Give Customers the Gift of Trust

The man who will use his skill

and constructive imagination
to see how much he can give for a dollar,
instead of how little he can give for a dollar,
is bound to succeed. – Henry Ford

Customers today can go to any retail outlet to get the goods and services they require. However, many customers choose to go to your business instead, even though it is not as large and famous as many big businesses. Trust is the difference that can boost your sales and quality of customer service.

How does a small business owner build trust among customers? By being completely warm, honest, and giving which each interaction with the customer. Whether your customers are looking for information before making a sale, or are ready to purchase today, you can boost their confidence and trust in your business by giving them every reason to trust you. Customers can be wary of big businesses, as they seem cold and distant. Your warm personality and personal interaction with your business can bring customers flocking to your shop, bringing their friends and enjoying their time spent with you.

There are other ways to build trust too. You can send a card to every customer who enters your shop, to thank them for their business and encourage them to return. You could also include a coupon or a special offer in the card, so they can trust that you sincerely want their business. This kind of personal greeting is something that instills trust far better than a generic flyer that big businesses send to everyone on their mailing lists. Your personal thank you can go a long way in building trust, and customers will see you and your business as a genuinely caring place to shop.

Your commitment to building trust and customer service is only limited to your imagination. Every effort in building quality customer service will be rewarded, with happier, more loyal customers, who trust that your business is committed to standing by its word, no matter what.

Send a Free Card
Click Here

Why Send a St. Patrick’s Card? I’m not Irish

You may not be Irish, or even celebrate St. Patrick’s day yourself, but each holiday presents a unique opportunity to contact your customers in a special way.


Here are some ideas for sending a St. Patrick’s Day Card to your customers:

1) Announcing a special sale on “green tagged” items.
2) Announcing a special discount for everyone wearing green (ir even Orange) into the store on St. Patrick’s day.
3) Entitling the bearer of “The Card” to a special discount on St. Patrick’s day.
4) Announcing a special discount to anyone who’s name begins with O’.

The real goal is to have contact with your customers; letting them know you appreciate them and you are willing to do something extra to show your appreciation.

Click here to send a
FREE CARD

Economic Downturn Increases Virtual Interest

Busiants offers a service that I believe is very timely.
The first time I posted this, their web hosting service
washaving problems so their site was not available.
Therefore, I decided to re-post this Press Release.

Services of Idaho virtual assistant company,
Busiants Business Assistants,
meet a growing local demand
for economic business solutions.

Boise, Idaho-February 16, 2009- Staff reduction is a growing trend in American companies faced with the effects of present downturn markets, and attention is beginning to focus on the virtual assistant in efforts to increase profit margins. Smaller business owners and CEO’s alike are avoiding the high costs of in-house employees and are consulting with hourly, need-based virtual workers to do everything from basic administrative tasks to detailed bookkeeping.

In the Boise Metro area, sights have been focused on Busiants Business Assistants as one such virtual assistant provider. Started in 2008, by Ramona Tullis, Busiants has been meeting the increasing demand by the local business community with the variety of services that their assistants provide. When asked about Busiants’ services, Ms. Tullis replies,” Our trained assistants help business owners with whatever they need help with, any business task they don’t really want (or have time) to do themselves.” Ms. Tullis adds,” Our goal is to help businesses make it through the recession, by offering affordable options that refocus the owner’s attention back to increasing their client base, and in the meantime we create business relationships that will continue after the economy stabilizes.”

As Businesses analyze specialized projects in which they need assistance for short or sporadic time periods, and question the current advantages of hiring employees, virtual assistants become an acceptable, preferred alternative. Busiants virtual assistants’ professionalism, affordability, and practicality is being praised and relayed at many of the small business networking meetings around the Treasure Valley.

Busiants Business Assistants is a Boise, Idaho, company offering virtual assistant services for small to medium businesses owners. Some of Busiants services include: Administrative, Clerical, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Website Design/ Maintenance, Courier Service, and Catering. More information about their services can be found on their website www.busiants.com.

# # #

For more information about Busiants Business Assistants or to schedule an interview with Ramona Tullis, Please call 208/870-3105, visit the Busiants website at www.busiants.com, or email directly at Ramona@busiants.com

12 Ways to Thank Your Customers - Client Appreciation Strategies You Can Use Year-Round

This is a Great Article that emphasizes
what this blog is all about!

