

Following the above guidelines will help you ensure that your business gifts are not misconstrued and that they are business appropriate. See ‘Part II’ of Corporate Gift Giving Guidelines for a list of business gifts that always make good choices.

Authored by Kimberly Yow, owner of Gifted Lady Gift Baskets. Kimberly has spent years helping her clients market their businesses through the use of gift baskets. She not only offers her clients advice on appropriate business gifts she also helps them select “WOW” gifts that leave a lasting impression. To start using gift baskets as an effective marketing tool, contact Kimberly today at GiftedLady.com.

Build Your Business By Sending Personalized Greeting Cards

In order for someone to do business with you they need to know you, like you and trust you from a business perspective. Below I am going to share with you numerous ways to speed up the 'like you' aspect through the use of greeting cards.

For starters, when was the last time you got a greeting card from someone that you purchased products or services from? Most of you will answer 'NEVER' and some of you may even be laughing at this point! Which brings me to my point; most people are over looking this simple, very inexpensive means of marketing their business and staying in touch with prospects and clients on a regular basis.

I remember years ago when I received a birthday card from my car insurance agent. I was absolutely amazed and it made me feel good. Good and bad that is. Bad, because it was the only birthday card I received that year. Good, because this guy took the time to 'remember' and 'mail' me a card on my special day. Receiving that card (and subsequent birthday cards) really made an impression on me and made me all the more willing to continue doing business with this particular insurance agent for many years. And, I told others about his card sending habit and passed on his contact information many times.

You can send greeting cards to your business contacts for many reasons, not just birthdays. Receiving greeting cards will make your prospects and clients feel good. They will know you remember them and they in turn will feel good about you or 'like you'. And remember, 'liking you' is one of the requirements before someone will do business with you or refer others to you. Below are numerous ideas on how you can effectively integrate greeting cards into your customer service and marketing programs and speed up the 'like you' process.

You can use a personalized card to 'Thank' someone for:

• A referral that they gave you

• Their order or their business in general

• Taking the time to meet with you

How about a card 'Congratulating' a prospect or client on:

• Receiving a promotion

• Winning a large contract for their company

• Getting married or having a new baby

• Moving into a new home

• Receiving a degree they've worked long and hard for

• Landing a new job

I sent a greeting card to a local business person that I had only spoken to once. It was congratulating her on her new job with our local newspaper. She called me out of the clear blue to ask questions about my business and to thank me for the card. She said it was on her desk for everyone to see and that it was the only card she received congratulating her on her new job. The card made her feel great and her reaction made me thankful that I had taken the time to reach out to her. We now talk and network on a frequent basis. Wow!

Make someone feel good by sending a card that says:

• Happy Home Anniversary (this works great for anyone that provides a product or service to home owners)

• Happy Business Anniversary (anniversary of your first business deal with them)

• Happy Wedding Anniversary (this will definitely get their attention and probably be one of the few cards...or the only card...they receive)

Make an impact with 'Birthday' cards by sending them to:

• Your customer, their spouse AND their children (they'll remember that you remembered them and their family)

• Business and networking contacts

Send an 'I Enjoyed Meeting You' card:

• After meeting someone for the first time at a chamber mixer or networking event

• After doing a presentation for someone

• After meeting someone on an airplane that could be a good business contact

Use personalized greeting cards to 'Announce':

• A sale, promo or special offer

• A special event or open house

• A milestone business anniversary

• A new product or service

• A move and your new address

Greeting cards that give you a lot of mileage include:

• Photo greeting cards (people will keep a card with a meaningful photo longer than they will a traditional card)

• Calendar greeting cards (just about everyone can use an extra calendar for their desk, purse, refrigerator, car, day timer, etc...)

• Cards with a little something extra like a gift card to Starbucks or a book store

As you can see, there are many reasons to send greeting cards. Use this list to spark your own creativity and start integrating personalized greeting cards into your customer service and marketing efforts. You will be amazed at the positive impact it will have on your incoming referrals, your business network, your bottom line and you personally.

Kimberly Yow is the owner of Gifted Lady Gift Baskets & More. She sends ‘PRINTED’ greeting cards and greeting card campaigns as a way of staying in touch with prospects and clients, showing her appreciation for their business and expanding her network. You can learn more about the online client retention system that Kimberly uses and/or get a Free Trial Account to test out the system by visiting Mail A Greeting Card.

Marketing With Gift Baskets - 10 Ideas That Will Bring You More Business

Gift baskets are a great marketing tool for many businesses. They can help you acquire new clients, show appreciation to current clients, solidify referral and networking relationships and establish name recognition within your industry or community.

For gift basket marketing to be effective, the gifts themselves need to be appealing, useful and appropriate as a business gift. Most retailers are more than willing to offer advice pertaining to business appropriateness and will help you make a wise selection. The gift baskets you deliver or send will become part of your image and reputation so make sure they are of high quality and convey the message you intend. The gift baskets also need to be delivered in a timely manner. For instance, if you close a business deal and send a “thank you” gift basket weeks after the deal was finalized it will not be as effective as it will if it’s sent within a few days.

Gift basket retailers, just like florists, will provide a typed or handwritten note card with each gift basket so be sure to include a note card “message” anytime you place an order.

Many businesses incorporate gift baskets in their marketing plan and use them in numerous ways. How many of these ideas have you already implemented?

1. Send a basket to a prospective client to introduce yourself. Then follow-up with a phone call. When you call, they’ll already know who you are.
2. Send a “thank you” basket to a client or prospective client after doing a presentation for them.
3. Donate gift baskets to local causes, community events and fundraising groups. Your name will typically be listed in a program as a donor and/or a “Donated By” card with your business name will be attached to the donated basket.
4. Send a gift basket to say “I appreciate” your business.
5. Send a “thank you” gift basket when someone gives you a referral or lead.
6. If you provide a product or service to home owners, send a “Home Anniversary” basket to a client when the anniversary of their new home comes around.
7. Send small gift baskets for each season or holiday to stay in touch with your best clients.
8. Use a gift basket as a giveaway at a street fair or business expo. This helps you gather names and contact info that become potential business leads.
9. Send a basket of congratulations to a client or business associate when they receive a major job promotion or land a fantastic contract. This will definitely make you stand out in their minds!
10. If you exhibit at expos and conventions, send a “thank you” basket to the person responsible for coordinating the event. They will remember you in the future and you may get preferential treatment when it comes to the assignment of booth locations, etc…
    

As you can see, there are numerous ways you can use gift baskets to build customer relationships, increase loyalty and get the most bang for your marketing buck! An appropriate, well timed, high quality gift basket can help you and your business leave a great impression. When your business leaves a great lasting impression people will talk about you, use you & recommend you. This will result in increased referrals and growth of your business!!

Authored by Kimberly Yow, owner of Gifted Lady Gift Baskets. Kimberly has spent years helping her clients market their businesses through the use of gift baskets. She not only offers her clients advice on appropriate business gifts she also helps them select “WOW” gifts that leave a lasting impression. To start using gift baskets as an effective marketing tool, contact Kimberly today at http://giftedlady.com/