The Power of Business “Thank You” Notes

Dale Carnagie said “You can make more friends in two months by becoming more interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get people interested in you”

Let me say that another way…The same is true of business as with friendship. You will earn more business by being interested in other peoples lives than you can by trying to get people interested in your product or service.

Sending Thank you cards is a very powerful marketing tool. I quickly Googled how many books had references to the sending of Thank you Cards to build business. Here’s a summary of what I found:

Here’s a quote from Make Million$ Selling Real Estate: Earning Secrets of Top Agents By Jim Remley

…when I do receive these cards or letters in the mail, they are something that I stop and read. Even when I am busy, tired or stressed out, I put what I’m doing aside and stop to read what someone took the time to write me in longhand. A Thank You card is special.

For this reason, by far the most powerful of any mailing program is a personalized handwritten note, and the most powerful handwritten note is a thank you card. Unfortunately the handwritten note is quickly becoming a lost art. Now that email has surpassed all other forms of communication for overall use, very few people take the time to actually write a note to someone the old fashioned way with paper and ink.

How long did you hang on to you last thank you card? I bet you still have it. Your clients are just like you. I don’t care how jaded we have become; when we receive a card in the mail we all carefully open and read it. Why? It’s human nature. We love to be treated as special, we love to be the center of attention, and we all love special recognition.

The author Jim Remley provides readers with the following list

Twelve Reasons to send a handwritten note to members of your Sphere of Influence

1. Follow up after a transaction
2. Thank them for their business
3. Thank them for a recent referral
4. Congragulate them on career achievements
5. Welcome them to new clubs or organizations
6. Invite them to an annual sphere of influence event
7. Follow up after a recent phone conversation
8. Send a note with a clipping containing interesting information
9. Wish them a happy holiday
10. Wish them a happy one year home anniversary
11. Follow up on a business achievement
12. Congratulate them on family events, such as new children

I use thank you cards in my business and I’ve discovered a wonderful way to make the “job” of writing and sending the note - less like a “job.” I shop, write and send from a website called Send Cards Get Business.

The selection at Send Cards Get Business is amazing! there are over 12,000 cards to choose from in hundreds of catagories…AND you can also create a completely customize your card by uploading your own photo or artwork.

It takes about 30 seconds to send a card - including a customized message. Send Cards Get Business will print, stamp and mail your card for you in ONE BUSINESS DAY!

But what about handwritten notes - oh that’s easy - you send the alphabet written in your own handwriting and they create a font from it. So everytime you go online to send a real printed greeting card the personal message is produced in the font of YOUR HANDWRITING!

I’m telling you this system allows you to touch so many more people - This year alone I have sent over 300 cards to business contacts, friends and loved ones.

My favorite way to use the card is to send a gift card to someone who has sent me a referral. Wnen I get a referral that does business with me I add a $5 Starbucks card. Whoa! I get some wonderful feedback and MORE referrals! I love it. Make me feel wonderful to know that just a small gesture showing my gratitude has such a profound impact on my customers. Yeah, can you believe that not only does this company print the cards with my handwriting, stamp and mail them - they will also insert a gift card or even a CHECK up to $50.

David Frey, of The Small Business Marketing Bible, created a wonderful video about using Send Cards Get Business to create a stream of Instant Referrals. Click on this link to watch.

It goes on SALE today!

Today is the day that Bob Burg and John David Mann release their book to the market. What book am I talking about?

Today is the release of The Go-Giver.

A few days ago I interviewed Bob Burg, co-author of the book The Go-Giver. What a book!  And what an enjoyable interview! The book is based upon the concept that “the true secret to success is giving.” The book is an easy to read parable and is very touching. I cried in a couple of sections as the story touched my heart.

This engaging parable addresses the belief system that most people have. The belief system that says there are two kinds of people - those that are rich or those that do good - and these two traits - being rich and doing good are rarely in the same person. Read The Go-Giver and discover how you can be both rich in money and rich in good deeds.

Over a five day work week, Pindar (the Chairman) shares with Joe (an ambitious young man, hungry for success) the following Laws of Stratospheric Success. Each law is illustrated poignantly in the parable of “The Go-Giver”

1. The Law of Value: Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.
2. The Law of Compensation: Your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.
3. The Law of Influence: Your influence is determined by how abundantly you place other people’s interest first.
4. The Law of Authenticity: The most valuable gift you have to offer is yourself.
5. The Law of Receptivity: The Key to effective giving is to stay open to receiving.

