The Power of PERSONAL
In a technologically advanced world, are hand-written notes dead?
Is a personal note worth the time investment?
You are sitting at your computer with six business cards collected from today’s chamber luncheon. You open your generic "Nice to meet you" email template and add one custom sentence at the beginning... "Wasn’t today's luncheon speaker interesting?" The email template was written over eleven months ago and describes your company, your unique proposition and a call to action. In five minutes, you can have all your follow up emails sent out. Quick, efficient, effective…well maybe not effective.
Personal Communications
Few acts are more powerful at building deep connections with prospects and clients than a handwritten note which is inherently personal. As technology creates more opportunities to connect, the value and uniqueness of putting pen to paper will increase, not decrease. A handwritten note requires your personal time, your most valuable asset. Somebody had to put a stamp on it. That’s a human touch that email can not match.
When To Invest in the Power of PERSONAL
You know the rule...80% of your business comes from 20% of your clients. Use personal communications with your Top 20% clients. Depending on your business, the Top 20% may be too many so adjust downward to connect personally with your Top 5%. I’ve used handwritten cards to build my network for over a decade with both prospects, clients and friends. Be selective about when you use them, but USE THEM. They are powerful.
Free Follow Up Card Template
Hot Marketing Tips subscribers can download my Teakwood Marketing follow up card and use it as a template to create your own follow up card. Just click here to get it. Send the card in a good quality envelope. I print both the cards and the envelopes on my office inkjet printer and they look great. For high volume needs, contact your printer.
Power of PERSONAL + Technology
There is definitely a place for combining the power of PERSONAL with technology. When using LinkedIn to connect with long ago acquaintances, be sure to add a personal message instead of the generic invitation. Your response rate will improve. Leverage social media connections with personal messages to celebrate birthdays and anniversaries, to deliver Thank You's and to personally announce invitations and events.
SendOutCards.com
An online service that will import your handwriting and logo, and allow you to write a unique message on a good quality greeting card. They take care of printing, stuffing and postage. This service can be automated to respond to new purchases, birthdays, etc. Be aware that the mailing address on the card will be from Utah.
Think Ink Marketing.com
This service will hand address (in blue ink) a high volume number of envelopes. While the message inside may not be personal, the hand addressing on the outside of the envelope increases the open rate.
