A Little Touch of KindnessBeing kind is important in business networking as well as in life. Build customer loyalty with wholesale greeting cards from Send Out Cards

Every year, on the 14th of February we celebrate Valentine’s Day. Cards and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of Saint Valentine. But the question comes up about who is this mysterious Saint Valentine and what has he got to do with this day which we celebrate each year in his honor rushing to the store for the perfect card and perfect gift?

Find out here: “The History of Valentine’s Day”

Valentine’s Day is one of the most celebrated holidays on the calender. It is second only to Christmas as far as most cards sent, followed by Mother’s Day holding spot number three.

When you think of it, Valentine’s Day is a day when we express our love to those we care about. We send a card. We send a gift, flowers, chocolates, etc. But do we only care about them on February 14th? Of course not. But why then do we only treat them that special on Valentine’s Day and the rest of the year we don’t.

Let’s change that. Let’s remember those we love and care about more often during the year. Let’s send them a card (and/or gift) just because. Because they are special. Because we are just thinking of them. Because the sun is shining. Because it’s Wednesday. Who cares why. Just because.

Okay, what are promptings? Promptings are those powerful thoughts that enter your mind and prompt you to do something and in a flash are gone again like … I really should give Mary a call and see how she’s coping after her divorce. Or, I better not forget Joe’s birthday next Tuesday. Or, I haven’t seen Mike in a while. I should give him a call. Or, I should go over and welcome that new neighbor. Or, that nurse at the doctor’s office was really helpful. I should send a thank-you note. Well, those kind of thoughts. You know. You probably have them every day. But are you acting on them or do they just leave your mind unanswered?

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” _Maya Angelou

Some years back when my kids where playing Rollerhockey, I found an article about a young goalie in a Rollerhockey magazine. His name was Jason and he was a great fan of then Colorado Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy. Now, all in itself that is nothing unusual. But Jason had a heart condition and was waiting for a transplant. The article told his story about his love for the game and his never-give-up attitude. It really touched my heart. Jason wasn’t about to let a failing heart slow him down. He played whenever his health would allow it and he was the star of his team. He loved the sport of hockey and Patrick Roy was his big idol. He wanted to be just like him. What a fighter!

After reading Jason’s story, I couldn’t help but feel a strong prompting to do something special for this amazing kid. Since Patrick Roy lived just down the street from us at the time, I came up with the idea to make a color copy of the article and have him sign it. Patrick Roy is a great guy with a big heart. Especially for kids. (I remember him playing hockey out in the street with all the neighborhood kids.) So I went over to his house and left the article with his wife Michele for Patrick to sign because he was out of town. A few days later I picked it up. Not only had Patrick signed it, but he had also written a personal note of encouragement for Jason. It was very nicely done.

When I got in touch with Jason’s dad, who lived in Longmont, CO, I found out that Jason was living back east with his mom and sister. He was due to come to Denver for a check up at Children’s hospital soon and that’s where we planned to surprise him. I never forget the look on his face when I presented him the framed and autographed copy of his article. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. I wanted to do something special for this great kid. Make him feel good. But it made me feel great at the same time. Jason’s huge smile will forever be edged into my memory and I’m forever grateful for having had the privilege to meet him. What an inspiration he was for other young athletes…and for my own kids. Unfortunately, just  a few months after the transplant, Jason got an infection and he passed away at the age of 16. His dad told me that he was laid to rest in his #33 Avalanche jersey (Patrick Roy’s number). His sister now has his autographed copy of his article.

I am so glad I acted on my prompting. The experience of this small act of kindness changed my life forever. It also made an impact on my boys. Do you sometimes get promptings to do something? Are you acting on them or do they just pass? Is somebody waiting to hear from you? Don’t let those feelings go by unanswered. Act on them!

Say “Thank You” with Style
How to Write a Thank-You Note

Think about it. Everyone likes to hear the words “thank you” once in a while. But in our fast-paced, super-connected world handwritten notes of thanks are in danger of becoming a thing of the past. So don’t let your busy lifestyle get in the way of good manners. Thank-you notes don’t have to be a burden. They can be fun, sometimes for the whole family. Thank-you notes are an age-old way of keeping communication between friends and family open and healthy. Here are some tips on how to thanks quickly and creatively:

1. Do it yourself. Forgo the pre-inscribed cards with “Thank You” printed inside. Choose some nice, plain notecards or paper to show genuine gratitude.
2. Set aside enough time to write. You don’t want to rush through a thank-you note, as ti’s meant to be an expression from the heart.
3. Get personal. In your note, be sure to use the name of the person who gave you the gift or helped you out.
4. Mention something you liked about the gift or gesture or tell the person how you plan to use it or how it helped you.
5. Include the kids. Encourage children to draw a thank-you picture or sign their own cards. It’s never too early to set a good example.

Source: “Success From Home” magazine October 2009 issue

Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver who provided outstanding customer service.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: ‘I’m Wally, your driver.. While I’m loading your bags in the trunk I’d like you to read my mission statement.’

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.

It said: Wally’s Mission Statement:
To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the  cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, ‘Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.’

My friend said jokingly, ‘No, I’d prefer a soft drink.’

Wally smiled and said, ‘No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.’

