business

Today is my 16 year Anniversary

Today I was sitting here thinking about my business, and my clients business. I was talking to a client on the phone, and he was asking me about being able to KEEP his clients. I gave him some ideas, as usual, then got off the phone.

The more I sat and contemplated our phone conversation, the more I began to think. I thought about my anniversary, and comparing that to business….and I thought….you know – for my husband to KEEP my *business* in our marriage, he had to WORK at it over the last 16 years. He had to KEEP in TOUCH with me. Many businesses, they think that they can do the sale, take care of you whenever you call them for something, and that is it! And you will STAY FAITHFUL to being their client for 16 years! What do you think???? Do you think if my husband only took care of me when I called him for something or asked him for something – do you think I would have *stayed his client (wife)* for the past 16 years??? No! So WHY would you expect your CLIENTS to do the same???

If you want to KEEP your clients for 16 years, you need to KEEP in TOUCH with them….you can do this many ways, via email, via telephone calls, via webinars, via greeting cards, etc – There are many ways that you can keep in touch with your clients, build rapore with them, as well as give them ideas to increase their business, and just remind them who you are and say hello to them!

I heard it once, people do business with those who they know, like, and trust. Well it’s true! The thing is, after you GET your clients, you want to KEEP them don’t you? Just think about it. If you only send them your sales special once a year, and nothing else all year long, or their invoice once a year…How loyal do you think they are going to be to you? What reason would they have to stay with you – rather than go to the next person that comes along, that offers them a better deal, a better offer, a better sale, etc.

One of the things I do, is help people to KEEP in touch with their clients – all for about $5 a year per client. I can help you set up with email autoresponders to keep in touch with your clients, as well as greeting cards – we can design CUSTOM cards for your business, as well as CUSTOM campaigns for your business – where you hit CLICK – and cards are sent to your client over the next 5 months, or even 5 years, all with one click from your end. I talk to you, find out about your business, what you want to do, as well as give you ideas that I have seen be proven with other people in their business that I have already helped them with.

So you CAN KEEP your clients and customers for 16 years…..and longer…..

See some greeting cards and post cards I have done for over 600 other clients – ILoveCards.net

Shhhh! I know the secret recipe for converting business contacts & casual customers into loyal clients

Has This Ever Happened To You????

Scene #1:
You meet someone at a business luncheon (or by chance in a long line at the hardware store). After a brief discussion, your new acquaintance suggests that he might swing a little business your way. You exchange business cards. Will your new business contact become your new customer?

Scene #2:
Not all customers (or clients) are created equal. Some are (how shall I put this politely) just customers. They drift in, then drift out of your life. However, a smaller percentage of customers power your business forward. Perhaps they are regulars or they refer their friends. Sometimes they are just good folks and they always brighten your day. Will they remain your clients, customers or patients?

In scene #1, rather than rely on chance, why not make certain that you convert your new business contact into a new client?
In scene #2, why not make sure that those special customers know how much you appreciate their business, in a way they will remember?

Success in both of these scenarios is simple to achieve and the costs are negligible compared to the returns.
Is this a new or revolutionary business system?
Hardly. In fact, it is more than 600 years old, yet, remains the world’s favorite form of written communication.

However, today’s technology has changed the playing field. What took hours of effort a year ago, takes little more than a few clicks of your computer mouse, today.
(And yes, if you have an Internet connection, your current computer and software will do the job just fine.)

This works ~ beyond your expectations.

Ask me how, or visit my site at www.ILoveCards.net for more information on how to keep in touch with your clients.

Transcendental Marketing Magic

You never know when the person you meet by chance will help your business in ways that you cannot imagine.

Some people call this synchronicity. “Business Networking” is the more common name.

And building a network of business contacts (expanding your circle of influence) is a “no-brainer.” That’s why you have business cards.

The big question, what’s your next move, after you exchange business cards with your new contact?
You need an edge, something to set you apart from every other person with a business card.

The ideal solution has a 600 year history and remains the world’s favorite form of written communication – send your new acquaintance a greeting card.

Without question, it’s the most vibrant way to say:

“I’m glad I met you.”

It’s also a stunning way to tell a new or favorite client “Thank you.”

You say this sounds too simple (not as transcendent as promised)?

Think about it. When was the last time you received a “glad I met you” greeting card from someone you just met?

Try this experiment. Send a “glad I met you” greeting card to the next ten people who give you their business cards.

The results will knock your socks off.

Greeting cards have a powerful impact – far beyond their pretty exterior.

But greeting cards present their own set of challenges~
buying the cards, writing the message, stuffing, stamping, mailing!!!
It takes determination, but wait….a radical new idea in business networking.

A national greeting card company has solved the problem.
No greeting card company has ever offered anything like this before.
In fact, this technology is new, just in the last few years.

Never again address, stuff, stamp and mail another greeting card.
In less than 60 seconds, enter your contact information online
As easy as sending an email, except that your contact receives a “photographic quality” greeting card in the mail.
The company prints, stamps and mails the card for you.

