By Mark Solomon, TheBillableHour.com
Effective marketing makes clients, referral sources, customers and prospects feel good about your services and/or products. There is no substitute for personal contact in good relationship-building. There are countless opportunities to make those contacts throughout the year. Besides the traditional year-end holiday season, birthdays, anniversaries, recent referrals and career milestones warrant sincere expressions of appreciation and recognition. Conveying sincerity is of utmost importance.
Unfortunately, most of the greeting cards circulated by businesses generate all the warmth of a pro forma document. The sheer volume of the mail that must be sent causes most businesses to the select the most generic greeting card possible—a “one size fits all” approach that virtually guarantees that the recipient will treat the card like another piece of junk mail. Even if the card does find a place on the office bulletin board, it won’t attract much attention because it looks just like all the others.
When shopping for greeting cards for my family and friends, I’ve spent up to an hour browsing for just the right card for each. If I see a card in March that’s perfect for my sister’s birthday in January, I’ll buy it and file it away at home. I try to find cards that are humorous, because they best convey my personality, and because of the anticipated smiles on the faces of the people I care about.
Internet technology now enables on-line card stores to offer selections of customizable printed greeting cards for virtually any niche or profession. Hundreds of images may be browsed with a few mouse clicks according to occasion or by profession. Within the card you write your own personalized message your choice of fonts and colors. Some online vendors may also allow you to upload a photograph, logo and/or signature. Another useful option is the choice of having the cards mailed to you for addressing, or sent directly to the recipients.
Your referral sources and clients will appreciate the personal touch, the effort that you put in to find that card that speaks directly to them in particular. And I strongly urge you to consider a funny (but tasteful) card. Nothing resonates with people like recognizing the humor in their working lives, and nothing is more sincere than sharing a laugh. Stand out from your competitors, evoke that all-important good feeling: your clients and referral sources will remember you, and they will look forward to doing business with you.
Mark Solomon is a partner in The Billable Hour Company, which sells humorous gifts and greeting cards especially for lawyers, law students and legal professionals. The Billable Hour Card Store carries over 150 cover images appropriate for a variety of holidays and occasions. The company’s website is at www.TheBillableHour.com.
Thx for psoting this and reminding us that often times, the best form of new business is right in front of us — our current clients and customers!
Thx for psoting this and reminding us that often times, the best form of new business is right in front of us — our current clients and customers!
This comment is my thanks for your hard work. Very interesting site!
This comment is my thanks for your hard work. Very interesting site!