If you want to read a great book to kick of the theme for your own personal and business growth for the new year, I would recommend “The Go-Giver”. Order this book now.

Listen to the interview podcast today when you have a chance at www.GetMoreBusinessPodcast.com. Psst, I’ll tell you a little secret. Bob Burg revealed to me that the character Pindar was modeled after my business mentor, Bob Proctor (of the Secret). Read the book and tell me what you think.

Live from the Direct Sales Party Bookings Teleconference with Karen Phelps

Direct Selling Expert, Karen Phelps Specializes In: Industry; Leadership Skills, Image and Self-EsteemI was on the call the evening of December 12, 2007 - got the notes from the call. Very common sense information. It’s about treating your direct sales business like a business. First Karen starts of with the bigger goals such as What is the dollar amount you want to do in January What number of parties you have to have in order to earn that income? Set up dates that you’re willing to conduct parties and put the dates on your booking tree. Determine how you will keep your “store” open for January. Pre-Determine your Monthly offer and limit the information you share to a week so that your hostess doesn’t schedule at the end of the month - leaving the first of the month empty. Say “I know you’ve been wanting ________ from our catalog. I have a few dates in January left to take advantage of the January Double Hostess credit.” Guide your hostess to the date choices YOU want to have booked. Call hostesses that booked last January. Call prospective hostesses that said “Call me after the first of the year” Start call in NOW to book January. Keep a customer information card so follow up calls are easier because of familiarity. Call all of the “Maybe later” - The people that said call me later. Let them know you’ll be calling them at a later date when you need to fill in booking dates. They will expect that you will call them. Call previous hostess that promised they would rebook. If you send out invitations for your hostesses you have copies of their guest list so when you call hostesses to book a new party you can use the last list and just ask her for modifications. Prepare a script - know what you’re going to say. (Karen gave examples of the scripts she has used.) Offer a special bonus - “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to receive _______, in addition to the normal hostess gifts. I have a few bonus booking dates left. I wanted to be sure to call you because I knew you’d want to take advantage of the special bonus. The dates I have available are ________ or ___________. Which date works best for you?” Especially for parties during the first of the New Year - mail invitations for you hostess - make calls for the hostess - It’s too busy during the Christmas. Your hostesses might not get their invitations out if you don’t help them. Do a “Toast the New Year” bring sparkling grape drink Have “Nutty Buddy” parties - two hostesses have party at the same time. Less reschedules and cancellations. Start promoting Valentines Day right after Christmas! SECRET WEAPON  to have a phenomenal January - always run a special with a HUGE romance basket - knock your socks off stuff in basket. Minimum value $100 (not necessarily cost but must on value). Wine Glasses - Wine - gooooooood Chocolate - restaurant gift certificate, movie passes (think date nite), nice candles, bath suds, more gooooood chocolate (don’t limit the gifts in the basket to just your product) make the items stuff that your hostesses would be willing to work for. Start carrying and promoting The Romance Basket as soon as December is booked. Some way to give the basket would be to                    –highest dollar in sales                    –give hostess tickets for different things - returning list in 3 days - per $100 in sales -                        bookings - buying guests in attendance. There was a special bonus package of her best products and other gifts and bonuses using a special link in the call handouts. Go to the Karen Phelps website - www.karenphelps.com This call is available for recorded listening. After the first of the year we will have Karen on www.GetMoreBusinessPodcast.com as a guest. Be listening because her information has many years of experience behind every idea. She’s field tested all of it!

Direct Sales Stocking Stuffing - a Gift to Yourself - OPEN TONIGHT!

Pssst! Hey this is FREE - ZIP - NADA - NO CHARGE!

If you’re in network marketing, relationship marketing, mlm, party business - This is a call you don’t want to miss. It’s TONIGHT.

Read on…

Imagine entering January 2008 with a calendar full of enthusiastic hostesses who can’t wait to have their party with you!!! Imagine having the highest sales ever during the month of January!

Hey guys and gals! Tonight’s the night! Wednesday, December 12, 2007 9:00 p.m. EASTERN. FREE JUMP INTO JANUARY CALL!!!

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus! Her name is Karen Phelps and she’s agreed to share with everyone her secrets to having a FULL CALENDAR OF BOOKINGS and “off the chart sales” in January.