12 Ways to Thank Your Customers - Client Appreciation Strategies You Can Use Year-Round
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Chandler]Stephanie Chandler

One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is investing the majority of marketing efforts in attracting new customers and forgetting about past customers. Your current and past clients are the foundation of your business because without them, your business would not exist. It also costs far more to acquire a new client than it costs to generate business from an existing client.

Showing appreciation for your clients can set you apart from your competitors, increase loyalty, improve retention, inspire sales and even build relationships that last a lifetime. Reaching out to your clients is also an opportunity to remind them that your business exists. Effective marketing relies on repeat exposure and showing appreciation is an affordable and effective way to keep your marketing wheels in motion.

One note of caution: some companies and industries have strict guidelines about accepting gifts. This is especially true of media professionals and government workers. Gifts can be construed as bribes so when in doubt, ask your clients if such policies exist or stick to sending items with no monetary value.

Following are client appreciation strategies that can help you cultivate client retention.

1. Greeting Cards

The Guinness Book of World Records lists Joe Girard, a car salesman from Detroit, as the world's best salesman. Girard earned the honor by selling 18 cars in a single day. One of his secrets to success is sending 12 cards per year to every single customer and prospect. There are dozens of major and minor holidays throughout the year and each provides a great reason to send a card.

2. Personal Notes

Thoughtful and unexpected thank you notes can be sent after client appointments, following a purchase or whenever a client has done anything deserving some appreciation. While sending an e-mail may be quick and easy, you will make a better impression by sending a note in the mail.

3. Invitations

Though it is important to recognize all of your clients, it is just as important to pay extra attention to your top clients. Spending time together outside of the office gives you a chance to cultivate the relationship by getting to know each other better (in the sales world, this is called "face time"). Consider inviting your top contacts to lunch, dinner, sporting events, charity functions or other events where you can spend time together.

4. Small Gifts

Flowers, books, a mug full of candy and other token items can make thoughtful gifts for clients. These can be sent on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays or anniversaries, or can be sent for no reason other than to show your gratitude.

5. Food

Everyone loves food. Consider sending cupcakes from your local bakery, providing a catered lunch at your client's office or dropping off a tray of cookies.

6. Gift Cards

Sending gift cards for items or places your clients will enjoy can have an added benefit: they will think of you when it comes time to redeem the gift! Options include coffee shops, restaurants, movies, bookstores, office supplies or anything else your clients would appreciate. For even more mileage, consider partnering with another business and send each other's gift cards.

7. Referral Rewards

The highest compliment you can receive is a referral to your business. This gesture deserves recognition in the form of a thank you note, discount on services or small gift card. Always acknowledge when a customer sends business your way.

8. Reverse Referrals

If your clients are business owners, look for ways to refer business to them. This is an unexpected gesture that is sure to set you apart.

9. Customer Appreciation Days

Designate one or more days each year to celebrate your clients. You could offer a customer-only secret promotional sale, give away lunch if you have a physical location or provide a special bonus to those on your mailing list.

10. The Gift of Information

Ebooks, reports, workbooks, videos and other types of information products can make great gifts. For example, compile a list of useful tips that your customers will appreciate and either deliver it via e-mail in a PDF document or publish it in booklet format to mail or hand out.

11. Host Events

Host a party or an open house at your office or a restaurant. If your clients are geographically dispersed, you can hold a virtual event by inviting them to participate in complimentary online seminars.

12. Life Events

If you know that your client is getting married, having a baby, being promoted or enjoying another major life event, send an acknowledgement--even if it is a simple card. Your gesture will not be forgotten.

Stephanie Chandler is the author of several business and marketing books including FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. Discover hundreds of resources for entrepreneurs at http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com

For author and speaker details visit http://www.StephanieChandler.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Chandler http://EzineArticles.com/?12-Ways-to-Thank-Your-Customers---Client-Appreciation-Strategies-You-Can-Use-Year-Round&id=1700218

It's Easy to Send Cards to your Customers
Just Click Here to Send a Free Card!!

Economic Downturn Increases Virtual Interest

I received this press release
from Busiants founder Ramona Tullis
and felt it was such a timely service
that it needed to be published in this blog.

Services of Idaho virtual assistant company,
Busiants Business Assistants,

meet a growing local demand for economic business solutions.

