Sometimes Marketing is Saying Thank You
A couple weeks ago I received a card at my PO Box from Kate Gaffin of Beautiful Futures, a reader of Quick Tips from Marketing Mentor. I don't know Kate personally, but she took the time to write to me to thank me for my efforts. As a small token, she included a Starbucks card inside. I don't know about you, but this is not the type of mail I get every day.
So I responded to Kate to thank her for thanking me. That's when I found out she hadn't exactly handwritten that card to me. You see, she's using that new service, www.sendoutcards.com which other readers and commenters have written us about before. It seems to be catching on.
Here's what Kate wrote back to me:
I'm so glad you liked the card and I hope you had a nice Starbucks treat.
I actually sent similar cards to six other folks who have also provided such great resources to me (and thousands of others) over the years. I was really touched by their responses and it reminded me that we just don't show appreciation enough anymore. When we do, it's so nice to know that we might have put a smile on someone's face.
In the last month, I began sending out cards to my steady customers...just to say thanks for thinking of my company when they needed a gift for a little one in their lives. I got back dozens of emails telling me that no other company had ever thanked them for being a customer. Many orders came in as a result.
What a great marketing tool personalized cards are! And using the system I did to send yours, it's all automated and I can send a card with just a couple of clicks in a font created from my own handwriting. It then gets printed, stuffed, stamped and mailed for me. And it all happens with just a couple of clicks whether sending to one person or 1,000. This is really amazing stuff in a time of technology overkill...simplicity and personalization really makes one stand out.
Check it out here.
Ilise Benun is author of Stop Pushing Me Around and several other books.
www.marketing-mentor.com
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