Stronger Customer Relationships: They’re In The Cards
About three years ago, my wife Amy began her own tradition: she started sending cards to her friends and relatives just before Thanksgiving. These are not early Christmas cards. In fact, the cards she buys never depict any type of holiday image and never include a pre-written message. Instead, she uses blank cards and writes a personal note to each of her loved ones, reinforcing how much they mean to her and how thankful she is to have them in her life. (Yes, she is a much better person than I am.)
A few days after sending her cards, the phone starts ringing. It never fails. Friends and family from around the country call to thank her for the card and her kind words. These are people with families and jobs and big holiday dinners to prepare, and yet, they stop what they’re doing to reply to a simple, heartfelt card and make a 30-minute phone call.
Neither Amy nor I can recall a single response to the many hundreds of Christmas cards we’ve sent over the years, so why do such a large percentage of people respond to her “Thanksgiving” cards? Let’s watch the marketing lessons unfold...
First, the timing. The cards are unexpected. They’re sent a good couple of weeks before the Christmas season kicks in, so the recipients aren’t actively looking for a card the way they might on December 20th. In other words, her card is a nice surprise.
Secondly, everyone sends cards for Christmas, but because hers arrive so much earlier, they’re not “competing” for the recipient’s attention; their timing helps them stand out and contributes to their special quality.
Finally, it’s the nature of her cards. They’re not stamped with her signature. They’re not mass produced. Each one is hand-written, personal, genuine. They’re the kind of cards people save. And in sending them, she’s not looking for something in return. She’s simply reaching out to strengthen her relationships with the people who are important to her. Not hundreds of people. Just a few dozen.
So, are your 25 or 50 best clients worth a little personal attention? Is their long-term loyalty to you worth the time it takes to dream up new and valuable ways you can impact their lives and jobs? Are your sales and marketing efforts born of a genuine interest in helping your clients? Just a few questions to ponder as you consider your company’s marketing efforts.
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