The hardest part of courting a new customer is getting your message heard. For some reason, most salespeople make this task even harder on themselves by delivering their message in an impersonal and forgettable way. They have abandoned the personal touch that separates them from all the "buy me!" messages that whiz past their customer every day.
In the age of automation and emails, technology has made it highly convenient for salespeople to be an inconvenience to their customers. Email and voicemail accounts are overflowing with masses of annoying, impersonal sales messages. Using this method ensures that your message will be ignored and deleted as fast as your customer receives it.
The good news is that there are some things you can do to improve sales that are just too simple and effective to ignore. Picking up that old, blue pen of yours to write a handwritten note is one of the most powerful, yet simple, ways to grab your customer's attention.
Unlike emails, telephone calls and unannounced visits, handwritten notes are always well-received. Handwritten notes are rare and intriguing; they spark curiosity and thought. They are opened and read because they don't look or sound like junk mail. People actually want to read them.
The true power of the handwritten note is that it is personal. Think of the people who send you handwritten notes. Mostly family and friends, right? Receiving a handwritten note from you is as comforting and pleasant for your customer as hearing from an old friend. It does more than just say thank you for the meeting, lunch, phone call or referral. It sends a message about you and how you like to conduct business.
When it comes to customers, my friend Rebecca Booth follows the philosophy that you should try and "make their day." Sending them something personal will brighten their day, if even for just a moment. Creating that feeling with your customers is what makes you unforgettable because they will associate their positive reaction with you. Your note will remind your prospective customer that you are the personal choice; you care about them as a person. You understand that they have choices when it comes to buying their products and you fully appreciate the opportunity to earn their business.
Of course, it's not like the customer's wallet will jump out of their pants and into your hands the moment they receive your handwritten note. Your customer will buy when they are good and ready. However, you certainly want them to think of you first when that need arises. By sending your customer handwritten notes on a regular basis, you are reminding them of how great you are, without being pushy or annoying. Think of it like a gentle tap on the shoulder just to say "hello."
Send your customers something that shows that you are thinking of them and that you understand their needs. Try sending an article you think they would want to read and telling them you thought of them while reading it. Tell them about a networking function that you think they'd benefit from, invite them to lunch, or mention a new product that you'd love to show them. Don't ask for the sale directly or use methods that will be perceived as pushy or purely sales driven. Your customers know why you are sending them cards; you don't need to spell it out for them.
If you think that sending handwritten cards is a lot of work, you're right. That's why your competitors aren't doing it. Separate yourself from the competition every chance you have. The only thing keeping you from that sale could be three minutes and a stamp.
Tom Richard conducts seminars on sales and customer service topics nationwide. Tom is also the author of Smart Salespeople Don't Advertise: 10 Ways to Outsmart Your Competition With Guerilla Marketing, and publishes a free weekly ezine on selling skills titled Sales Muscle. To subscribe to this free weekly ezine go to http://www.tomrichard.com/subscribe
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