Free Jump Into January Teleseminar

Having a super start in January is the best thing you will ever do for your business!!! It is Super Easy to get Hostesses to book and have Super Parties in January! All you need is the right attitude and some simple strategies and you can have outrageous January sales!! We hope you decide to join us for this complimentary teleseminar.

What you will learn:

• How to entice Hostesses to host the first week of January
• What to say when you are calling for January bookings
• How to Hostess Coach for successful January parties
• Karen’s “secret weapon” for promoting huge January parties
• How to use Valentine’s Day specials to build January sales
• Plus many more fun and simple ideas…

The tips and ideas you will learn in this teleseminar could easily add hundreds if not thousands of dollars in income at the beginning of the year. Karen could easily sell this information for $50 per person but she is so concerned with EVERYONE having a great beginning in 2008 that she has decided to share this information at no charge. Lines are limited, so make sure you jump on 5 mins. early.

Jump Into January Teleseminar

This teleseminar will be held TONIGHT, Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 9:00 p.m. Eastern, 8:00 p.m. Central, 7:00 p.m. Mountain and 6:00 p.m. Pacific. There are a limited number of lines available and this call is always packed to capacity, so mark your calendars! Call In Number:               605-772-3500        Pin: 481899594# If you don’t know who Karen Phelps is check out her website at www.KarenPhelps.com - LOTS OF RESOURCES for direct sales. Karen will be a Guest on the Get more Business Podcast very soon. I’ll keep you posted on when. Keep reading and please email a few of your friends about subscribing to The Small Business Guru RSS Feed. If you are building a business or a direct sales organization this feed is a great source of positive mental attitude building and instruction for success.

The Five Laws of the Go-Giver

Bob Burg, will be on the Get More Business Podcast.

Bob Burg shares information on topics vital to the success of today’s business person. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous direct sales organizations.

Bob has shared the platform with legends such as Zig Ziglar, Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, Denis Waitley,   Debbie Fields, CNN’s Larry King, Mary Lou Retton, the late Og Mandino and former U.S. President Gerald Ford, and countless others.

He is perhaps best-known for his book “Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales” which has thus far sold well over 175,000 copies and is still going strong.  His newest book, “The Go-Giver” is a business parable that will both touch hearts and build bigger bank accounts.

Bob is a staunch advocate, supporter and defender of the Free Enterprise system, believing that the amount of money one makes is directly proportional to how many people they serve.

On Friday’s podcast (12/21) he’ll share with us the 5 Laws of “The Go-Giver”

Here’s the “stock” summary of the book. Watch for the “prime time” review from my own keyboard to your screen in a few days.

“The Go-Giver” tells the story of an ambitious young man named Joe who yearns for success. Joe is a true go-getter, though sometimes he feels as if the harder and faster he works, the further away his goals seem to be. And so one day, desperate to land a key sale at the end of a bad quarter, he seeks advice from the enigmatic Pindar, a legendary consultant referred to by his many devotees simply as the Chairman.

Over the next week, Pindar introduces Joe to a series of “go-givers:” a restaurateur, a CEO, a financial adviser, a real estate broker, and the “Connector,” who brought them all together. Pindar’s friends share with Joe the Five Laws of Stratospheric Success and teach him how to open himself up to the power of giving.

Joe learns that changing his focus from getting to giving—putting others’ interests first and continually adding value to their lives—ultimately leads to unexpected returns.

Imparted with wit and grace, “The Go-Giver” is a heartwarming and inspiring tale that brings new relevance to the old proverb “Give and you shall receive.”

Law of the Universe…Interest = Energy

“You only lose energy when life becomes dull in your mind. Your mind gets bored and therefore tired of doing nothing. Get interested in something! Get absolutely enthralled in something! Get out of yourself! Be somebody! Do something! The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.”
Norman Vincent Peale 1898-1993, Pastor, Speaker and Author

You get what you bargain for

No more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty.

My Wage

I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store;

For Life is a just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have paid.
(Jessie B. Rittenhouse)

If you do not see great riches in your imagination, you will never see them in your bank account. (Think and Grow Rich - quote from chapter on Desire).

16 steps to becoming a complete LOSER

The following are the 16 step that any “good” loser will tell you will assure your failure in any endeavor. These steps work for anyone and you need not implement them all - You too can become a loser with just a few of these steps! Master a few of your favorites and you’ll be able to fail every day of your life.

