1. Sign It! Even if you order cards with pre-printed messages inside, make sure they are signed. If you have the time, sign them by hand, I know you are saying you don’t have the time. So have an office card mailing party, and divide the cards up among all the employees … they’ll be done in no time.
2. Stamp It! Don’t use your office postage meter.  That may seem time consuming, but do use actual stamps, and if you’re sending oversize cards, make sure you’ve put enough postage on them!

3. Address It! Some companies do envelopes with labels/printed addresses, while others direct print the address on the envelope (more personal). Either way, make sure it is accurate and complete for proper delivery.
4. Seal It! Make sure your envelopes are all sealed properly. Of course, licking every envelope in your entire mailing might be a bit much to ask of any employee, so make sure to stock up on envelope moistening bottles from the local office supply store before your mailing party.
5. Return Address It! Another seemingly obvious one, but surprisingly often forgotten … and very easy to prevent: Order business envelopes with your company address pre-printed on each one.
6. Mail Them! Again seems like an obvious step, but many have forgotten them in the back seat.

If you have checked off all of these steps, your business card mailings are sure to be a success!

First look at what your time is worth, as that will be needed to start a program, and with some programs a lot of your time. Budgets are always a concern when selecting client contact programs, sometimes starting small with a hand written note would be in order.  If you are busy, and have a database that needs attention asap, then consider using an automated direct mailing service. How nice to be able to submit your database and be done for a complete year! When looking at programs here are a few things to consider:

1.  Is the mailing program billed all up front, or as your mailings go out
2.  Are you proofed before mailings go out
3.  Who takes care of your database management
4.  Can you get a hold of someone in customer service easily?  If you can’t at the beginning it         probably won’t get better as the year goes along
5.  What are the basic costs, and the add on fees

Now ask yourself………………Are you ready?  Are you set?   Go!!  Connect with Clients, and have a prosperous New Year!

A personal touch to say thank you........

To make sure you are not forgotten, and connecting to clients, keep your name and your company name visible. Start the new year networking like you never have before. Be seen. Go lunch where your customers do. Attend the meetings your customers attend. Join the trade organizations or groups they are into. Write articles for trade publications. The more your name is out there, the more successful you will become.

Stay connected and “seen” by mailing personalized greeting cards when appropriate. An unexpected Thinking of You Card or surprise Anniversary Card or thoughtful Thank you for your Business will do wonders to enhance your visibility and is sure to add a personal touch they’ll remember when an opportunity becomes available for you to step in and save the day. And when that happens, you’ll be glad you had those personal touches throughout the year.

Don’t feel you have the time to do this, there are companies out there that will do it for you. It will keep you connected to your clients, but not keep you from doing what you do best………servicing your clients.

It doesn’t take a marketing expert to know that the more times anyone sees  a marketing message, the more likely they are to notice it, and remember it.  Take for example, E-Trade ads that incorporate the familiar kids into different settings, or milk ads that picture different famous people sporting a milk moustache. Thanks to the consistency in the companies’ marketing efforts over a number of years, most people will instantly recognize the ads and the brands they represent.  You laughed at those kids didn’t you?

You don’t have to be a high roller to make the same concepts work for your company. Businesses of all sizes can benefit from the power of continuity. Whether you’re striving for  sales goals, employee or client loyalty, continuity programs designed to showcase you, and or your company can help achieve goals.

One of the most common types of continuity programs is one that shows client or employee appreciation by sending out related cards, and or gifts at certain intervals of time. The continual reminders of your company’s name and goodwill creates a positive impression with recipients.

But, it’s not as easy as it sounds. Developing an effective theme and selecting products that complement that theme are very important to making your program a success. And that’s where your promotional business manager comes in.

“The most effective programs are those that don’t replicate items or products in a row.”Carefully planned continuity programs can be used to influence all sorts of behaviors. Applying the concept to the workplace, companies can encourage employees to work at a high level and make their businesses more successful.

Some say that the client is number one, I feel your employee is number one.  When you have happy employees that feel part of a team, and valuable, and appreciated, then your clients will be happy.