Choose from over 15,000+ cards. Custom cards are easy to create.
Even upload your entire contact list in mere minutes.
The online data manager never lets you forget a birthday or anniversary.
Send multiple cards as a follow-up campaign, automatically, whenever you say…..even months or years from now.

Add your signature, even use your own handwriting font.
Add a picture or image from your computer – they print it next to your message.

An aggressive and radical new idea in business networking – the easy, effective way.
This works – beyond your expectations~

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that greeting cards will help your business grow and increase your income

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that greeting cards will help your business grow and increase your income in every way that we have outlined.

This means that greeting cards are the ultimate business tools in three critical areas:

1. Converting new business contacts into active clients (customers, patients, etc.)

2. Transforming casual customers into loyal clients.

3. Making sure that your best clients remain your best clients.

Hurray for greeting cards!!! What could be better?

How about this concept? Any photo on your computer can be uploaded in about 20 seconds. The greeting card company prints the image inside the card, in bright vibrant color, next to your message.

If you want fanatically loyal clients, and multiple referrals, picture these possibilities:

Scene #1: You take a digital photo of your clients standing in front of their new house. You ask them “Why don’t we send this picture to 10 of your closest friends?”

Scene #2: You take a digital photo of your customers standing in front of their new car, or their new boat or their new recreational vehicle. You ask them “Would you like me to send this picture to a few members of your family?”

Here is the really fun part
-check back with your clients in about 10 days.

This is what you will discover:

* Most of their friends and family have called to offer their congratulations.
* Your clients are overflowing with enthusiasm about a simple photograph that you sent to their friends and family in a greeting card.
* They think you are the greatest. (Consider the future referrals.)
* You, in turn, contact your clients’ friends and relatives (who are now turbo-charged referrals.)

Could anything be more simple and effective?
Not really.

The potential is limited only by your imagination:

* A picture of you shaking hands with your clients, printed inside your personal “thank you” card that says, “I appreciate your business.”
* A picture of you and a new business contact at a luncheon or business event, printed inside your personal “I’m glad I met you card.
* A picture of your son or daughter playing a sport or a musical instrument.(Just for the fun of it.)
* A picture of your vacation in Maui, uploaded from the hotel computer (in Maui) “Wish you were here.”

Armed only with an inexpensive digital camera, a shrewd businessperson could double his or her bottom line, if they utilized greeting cards correctly.

Is this merely hyperbole?
To the contrary, this is not only possible, it is being accomplished all across the country as you read this.

This works – way beyond your expectations.

Do you want to be like everyone else?

If you want to be good, do your job – like they tell you – like everyone else….
If you want to SUCCEED – do your job BETTER than they told you – BETTER than everybody else…..
Eventually your INCOME will surpass EVERYBODY else……

So many people SAY they want more money – I mean – who doesn’t???

But the thing is, what are you doing to GET MORE than everybody else? Like the saying goes – “if you keep doing, what you have always been doing, then you will keep getting what you have always been getting.”

What are you doing to stand out from the crowd?

You do not have to be bold, daring, arrogant, proud…. team task management software.You can be successful – and still be truthful, honest, professional, humble….etc. Many people throughout life, I have heard think that people that “have it made” are very arrogant or rude…(and yes, I do beleive SOME are) but I beleive MOST are not. There IS a difference in being self-confident and egotistical.

You could own your own business, or you could work at a job somewhere – but in either case, you should go above and beyond all measures of what is expected of you. People who become millionaires, did not become millionaires because they sat around doing nothing – they became millionaires, because they wanted to live a different lifestyle, they did not want to “be like everybody else”

I am sure we have all mostly had a job where we knew someone at that job – that did what they were supposed to do, and even did it well. But that is ALL they did – JUST what they were asked. Which, in a way, is fine, I mean – they will keep their job, probably, and they will earn their salary. But – what about the ones that do that same exact job….but go ABOVE AND BEYOND what the boss asked them to – even though they would not get paid any different. Who do you think that boss is going to look towards, when they decide to promote someone?

Same thing in owning your own business:

If you are a carpet cleaner, and you clean carpets VERY well. That is great. But if say you are not available when I need it the next time, so I get someone else….and they do VERY well also – BUT they go ABOVE AND BEYOND what I asked and do a better cleaning, or a little extra spot – or extra time on a stain I did not even mention, or….who do you think I am going to call on next time?

If you are a car salesman, and you sell cars VERY well. That is great. But if say you are not available when I need to buy the next time, so I get someone else….and they do VERY well also – BUT they go ABOVE AND BEYOND what I asked and do a little extra, add a few perks, send out card to me after the sale to keep in touch with me, send out newsletters to me of neat ideas and events I might be interested in, call me every 6 months to just check in, or….who do you think I am going to call on next time?