Boise, Idaho-February 16, 2009- Staff reduction is a growing trend in American companies faced with the effects of present downturn markets, and attention is beginning to focus on the virtual assistant in efforts to increase profit margins. Smaller business owners and CEO’s alike are avoiding the high costs of in-house employees and are consulting with hourly, need-based virtual workers to do everything from basic administrative tasks to detailed bookkeeping.

In the Boise Metro area, sights have been focused on Busiants Business Assistants as one such virtual assistant provider. Started in 2008, by Ramona Tullis, Busiants has been meeting the increasing demand by the local business community with the variety of services that their assistants provide. When asked about Busiants’ services, Ms. Tullis replies,” Our trained assistants help business owners with whatever they need help with, any business task they don’t really want (or have time) to do themselves.” Ms. Tullis adds,” Our goal is to help businesses make it through the recession, by offering affordable options that refocus the owner’s attention back to increasing their client base, and in the meantime we create business relationships that will continue after the economy stabilizes.”

As Businesses analyze specialized projects in which they need assistance for short or sporadic time periods, and question the current advantages of hiring employees, virtual assistants become an acceptable, preferred alternative. Busiants virtual assistants’ professionalism, affordability, and practicality is being praised and relayed at many of the small business networking meetings around the Treasure Valley.

Busiants Business Assistants is a Boise, Idaho, company offering virtual assistant services for small to medium businesses owners. Some of Busiants services include: Administrative, Clerical, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Website Design/ Maintenance, Courier Service, and Catering. More information about their services can be found on their website www.busiants.com.

# # #

For more information about Busiants Business Assistants or to schedule an interview with Ramona Tullis, Please call 208/870-3105, visit the Busiants website at www.busiants.com, or email directly at Ramona@busiants.com

Customer Service Possibilities in a Slow Economy

"When you make room for the possibility, the possibilities are endless."
- Linda V. Riggs

Many business owners are looking at the economy with a negative viewpoint. There are many companies cutting costs, laying off employees, and doing everything they believe is possible to minimize the financial damage that they are certain is heading their way.
Yet even in the darkest of times, having a negative mindset can scare customers away, and actually increase the amount of damage the economy can do. For example, if your business switches to lower quality products in an effort to save money, your customers will feel cheated and unappreciated.

In this economic climate, many business owners shy away from adding additional products and services to increase the quality of their customer service. They do not know where the additional money would come from to justify these added costs. The key to boosting business in a slow economy is to consider all of the possibilities that can keep new and existing customers flocking to your business.

Make a list of all of the things your business could do to improve the quality of your service. Note the cost in the margin, but don't let that number dissuade you from doing what is necessary to thrive. Some examples could be to send out cards as a personal form of advertisement, add additional services to your existing product, or offer to help answer questions at any point during or after a sale.

Some of your choices will be free to implement, while others may be relatively inexpensive. However, any step that you take to improve the quality of your customer service will be invaluable, and can result in increased sales and customer loyalty.

If you are still nervous, start with the smaller steps and build up to more extravagant techniques. Just do not rule anything out because it has not been done before. When you are open to all of the positive benefits that increased customer service can bring you, your business is sure to succeed.

This guest post was written by Kimberlee Ferrell of Freedom
Writing http://freedomwriting.com

Customer Service or Customer Helping?

“Biggest question: Isn’t it really ‘customer helping’ rather than customer service? And wouldn’t you deliver better service if you thought of it that way?” – Jeffery Gitomer

A business’ primary goal should not simply be to sell products. It should be to help customers. If your product or service does not help customers in some capacity, you will find success much harder to come by. Customers have needs to be met, and your job is to meet their needs quickly and with compassion.

There are many ways to help your customers. When they visit your business for the first time, welcome them warmly. Offer to help them find what they are looking for. Answer their questions knowledgably, with consideration for their specific situation. If they only truly need your basic service, selling your premium service with extra features that don’t meet their needs will make them feel pressured and misunderstood.

You can help your customers in other ways as well. Make sure your business is easily accessible to all of your customers, no matter what their physical abilities may be. Help them reach products on high shelves, and carry heavy products to their cars if necessary. Make complicated products and services easy to understand. If your business offers various products with different features, explain them easily to your customers, so they can choose the right one for their situation.

After the sale, send your customers a warm thank you card for their business with you. Let them know that you are still available to help them with their purchase. Offer to help with the correct use of their product, and also let them know if you have a money back guarantee on their purchase, to help them if they change their minds.