1. Fail to recognize and to clearly define exactly what you want in life. Have absolutely no burning desire - if you do surpress it!
2. Procrastinate! whether you need to or not. Develop alibis and excuses to cause people to pity you when you face the consequences - Love that negative attention!!
3. Develop a complete lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge. After all pursuing such knowledge would take valuable time away from your “day” job.
4. Practice indecision. Don’t make up your mind about anything to avoid being wrong or taking the blame. Pass the blame to some one else.
5. Rely on alibis and excuses rather than wasting your valuable time actually creating definite plans as solutions to problems
6. Focus on your self and your needs - be completly self absorbed. After all, if you don’t think about you, who will!
7. 7. Whatever you do - DO NOT engage in conflict even if it is in favor of something right. Rather adopt an attitude of indifference. This readiness to compromise will keep you out of trouble.
8. Always blame others for your mistakes, and accept unfavorable circumstances as something you can’t help or do anything about.
9. Surpress any desire that would motivate you to action - in fact don’t spend anytime at all thinking about where you want to be in this life. Vicariously enjoy the lives of other by watching lots of television and movies.
10. Be quick to QUIT at the first sign of possible defeat.
11. Do not limit yourself with organized planning. Don’t commit to anything in writing so that your actions and plans can be analyzed for effectiveness.
12. Neglect your great ideas - someone else will act on them and then you can say it was your idea first. They will succeed and you can complain!
13. Spend lots of time wishing for the finer things in life but avoid opportunities to actually work towards your goal. You could fail if you tried and that would be awful!
14. Never expect more than the income you are currently earning. After all “money is the root of all evil” right?
15. If you could get rich, explore multiple opportunities to get rich quick with little or no effort. Don’t expect to actually do anything worthwhile as a contribution - just say “Gimme the Money!”
16. Be extremely concerned about what others might think of you and what you are doing. Avoid doing things that might draw the criticism of others.

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This list was adapted from Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich in the chapter on Persistence. These were originally “The 16 Symptoms of Lack of Persistence.”  After reading them I thought “this sounds like a LOSER List to me!”

May you do exactly opposite!

Got Passion?

Many of our fears are tissue-paper-thin,  and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them.  -Brendan Francis

I think what keeps most of us from making that single courageous step is the lack of a burning desire. Most people live a life of wandering generalities rather than living a life of meaningful specifics.

When I coach or speak to groups I usually find that more than half of the group has no well defined purpose for thier life - no burning, passionate desire. In fact, what I frequently hear are statements like:

“I am very passionate about ______ but I don’t spend much time doing ____ because I have to make a livng and there’s just no money in ______.”

“I used to dream of being ______ but then reality set in. I’m a wife (or husband) and a mother (or father) now, going to work and paying the bills is about all I have time for.

If you’re one of those people that has surpressed their burning desire in exchange for the “safe” life let me reveal to you that your success in this life is wrapped up in your passion - it will be delivered to you as you take steps towards to pursue your burning desire. You are wired for success. You were created with that burning desire for a purpose. Stop ignoring what you were born to do.

If you are struggling and not acting on the fulfillment of your burning desire…you are the creator of your own struggle by not following your passion.

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Join me in a no cost Master Mind - Book Study  for 10 weeks through Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Visit my website for more information and to download the mp3 on Possibility to Probability.

The BUZZ is happenin’ on Get More Business Podcast!

Ron Mc Daniel will be my guest on this Friday’s podcast at 9 am. I will interview him about his book Buzzoodle. I am so excited about this topic. "Buzz" is intentional, planned word of mouth marketing for your business. It’s you and your employees becoming "evangelists" for your company - even better your customers and clients become evangelists for you and your company.

Do you ever go a day without recommending a restaurant or an automotive repair shop, or even where to purchase gas for your vehicle? Unless you live in a cave you’ve probably connected withsome one and recommended some brand or some business that has taken good care of you. And you spread the word without any benefit to yourself other than feeling like you’ve just done a good deed for the day.

I’ll be reviewing Buzzoodle, Ron’s book on this blog in the next day or two. I’ve been reading it; and guess what? it’s really a simple concept. The ideas are Golden Rule, Pay it Forward kind of advice. Ideas that build a culture that keeps employees and attracts the best customers.

Watch for the post of more about the book and join me live on Friday at 9 am Pacific - Listen on your computer at work if you have to  - it’s easy listening to "seeds of great ideas" that will grow your business!

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