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/