If you strive to help your customers at each level of the sales purchase, they will feel comfortable and welcomed at your business. The word of mouth your business will receive will be worth the extra efforts you put forth to help your customers.

This guest post was written by Kimberlee Ferrell of Freedom
Writing http://freedomwriting.com

Greeting Cards to Help You Identify With Your Customers

There is far more involved in the relationship with customers than just providing good products and services. It is a question of personal identification. - Mark Moody-Stuart

Large corporations have a hard time identifying with their customers. Customers see such a large organization, and associate it with bureaucracy and red tape. They don’t have a personal connection with these businesses, and therefore have little brand loyalty when a better deal catches their eye.

Small businesses have greater opportunities to make these personal connections with their customers. While larger businesses have to focus on board meetings and shareholders, small business owners can set their goals to their customers’ advantage.
For example, a large business may sell their product cheaply, and be making just a few cents of profit per item sold. There is no wiggle room for added services to meet the customers’ needs, without raising prices. They depend on selling large amounts of their product to reach their goals.

Small business owners may not have thousands of chain stores across the globe to sell thousands of their products daily. They do, however, have the ability to identify with their customers in a positive, caring way through one-on-one interactions. Customers will be able to identify with you personally, because you are one of them, growing your business in their community.
You can take the time to get to know them as individuals. You know the local community, and can celebrate in their successes, and help them through the rough patches. You can send out greeting cards when there is a new baby in the family, or when their daughter graduates high school. All of these are unique ways to identify with your customers that larger businesses have difficulty in reproducing.

When you take the time to identify with your customers, your business becomes more than the bottom line. It forms a unique bond with you and your customers. You become an integral part of your community, more important than any bargain basement department store. You have earned your spot in your customers’ hearts, and that can make all the difference as you watch your business flourish.

Valentine Cards for Your Customers

Valentine’s Day presents the business owner with a unique opportunity
to communicate with customers in a novel way. – Homer Smith

We have been writing about using cards to show customer appreciation and to build customer loyalty, so how about Valentine’s Day?

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas.

Valentine’s day presents you with another opportunity to communicate with your customers with a custom card that says you appreciate them.

Sending a Valentine, either custom valentine or one “off the shelf”, tells your customers that you value them as individuals and think of them a “people”, not just “dollar signs”.

You could send a Valentine that just lets your customers know you appreciate them, or you could include a special promotion limited to your “special valentine” customers.

Click Here to Send a FREE Valentine

Invite Customers to Your Party by Sending Cards

We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It's our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better. – Jeff Bezos

Many times, you expect our customers to come to your business, without ever asking them. You set up shop, put out a few ads, and sit back waiting for customers. Often, customers won’t even think of you, unless you make the extra effort to ask for their business.

Invite customers to your party, and treat them as welcomed guests. Send out grand opening greeting cards to people within your community, as well as to all of your friends and associates. If you are unsure of whom to send cards to, pick out a few organizations within your community who may be interested in what your business has to offer.

Once you have invited customers to your business, do everything within your power to ensure they have a good experience. Welcome them as they come through the door, and strike up genuine conversation. Strive to learn as much about them as possible. The more you engage your customer, and show sincere interest in their lives, the better they will feel about their experience.

After you have made the party as wonderful as possible for your customer, invite them back again with a card to thank them for their business. Ask for their swift return, and they will respond. If your business holds a great party, in tune with the customer’s needs, you will find success around every corner.

The Service is in the Details

It is not enough
to give the customer excellent service.
You must subtly make him aware
of the great service he is getting.
– Anonymous

Customers naturally have high expectations for the level of service a business should provide. When a business fails to provide good customer service, your customers will notice immediately. However, when a business provides excellent service, customers have a tendency to take it for granted.

When you only meet their expectations, your business will not stand out. It takes special touches to place your business as number one in a customer’s mind. In a competitive marketplace, your customer could go anywhere to meet their needs. Your responsibility is to stand out, and provide over the top customer service.

The best way to improve the quality of your customer service is in the details. The small things are what stand out the most to your customers. Every time you can reach out to them, as one human being to another, your business will shine as the only place that they want to go.

Ask your customers about their day. Take a genuine interest in what matters most to them. Learn about the events going on in their lives, and send them a card to let them know that you were listening, and that you care. Each moment that you spend on highlighting their lives will improve the quality of your service and your business.