Today’s shaky economy and unstable job market can leave many employees feeling anxious about their jobs. Budget cutbacks and fewer bonuses could cause top employees to start looking elsewhere. Did you know that employed people get hired 30% faster than unemployed.  You don’t want your employees looking elsewhere. While companies have no control over some of these factors, they can make employees feel more secure by showing their appreciation. The whole idea of an employee recognition program is to touch on the intangible, the non-monetary, the non-verbal area of what keeps employees happy and focusing on retention.  You’ve got to not only attract good people to your company, you have to get them trained and retain them. If you retain your good people, your overhead costs go down.

Continuity programs are key for the success of your business inside, and outside your company.  Do you have the key?

Putting that issue aside, now is a good time to get started. Consumer confidence is starting to pick up and there are signs that the recent federal stimulus is helping the economy see a start of a recovery.

So what do you do if you don’t have that extra money in your budget, but it’s time to start new marketing efforts?  Here are a few low, and even a few no cost marketing tactics you can start right now.

Ramp up an existing marketing program with your existing marketing program you currently are using or have used in the past and take a fresh look at it. Think out of the box about what you could do if you spent just 10% more on that program: not just more ads or direct mail pieces, but some new edge, offer, or special promotion. Consider utilizing a paper-bag like insert into the Sunday papers. Sure, the cost is more than their typical Sunday newspaper flyer – but it stands out as a fun, and creative piece.

Next take control of your online presence This may or may not be your idea of marketing, but more and more conversations and interactions with your company are happening online – and they’re not all going to be on your web site, if you have one. They may start with a blog, or a response you make to others promos

Stake claim to your local listing on Google, Bing, MSN, Yahoo, and other major search engines. The idea is to make sure you’re in control of what the search engines are saying is the truth about your business. If your business is covered by industry review sites like for instance a travel agency may be covered by Yelp, TripAdvisor, or other consumer like sites, make sure you’re registered on those sites as well, so you can respond to any potentially damaging review.

Another idea is to pick a, trade show, newspaper ad, mail piece , and or an online campaign – any single marketing activity – and come up with a creative way to spruce it up, make it stand out, making it your own.

If there are no sites that exist for your business, you will want to look for professional forums, associations, and other online hangouts where your customers are talking to each other. You may not be familiar with these places yourself, but they are out there, if you’re not at least paying some attention to them, you are missing out on a chance to build relationships.

Hope this information has helped you think a little more outside the box when it comes to marketing. And I will give you more ideas next time!

To celebrate our success in helping companies with their client follow-up, client retention, and or holiday card orders you are always expected to have great savings.  Well I didn’t want to disappoint anyone so let me tell you about our celebration savings to everyone out there in the business world.

Become a client of ours at our website  Client Connector this week ( July 27-31, 2009 ), and you will receive a 50% discount on your initial setup. Additionally when you refer someone to us that becomes a client, you will not only receive a credit of $20 on your account, you will also receive 5 birthday card mailings for FREE!

We have over 150 high quality business greeting cards to choose from to have mailed out to your clients, business associates, and or your employees.  When was the last time you went to your mailbox and saw a colored envelope and felt special because someone had mailed you a card?  We help you make others feel special, by saying thank you for their business, or great job they have done for your company, or birthday wishes. Client Connector does all the work for you, we remember when they are to be mailed, and who they are going to.  Don’t miss that chance to show others that you work with how important they are to the success of your business.

Shortly all of us will be gearing up for the upcoming holiday season, and when we do, remember we also carry an upper end line of cards from Carlson Craft, and BirchCraft for your holiday needs.  Order them directly from us to mail out yourself, or utilize our full service mailing services.

Thank you to all of our current clients, and our new clients coming on board.  We truly appreciate you and value your business.  When we can help you or someone you know in building a solid quality relationship with clients, click on over to our site and see how ~Building your business is our business.

I just wanted I guess to send my condolences to his family, Michael led a life in later years that I can not and will not condone in anyway, but that doesn’t take the pain from the family he leaves behind.  He was their brother, Uncle, son, and they now have a loss in their hearts.  He gave me good memories from my childhood, and for that I will say thank you Michael.  He does have a place in music history, and he will live on in that.  To his family I know your pain, and I wish you comfort and peace during this time of grief.

