Our business seems to focus a lot on high tech marketing such as using Facebook and other social media sites to communicate with your customers and potential customers. But we need to also remember that those on the other end of the mouse or keypad are real people. People who like to know that you are human.
After you have a customer, how do you build the relationship? Many small businesses don’t do anything, because the reality is that it takes a lot of time. But how much is a customer worth to you over the long haul? I bet it is worth a few minutes of your time to make sure they keep coming back.
People don’t always remember what you say, but they always remember how you make them feel.
So how do you instill feelings into your communications? One way we do it is sending cards. Yes, the kind that you get in the mail with a stamp and envelop. Here are some ways we use them.
1. Recently during a networking meeting a person sitting next to me stated that he would love to take a long train ride. I looked up a train ride I knew about that runs in the Canadian Rockies. I grabbed some images from the website, added some text about “Never give up your dreams,” and added a special note inside. After he gets that card, how do you think he will feel? Do you think it will make it to the trash can or onto the mantle?
2. Take a picture of people you meet at conferences and create a card with that image on the cover. When you get their business card at the event, jot down something you learned about them on the back. Create the card to reflect their personal life. They will remember you for quite a while! Especially when you call them up to meet up again.
High touch takes your networking to a whole new level. Your goal is to speak to them personally. Learn about them. Nurture the relationship. Never ask them to marry you on the first date. Meaning, don’t sell to them the first time you meet them, or third time for that matter.
We use an online card service called SendOutCards. It allows us to create these special personalized cards from our computer in minutes. Then it is mailed by them, in an envelop with a stamp! All this for about a buck. It costs a lot more than a buck to drive to the store, get cards, hand write them, and mail them.
Send a card on us! Send it to a loved one so you can get real benefits!