Almost stuttering, Harvey said, ‘I’ll take a Diet Coke.’

Handing him his drink, Wally said, ‘If you’d like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.’

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, ‘These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you’d like to listen to the radio.’

And as if that weren’t enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.

Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he’d be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

‘Tell me, Wally,’ my amazed friend asked the driver, ‘have you always served  customers like this?’

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. ‘No, not always. In fact, it’s only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard on the radio one day that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad  day, you’ll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining!  Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don’t be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.”

That hit me right between the eyes,’ said Wally. ‘That was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers.. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.’

‘I take it that has paid off for you,’ Harvey said.

‘It sure has,’ Wally replied. ‘My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I’ll probably quadruple it.  You were lucky to get me today. I don’t sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can’t pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.’

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab.
I’ve probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn’t do any of what I was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles..

How about us?

Smile, and the whole world smiles with you… The ball is in our hands!

Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar

That special greeting card for that special person on that special occasion.

My mother-in-law’s 85th birthday was coming up on July 25th. I had been thinking for a while what kind of card I would send and what it would say. I knew I was not going to find a card like that at the card store. Yes, they have beautiful cards there, with nice words, even poems specially written for any occasion…But written for just anyone. I wanted something really personal.

My mother-in-law was a very special person and I wanted her to have a very special card for her very special birthday. So I made one. My husband Randy and I were looking around for some pictures of her and her grandkids and we found just the right ones. 

For the front of the card we picked a beautiful shot of her and my sister-in-law when they were at the Rose Bowl some years back. She had always dreamed of going there so it finally had happened and she had a blast. I thought that was the perfect opener to personalize her greeting card and make it special.

On the inside we wrote a very personal message and added some pictures of her and her grandkids as they were growing up. Special shots that we thought she might enjoy. We ended the card with a picture of her blowing out candles on her birthday cake and “Happy Birthday!” wishes.

She LOVED the card.

Sadly, my mother-in-law passed away this week. Just 4 days after her 85th birthday. She was a wonderful person and will be sorely missed by her family and her many friends.

I am so glad I didn’t just go out and buy a card at the store but took the time to make a special one for her. She so deserved it.

(After I had gathered all the photos I was going to use, it took me just a few minutes to put the card together with SendOutCards and add that special birthday message. I had created a very special personalized greeting card at the fraction of the cost of a store-bought one. And I touched someone’s heart in a way I could never have accomplished with just any card.)

I found this posted on Ivan Misner’s blog a couple of weeks ago. Since I thougth it was very powerful I wanted to post it here to share with all of you. So I sought the author’s permission to re-post it. Enjoy!

1. Thou Shalt Not Sell To Me. If we’re trying to help one another get more business, you tell me your target market, I tell you my target market and when we are out in the world, we speak well of one another and refer one another. Do not try to sell me–I’m your referral resource. If I need your product or service, know that I will call you.  Use our relationship to sell through me, to get to those 250-plus people I know.
2. Thou Shalt Understand The Law of Reciprocity. If I’m sending you business, please keep me top of mind. Giving me a new client is the best thank you I can receive, and I will continue working to find you referrals if I know you appreciate me.
3. Thou Shalt Not Abuse Our Relationship. Sending me a bogus referral just to use me, my expertise or my resources for free without asking permission first is the fastest way to lose my respect.
4. Thou Shalt Not Be Late . If we have a meeting set to get to know one another and strategize how we can refer each other business, do not reschedule our appointment more than twice. I blocked a chunk of time in my schedule FOR YOU, and I respect you enough to be on time.
5. Thou Shalt Be Specific . Specific Is Terrific! If you tell me your target market is “anybody” or “everybody,” that means nobody to me. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for me to find you business.
6. Thou Shalt Take Your Business Seriously . As your networking partner, I need to know your intentions.If your company is a hobby business, it will be difficult for me to assist you. If it’s part-time, you are limited in the time you spend working on your business and working to find me referrals. However, if you’re working your business part time with a goal of making it full time, I am there for you, 100 percent.
7. Thou Shalt Follow Up On Referrals. When I send you business, please follow up with that prospect in a timely fashion–say 24 hours. If you’re going out of town or will not be available for some time, a quick e-mail or phone call to the person to let them know when you will be available will preserve your credibility and protect my reputation in recommending you to someone I know and care about.
8. Thou Shalt Communicate. If I do something to upset you, send you a “bad” referral or cause you to have ill feelings toward me, please communicate with me as soon as possible. I may not be aware I have caused a problem for you; if you tell me, I can try to fix it. Referral networking is about relationships! Relationships and referrals are at the heart of my business.
9. Thou Shalt Protect My Reputation. Most people would rather die than risk their reputations. If I receive feedback from a referral I have sent you that is disparaging or derogatory, it is as though you cut me off at the knees. Please do what you say you will do and live up to the ethical standards of your profession.
10. Thou Shalt Prepare For Success. If you really want to grow your business, then prepare to receive it. I will move mountains for my networking partners to ensure they get referrals on a consistent basis. I am a Ninja Networker–you may not always see me working on your behalf.

This was posted with permission from Melinda Potcher.
Please visit her website at:  HomeLoansAlbuquerque.com