You might have a direct mailer made for you with a bonus included from another company such as:  A dentist mailing out a birthday card to their clients with a coupon for a free flower at a local flower shop.  This is a great marketing bundle as the dentist is making the patient feel special by having a birthday card mailed, and the flower shop just got a possible new customer coming through their door with the coupon.  Have the partnering company pay a percentage of the cost of the mailing, as it is advertising for them also.  Massage Therapist can be a stress reliever for those that find going to a dentist, and or attorney a stressful visit.

Recently I met with a company that does senior respite care, and suggested they could market travel agencies. There are many baby boomers out there that want to and do take care of their parents, but need a break, or have to travel for work.  Senior care for those times are so important, as you want to know your loved ones are taken care of when you want and or need to be away.  One of their clients actually schedules a break from their aging parent that lives with them.  So the senior care company could partner with a hotel to give a discount to the caregiver that needs the break.

Partnering up for your marketing can help your marketing budget bottom line, and build possibly two businesses at once.  Who do you know that you could partner up with?  You might be surprised at who you could partner with that is needing the same as you, but just hadn’t thought about the opportunities available.

I am getting a feel for all of them still, as I just started my addiction this past weekend. Thank goodness for dvr’s, so I’ve set it to record all of them so I can catch up.  The one housewife that stands out to me, that I feel I would be good friends with is Caroline Manzo, she just seems like a true person, down to earth ( well as close as you can get with all the marble under their feet ).  I just find her closer to what my friends are like, and if I get out to New Jersey some time, I will definitely go to The Brownstone to check the family out.  She does seem to do too much for her kids at times, but it’s all good, they seem “normal”.  The show has made me want to meet an Italian for dating, as they are family oriented, and show it.

Maybe near the holiday time they will be needing to order their Christmas cards, and think of my company. I would personally fly out there to meet with those ladies if they were placing orders.  I think it would be a hoot to hang out for a couple of days with them!  I wonder if I would be considered an “adopted friend” from the midwest. lol

When I was thinking about writing on my blog today, I had all these ideas about marketing, and networking, etc. to talk about, but then…. I was watching a saved Nightline episode and they were talking about these ladies, and…………… well you know what happened then.  Yep I got all caught up again! lol

So ladies if you need my company mailing services for your holiday cards, invitations, etc. I will be happy to fly out, and be an adopted New Jersey friend.

Keep up the good work!

It’s important to consider your energy, are you using it to grow a business, a new idea, or maybe to discourage growth, or happiness.  I know most people reading this would say of course I use positive energy, why would I not?  You may not realize which one you are using and how it maybe affecting your business.

Marketing is key today, how you project a story, internalize it, and also promote it. Think about the following, when you are at a social networking event, and you are asked how business is going, what is your response?  Is it a positive one, ” business is great, we are looking to continue moving forward”, or do you chime in with so many out and say, ” well right now business is really down, and we hope to make it through”.  You become what you think about, if you have a less than positive attitude, that’s what your business will have, less work, less clients, less motivation, less of everything.

Be sure when you are putting a plan together whether it is for a day or for a project, that you fill it with positive thoughts. We’ve all heard it and it’s true, negativity feeds negativity.  Well……..it also works the other way, Positivity feeds Positivity!!  Go with it, grow with it, make it happen!

Don’t listen to the media, as they can be your enemy, it all depends on which side of the bed they may have gotten up on.  Take the bank failings, if this had been covered with a more neutral approach, then less banks, local authorities, businesses and home owners would have suffered. Fewer jobs would have been lost as less panic and knee jerk reactions would have occured.  All of which were perfectly acceptable the day before.

Just as we see it in the media, and how it affects reactions, so do your energy, “attitude”, positive and or negative can affect your business. If your company, business, or position needs a shot in the arm it starts with you, and what you bring forward.  I believe that what we listen to throughout our day is important, I get so much from audio cd’s, as I can have them playing in the background throughout my work day.  Earl Nightengale said it best, “we become what we think about”. If you have not listened to his audio, ” Lead The Field” get it, and listen to it over and over again.  Itunes, have a large library of free audio messages that you can download and play often. Your positive energy will build, and when you build this,…………you will build your business!