Greeting Cards

Thank you cards are near a lost art. And that's too bad. And that's an opportunity for you.

The personal touch -- really personal -- is a lost art. With all the ways there are to reach people digitally, we opt more and more for that way. It's the easy way. And it just doesn't feel as personal. Oh, it can. A personal email is a personal email. But 'personal' is less and less.

And that is an opportunity for those of us who reach out and touch people in a way that few do any more.

Few of us send personal cards to friends and family, for any reason.

And even fewer businesses send a thank you card to a customer, for any purchase. It doesn't matter how large or how small. Thank you cards are just about non-existent.

Which is why, if you send them, you'll stand out. You'll be different. Customers will remember you. And that often translates into future business.

A jeweler who is a customer of mine told me some time ago about a customer who came in to buy something. It wasn't much. Maybe $300 or $400. That fellow said that he had bought a lot of stuff at another nearby jewelry store. But here he was, in this new jewelry store. And he bought his piece, and left.

This jeweler sent out a thank you card. It was the 'Momma said to always count my blessings.' A few weeks later, this customer back in. He said he really appreciated the card. He said he didn't get them from that other store. And he went on to spend about $9,000 on an anniversary gift.

What do you think? Would he come back in if he hadn't gotten that thank you card? I don't know. But I doubt it.

When was the last time YOU got a thank you card from a business?

Like you, I spend money at a lot of different businesses. Very, very few ever send a thank you card. And when they do, we notice. We remember. And it's not unusual for us to find a reason to go back to THAT store, instead of a competitor of that store.

Gratitude is a simple thing. A profound thing, really. When we thank someone, we touch them. And something happens in us, too. We stop for those moments when we're saying a few words inside that card. We remember when we're addressing it who this person is, and how much he or she means to us. After all, they put bread on our table, don't they? That's pretty big.

I think that people -- you; me; everyone -- craves, above all, to be appreciated. We crave recognition, from almost any corner. We get little of it, by and large. Most of us hunger for it. To feel important. To feel like we matter. And when someone makes us feel those ways, we are drawn to that person. And it doesn't matter if that person is friend, family, or a salesperson.

Now, no small matter is the message itself. The words. They can, and do, make a huge difference.

It's one thing to say to someone, 'Thanks for your patronage. We look forward to serving you again soon.'

Words like that mean little, if anything at all.

You take a card like 'Food on our table.' That says something. It's from the heart. And when we write from the heart, send words from the heart, people feel it. It makes all the difference in the world.

I have written a lot of different thank you cards. And there are anniversary and birthday and 'other' cards in there -- like for sending out coffee cards to customers (a very smart thing to do).

The reason for so many different cards? Well, there are many ways to say thank you. Some are fun and funny. Some are touching. Your personality might be one that likes the fun and funny ones. Or you might like the touching. Or ... it depends on the customer, doesn't it? It depends on the relationship you have with that man, woman, or couple. Some cards fit some people, and some situations. Other cards fit other people, other situations.

Rather than limit yourself to one cards, pick a few. Don't try to make one card fit everyone. It won't work. Not for you. Not for them.

Yes, it takes time to be personal, doesn't it? You bet it does. And it's one of the most valuable things you can do to help KEEP customers.

Remember we leave relationships -- all relationships, any relationship -- because of what we perceive as indifference. We think that that person, that place, doesn't really care about us. Upwards of 70% of people leave relationships -- including business -- because of that reason.

Does a neat thank you card -- maybe with a $5 coffee card in it -- make a difference? Well, put yourself in the shoes of the person receiving it. How would it make YOU feel? Sure. You'd be surprised. You'd think it was cool. It was neat. You'd think ... when was the last time THAT happened? Maybe you can't remember when.

I bought a car for $15,000 a few months ago. Guess what? No thank you card.

I bought a piece of jewelry for $1,200 a few months ago. I did get a thank you card. Guess where I'm going back next time I buy something? Yes, because of that thank you card. At least I got SOMETHING. We usually get nothing at all. And nothing at all is a sure formula for making it easy for people to shop elsewhere.

We're all looking for love. Even from the businesses where we spend money. Give 'em some love. It'll come back to you, in all kinds of ways, including more business.

The cards are 95 cents each, with envelope. Each card has a minimum of 50 to order.

If you order 500 or more total (you can combine as many cards as you want), the price is 85 cents. And if you order 1,000 or more, the price is 70 cents per cards.

Take a look through them. See how they make YOU feel. Order some. Send 'em out. See what happens. Just putting yourself in that place of stopping, and giving thanks -- in your heart and mind, and in a card that you send out to someone who puts bread on your table -- will change things for the better.

Of course, if you want to talk about any of this, or anything at all, I welcome your call any time.

Michael

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