Sometimes you need a little break to realize you were missed

Summer Days are gone too soon, and fall is approaching rapidly. This is the time of year for backpacks, candy corn, homework assignments, and pumpkin spice lattes, but did you know it is also a good time to reach out to your most favorite customers? Did you know that a good contact schedule can keep you visible, favorable, and even missed by your customers? Many of us take some vacation time in the summer. Did you ever think that it might be a good idea to give them space?
Like any relationship, you need to learn how to honor the way your customers want to be reached. Fall is a good season to begin to reconnect with your relationships, both business and personal. Setting a good reach strategy could be the difference between your success and failure in business.  Here is the rule of 4: When touching your contacts, use these initiatives and track them:

• Have I emailed them?
• Do I show up in their Social Media Feeds?
• Have I showed up at the end of their dial tone?
• Have I sent them a card?

In the fall, I always start with a card! Something along the lines of, "Hope you had an awesome summer and I am looking forward to connecting with you soon" Use your #CRM to manage the ways they have been touched, how frequently, and keep it consistent. Come up with a variety of ways to stand out, be different, and create meaningful impressions. Spice it up! Analyze your Big Data and create Loyal Relationships with your customers and your prospects. Take breaks, and then meet back up again. This is a real relationship, so let it look like one. Build your relationships like an ant farm, one small treasure at a time that creates a great big long lasting history that means more to each of you than any thing else. This is the way to success and it takes time. That's your greatest investment.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Tried & True...

We've all heard it said that if something's not broke, don't fix it.  This works fine, I suppose, if you are a repairman. If you are the creative type, you realize that this could be quite boring and ritualistic to your marketing, and before long you will get lost in monotony.  So what's the solution?  A little bit of new and a little bit of familiar married together!  By this, I am referring to Card Marketing!

Who doesn't love to get a card! WE all enjoy this from time to time. We send cards for occasions to the people we care most about.  Why not incorporate this into your marketing blueprint!  Reach out and touch someone!  By integrating commonly accepted and classic marketing methods that work into new media marketing and Social Media Marketing, you have a well diversified marketing plan, and you certainly won't saturate your audience with the same old thing...

Hyrum W. Smith, a world class public speaker talks about four basics needs that feed all of our activities in life. They are to love or be loved, to live, to feel important, and last but not least: Variety!  Variety, being a need and all, should be a motivator for a balanced approach to reaching your audience! Let them be touched in a familiar way... Incorporate something old, something new, something borrowed, and something tried and true to make your marketing consistent, effective, and steadfast for years to come...

Here are my TOP 3 favorite tools that let you use card marketing in a new media environment...
1. My first and favorite is: Send Out Cards!  This program even let's you record your own signature and handwriting font! You can upload pictures, create QR codes, and they stamp and mail it for you! You can even send gift cards and home baked goods like brownies! Amazing and Personal
2. Bluebird Cards - Very similar to Send Out Cards, but less features! Same idea as above, but the personalized touches are limited.  The real draw here is the pricing is very reasonable compared to other options.
3. Snapfish - If you don't mind mailing and stamping, Snapfish is a great way to send a personalized greeting card.  A little bit goes a long way!

Cards can be a powerful tool in your marketing.  Don't neglect the power they have to increase revenue and favorability.  This can be the difference between being a cut above your competition!