If you are an insurance agent, and you sell your policy VERY well. That is great. But if you only send me a bill once every 6 months or a year, but I never hear from you any other time, or you might even send me a cheese *blanket* birthday card once a year….What do you think is going to happen when someone else starts approaching me to get my business…do you think I will take a look at what they are offering and compare it?
Do you think I would if you sent out a card every month or even every few months – just to keep in touch……or even had some sort of contact in between the yearly bills?

The thing is – anyone can do a JOB – it takes a GREAT person – to do a GREAT job – and stand out above the crowd. “People will do business, with people they know, like, and trust”. You might get a client once, on a “by chance” ad through the paper or something like that – but will they STAY with you?

The secret to KEEPING your clients – and getting your clients to give you ENDLESS REFERRALS without even asking – is to keep in touch with them, and be BETTER than everybody else – that is providing the same service that you do.

Increase your Business Using Personal Greeting Cards

One piece of etiquette, that I’ve used in my business from the beginning…are unique cards. Just the power of sending a unique card…. They are sent so rarely, that when you do, you stand out. When people open your card and/or your gift, there’s a moment of surprise! and you’ve got their complete attention.

In today’s technology world, with email and texting and social media, that surprise is magnified 10-fold. I’ve been SO fortunate to receive THOUSANDS of thank you cards over the last 25 years in my business.

And….I have saved every single one, because they are special, they share thoughts and messages of love, gratitude and thanks share to me by friends, family, customers and clients.

It’s the POWER of APPRECIATION. The law of appreciation says – whoever you show appreciation to, will appreciate in value. In our personal and business relationships….it’s best to do the little things, consistently, to show that we appreciate others.

If we did a study on a group of married couples, or even in business/client relationships….
And asked, what is the biggest problem in your relationship….very FEW people would come back saying that they get TOO much appreciation…..they are shown TOO much kindness, bought too many gifts, given too many cards…..right? haha!

There has been studies that have shown the #1 reason “why customers leave”….is at 68% because of PERCEIVED INDIFFERENCE. That means that they were actually satisfied w the product or service, but they felt a LACK of emotional connection, or consistent appreciation – they just did not FEEL a reason to STAY!

Some ideas are – Send out a card – and customize it, so it is unique to THEIR business or situation, or even one of their interests (a tip for this is if you connect with them on social media as well, you can have a little insight into their personal life of their family, sports or other things they love and have a passion for.)

I have used an amazing system to help me do this, since 2004, called Send Out Cards, with GREAT success. With the Send Out Cards system, I have access to thousands of cards, in an instant, because it is ONLINE. with the card, I can also add a little gift, (or a big one!) like brownies, candies, herb teas, gourmet coffees, gifts for men, women, kids, or even pets! I can also even add a gift card if I choose.

With the system, I have the ability to send out the SAME card, customized with EACH person’s name, to 1 person at a time, 10 people, 100, 1000, or any amount of people I choose! This past Christmas I sent out over 3000 cards to friends, family, clients and customers.

Send Out Cards prints it, stuffs it, stamps it and puts it in the REAL mail for me – all for about a dollar including postage!

I can choose any number of fonts to write it in, just like when you choose an email, you can choose different looks for your letters, but I can also even fill out a form and mail it to the company and they will create a CUSTOM font of my PERSONAL handwriting, so the cards are actually sent in my REAL handwriting and/or signature! I LOVE this option!

I can import my contacts, or add them one by one, and I can put them into different groups, of how I want to categorize and organize them – that is unique to me.

If you would like to know more of how this system works, take a FREE trial on it, or have questions – please contact me at Iam@LaurieDelk.me

Now…..WHEN should you send a card to someone?
Whenever you think – someone went out of their way for you – send them a card
Whenever someone allows you to talk to them about your service or product, send them a thank you for their time.

When someone sends you a referral. When someone does business with you – after a sale.
These are times when it is really good to include a gift card, or a nice gift, to let them know you really appreciate them.

You can send cards to say “Great job!” “Well done!” “Congrats on the wedding” or the baby….
Happy Anniversary, Happy Birthday, Sympathy……and so much for for any reason or occasion to reach out and build on your relationship with your clients or customers.

I can tell you from personal and professional experience in my web and graphic design business as well as working with thousands of other clients in order to help them increase their bottom line in their traditional business….that the habit of sending out cards, and gifts – is definitely worth the habit of developing…..it says a lot about you – and your business, who you are, how you handle your business.

The key is, using a system, and sending them out on a regular basis. If you just try it for a few months, and then stop, because you don’t see immediate results, you will not see long term results. I have seen this many times….but if you are consistent, every month, building relationships with your clients by keeping in touch, every single month, I can guarantee you, seeing results in your business around 25% increase….or I’d be even willing to bet reimbursing you the cost that you spent on those cards, if you followed those exact rules — sending a card, once a month, with NO sales spiel in it, just keeping in touch every month for 5 months, and then maybe 1 card within a 6 month period, some sort of sales promotion….we call this Master Relationship Marketing – You build the relationship 80% of the time, and market only up to 20% of the time.

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