Customers do not expect the little touches when they shop at your business. When they receive them, they are thoroughly impressed, and will be sure to tell their friends. Brighten up your customer’s day with a thoughtful card, and watch as your business grows.

It Takes a Community to Build a Business

If you have a good relationship with your customer, the business process flows that much more smoothly. - Richard Pratt

Many business owners begin as sole proprietors. They work long hours, handling every detail of their business. They quickly become overwhelmed, as the weight of providing the best possible service increases on a daily basis.
What these business owners fail to realize is that even if they are their only employee, the business cannot succeed in a vacuum. Your friends, associates, and customers will all play an important part in your success. The more connections you make with these people, the more your business will grow.
One way to make these connections is by sending out cards to everyone in your address book. These cards can celebrate your grand opening, and invite everyone to explore your new business venture. When your business is just beginning, seeing friendly faces that you have known for years will make the process that much smoother.
You need not limit yourself to your own celebrations. Communities have their own special occasions where cards may be appropriate. Fairs, graduations, and back-to-school time are all ideal times to send your congratulatory cards. The successes of the community can become your successes, when you show your customers that you care about what is going on in their lives.
Even if you are unsure of which people celebrate which occasions, you can still send them a card. For example, when it is graduation time, send a card to thank everyone for their support of the local school system. This way, your customers understand that you care about them, and that you are an active part of your community.
Building these kinds of relationships will greatly improve your business. Customers will remember your involvement in their lives for years to come.

Giving Builds Customer Loyalty

The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed. – Henry Ford

Customers often need more than what you would first expect. They are looking for products, services, and information to fulfill their needs. However, they often do not know what their needs are, until a helpful business owner leads them down the right path.
When running your business, you have to give of yourself, in all aspects of your business. You may be selling greeting cards for a living, and you might suppose that your customers only need greeting cards when they walk into your store. You would be surprised at how often this is not the case.
Your customer may only think they need a greeting card, yet they don’t know the proper greeting card for the occasion. As a business owner, you can give of your knowledge by asking them the right questions, and giving of your knowledge and expertise to help them choose the right product. If you do not make the additional effort, your customers may become frustrated and leave without making a purchase. Your lack of giving made the buying experience unpleasant for your customer and your business.
In addition, your customers may need a sympathetic ear to listen to their situation. Perhaps they are having a rough time at home, and have no one else to talk to. Even if the topic is completely unrelated to your business, giving of your time and resources can make your customers feel welcome. They will feel comfortable doing business with you, because you give of yourself as a trusted friend would.
Consider sending out greeting cards to your customers, as a way to show that you genuinely care about them. Even if it is just a gentle reminder that you value their business, cards show that you are a giving person, who is willing to make their experience the best one it could possibly be. Your customers will not forget the extra effort that you put forth to give, and will be more than happy to return the favor in the future.

The Extra Step: Celebrate The Customer’s Successes

If you want to be creative in your company, your career, your life, all it takes is one easy step… the extra one. When you encounter a familiar plan, you just ask one question: What ELSE could we do? - Dale Dauten

Customers are not just looking for a business that can meet their needs. They are looking for a business that will exceed them. Customers want a warm, caring business that is not just a store, but a part of their family or their community.

One way to ensure that your business will become a treasured part of their life is by celebrating their successes. When life gives them reason to rejoice, a well-timed birthday card, anniversary card, or holiday card is one way to become a welcome friend with your customers.

There are other celebrations as well that business owners can consider. For example, when your customer makes their first purchase with you, you can send a welcome card to congratulate them on becoming a part of your business’ community. Be sure to make a note of this date as well, so you can send customer anniversary cards in the years to come.

When a customer has a problem with your service, you can quickly turn this around into a reason to celebrate. You can fix the problem to the customer’s satisfaction, and then send a card reminding them that you are available to answer any additional questions or concerns they might have. This shows that you really care about them, and are going above and beyond to give them excellent customer service.

Be creative when thinking of new ways to provide the best possible service to your customers. Surprise and delight them, and they will make you a part of their lives. A thoughtful card, sent in the mail, can set you apart from any other business the customer might choose to deal with.

