Referral Marketing Tips

Do you want all the referrals you can possibly handle? Do you have a system in place to stay in touch with your clients, prospects and business contacts? Do you realize that showing these people that you appreciate them and care about them is the best way to earn their friendship, their trust and their referrals?

Here are just a few ways you can use SendOutCards to personally stay in touch with those that are important to you and your business:

1) Use SendOutCards to send an unexpected, personalized card in your own handwriting font.

2) Send a personalized card AND a small gift of cookies, caramels, brownies, nuts, etc...

3) Send a personalized card AND a gift card to a major retailer or restaurant.

4) Send a birthday card to let them know you remembered them.

Referral marketing is all about staying in touch. So why not make someone's day and send a card their way?

For more information, contact:

Kimberly Yow
Gifted Lady Gift Baskets & Greeting Cards

View SendOutCards Real Greeting Cards Here

A sampling of greeting cards available through the SendOutCards greeting card service. Cards are a great value at $.62 + postage! See my website, www.GiftedLadyGreetingCards.com or contact me at 800-836-9322 to learn how you can have these cards "stamped & mailed" for you with the click of a button:

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.

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.

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/