INCREASE RETENTION RATES WITH A GREETING CARD PROGRAM Sending greeting cards is a proven way to build business relationships. A recent study at a large company compared sales representatives who participated in a program of regular greeting card mailings to their clients (at least 4 per year) with those who did not. The sales representatives who participated had a 5% better customer retention rate than those who did not. The relationships that are key to business success, like all relationships, require time and attention to remain strong. Since you often don't have time for personal visits and phone calls (and neither do your clients), greeting cards are a great personal way to maintain a bond with your customers. The personal nature of greeting cards, unlike brochures, makes them sure to be opened, read, and remembered. As loyalty builds in relationships, your clients will think of you first. Loyal customers tell their friends about you and are more likely to give you referrals. PROSPECT FOR NEW CUSTOMERS WITH A GREETING CARD PROGRAM Greeting cards are an effective tool for establishing new business relationships. Cards can pave the way for a smooth first meeting by making a favorable impression and relieving the awkwardness of initial contacts. Introductory Cards
Introducing yourself with a note card can give your sales efforts a head start. Not only will prospects recognize your name in the future, they may even call you! Pre Appointment Mailings
A meeting reminder is a great service to your busy customers plus you can greatly reduce "no shows." Follow Up
Sending a thank you note after a sales call (which is often when prospects are in the decision process) shows your attention to detail, your sincere appreciation, and your sense of urgency at getting things done. Referral Requests, Referral Thank You, and Referral Contacts
Satisfied customers are happy to send potential customers your way. Show your appreciation and keep the referrals coming. Introduce yourself to the new prospects with a card and you're on your way to another happy client.
MESSAGES TO HAND WRITE OR HAVE IMPRINTED IN CARDS UNDER THE VERSE
If time permits, a quick hand written message makes a great impact. In Birthday, Anniversary, Congratulation, and other cards marking personal milestones, messages should reflect your personal interest in the individual. Prospecting, Follow up and Referral messages can be professional and direct. See Personalization for imprint charges. Birthday Greetings
Have a great birthday!
Have fun on your special day.
Hope you have a great birthday and the best year ever.
Hope your birthday is wonderful. Anniversary
Congratulations!
Wishing you continued success in the coming year.
Best wishes in the year ahead. Congratulations
Best wishes for happiness in your new home.
Well done!
You did it!
I knew you would succeed. Congratulations. PROSPECTING MESSAGES-HAND WRITE OR HAVE IMPRINTED ON NOTE CARDS
A mutual friend thought you could benefit from my services and gave me your name. With your permission, I would like to arrange a time for us to meet in person. I'll give you a call next week. I have ______ years of experience specializing in ________. I would love to see how my expertise can help you. Please give me a call at ________ to arrange a meeting. Follow up Messages-these work well in thank you or note cards.
Thank you for your time during our recent meeting. Please call me at ________if I can be of further assistance. It was a pleasure meeting with you yesterday. I will research your questions and call you by next week with answers. Thank you for speaking with me on the phone today. The materials you requested are on the way. I will contact you next week to schedule a meeting. Thank you for taking the time to talk to me yesterday. Your proposal is being processed and I will contact you as soon as it's ready to schedule our next meeting. Referral Messages-these work well in thank you or note cards.
It is a pleasure working with you and I trust you have found my services beneficial. I would greatly appreciate it if you could call me with the names of other people who you feel would benefit from my services. Please contact me if you know of any colleagues or friends who would like to know more about our company. I will treat anyone you refer to me with exceptional service and professionalism.
HOW TO SET UP YOUR GREETING CARD PROGRAM
Setting up an effective mailing program is easy. Start by creating a "to be mailed file" using a pre-made files with 31 slots and tabs (available at office supply stores) or make your own by system by labeling 31 manila folders from 1 to 31 for the days of the month. Every morning, check the file for that date and mail the contents. If you wish, keep a calendar handy and only file cards on dates that fall on Monday-Friday. If you prefer, you can file all cards to mail on a certain day of the week before the event to keep your mailings on a weekly schedule. TIP: Save time by always ordering cards with your return address pre-printed on the back flap. If you wish, you can even have your signature and/or your photo and logo printed inside the cards. See ordering information. For Meeting Reminders and Follow Ups:
Always keep a supply of Note Cards, Appointment Reminders, and Thank You Cards on hand. As you set up appointments, fill out the appointment reminders and file them to be mailed so that they will arrive 2 or 3 days before the meeting. At the same time, pull and address a thank you card and place it in the file for the day after the meeting. For Birthdays and Anniversaries:
A system for sending Birthday Cards and Anniversary Cards is easy to create. Using any personal computer desktop database program ( a spreadsheet program will also work). Assign fields or columns with all the necessary information (name, address, birth date month, birth date day, anniversary month, anniversary day). Then, at the beginning of each month, sort the birthday fields by ascending month and date. Address the envelopes and sign the cards. If time permits, a handwritten message (even just "Happy Birthday" or Have a Great Day") on each card has a great impact. Next, file your cards in your mail file to be mailed a few days before the birthday or anniversary. TIP: Don't forget the children. Parents are always pleased when you remember their children's birthday. The children, your future clients, love it too. If you don't have a PC, you can create a system using 3 x 5 cards listing name, address and birth date (you'll need an additional card to track anniversaries). File by month and date. A few days before the start of each month, pull the cards for that month and prepare cards for your to be mailed file.
For Holidays
Holidays throughout the year such as Independence Day, Valentines Day, Thanksgiving, etc. are a great time to keep in touch. Order and prepare Holiday Cards early for all clients in your database, then drop them in the mail 12-14 days before the holiday.
For Unexpected Events
Keep Congratulations, Get Well, Sympathy and Note Cards on hand to send as soon as you hear of promotions, illness, loss, new homes and any other event important to your client that would be appropriate to acknowledge. Posty Cards
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