Remind Customers That You Care

Here is a simple but powerful rule - always give people more than what they expect to get. - Nelson Boswell

Sales don’t stop when your customer walks out the door. Your customer may have come in looking for just one item to fulfill their needs on a busy afternoon. However, your job is to keep that customer coming back, time and time again.
Of course, you do everything you can while the customer is in your shop to make it a pleasant and valuable shopping experience for them. Yet a customer may never think of your shop again, unless you gently remind them of your existence.
There is nothing more personal than receiving a card in the mail for special occasions. As a customer, can you imagine getting a birthday card from the shop owner you bought some books from a few months ago? As a business owner, can you imagine any reason why you wouldn’t send these caring thoughts to your valued customers?
One consideration to keep in mind is to find a way to collect this information about your customers. If doing business doesn’t require you to collect their birthdates, then you will have to do a little more detective work.
Leave a notebook by the cash register. As you are ringing up your customers’ purchases, chat with them. Find out if there are any upcoming special occasions, such as birthdays or anniversaries. When they leave the store, write down their name, occasion, and date. If they don’t tell you the specific date, you can write down the general time frame that they give for their upcoming celebrations.
Once you have this information, you can send out the appropriate cards at the right times, to let them know that you and your business genuinely cares for them. This unexpected and heartfelt message will convince them to return to your business for all their future needs.

Public Relations 101

Public relations is an essential part of any successful business. A well thought out plan for public relations, when properly and consistently used, can be one of the most important parts of your company's marketing. Of course this assumes you already have a good product and hard working employees. Public Relations will determine how your company is thought of by the public.

All customers like to feel that they are, or will be, buying from a company that cares. A good public relations plan should let the consumer know that your company cares about people, the environment, and other important social issues. A good PR plan can also make the public aware that your company has or will have a new product, or that your company is expanding to offer new services that will make you more able to handle their needs as consumers.

Another important part of a public relations plan is damage control. If something, anything goes wrong and the customer feels that the problem was caused by one of your employee's actions or due to company policy, good PR can quickly correct it. Writing an apology or correction of the error along with stating the fact that new procedures are in place to prevent future problems can often save a companies reputation in their customers eyes.

What are the solutions?

Large companies can have their own public relations departments, made up of employees who are responsible for a wide variety of duties that enact their companies PR plan.
This works (sometimes) for large companies with big budgets for advertising and payroll. A good full time PR department is great if ever there are cases of an emergency that need to be dealt with right away.

If your company doesn’t have its own public relations department, you could enlist the help of a third party public relations firm to take care of that end of the business for you. This can also be more expensive than your small business can afford, even if it does bring good results.

A third and very simple option to take care of a large part of personalized public relations is to send frequent, timely, and personalized cards to your customers. This frequent, personal communication keeps your company in your customer’s mind; lets them know you care; and gives them good overall feelings about who you are as a company.

Good public relations is the recipe for success
while poor public relations can almost
guarantee failure.

Customer Appreciation - A Lost Art?

"65% of a company’s business comes from existing customers, and it costs five times as much to attract a new customer than to keep an existing one satisfied." - Gartner

If we begin with that premise, which has been stated by any number of researchers, it makes sense (dollars and cents) to retain customers.

What does it take to retain customers?
I would propose 2 simple steps to retain the majority of customers.
1) Provide excellent service. I'm switching web hosts because the service in my current provider has deteriorated and I've found a new company that gives excellent service and they are convenient.
2) Show them you care; that you appreciate them, not just as customers, but as individual people.

Now the first step is up to you and how you run your business.
1) Do you have a simple telephone tree that gets a customer to a real person easily?
2) Are your people trained to be courteous and helpful?
3) Do you have set customer service hours that are posted and/or stated on your voice mail?


The second step can be as easy as making a phone call to let your customer know you appreciate them.

The problems with a phone call are:
1) The time you call may not be convenient for your customer.
2) The customer my not like talking on the phone. My wife hates the telephone!
3) It can be extremely time consuming as your business grows.

So what is another option for showing your customers how much you appreciate them?

How about sending a friendly card?

Advantages of sending cards:
1) The card can be opened and read at the customers convenience.
2) A card is a physical object the customer can touch and keep as a constant reminder of your care.
3) Cards can be sent for a variety of occasions depending on your business. ie: customers' birthdays, family birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or just to say "Thank You".
4) Handled properly by your company, sending cards can be a very efficient way of showing appreciation.

Go to http://www.homerscards.com now so we can demonstrate how easy, convenient, and economical it is to send cards to your customers or potential customers, no matter how large that customer base is, or how large you want it to be.

The customer you don't show appreciation to today, could be your competitor's customer tomorrow.