Top 5 Ways to Build a Better Business

Summer is coming to an end and we hope you were able to relax and spend some time with family and friends and maybe even squeeze in some beach time. But now it’s time to get back to business and round out 2016 with some serious success.

To that end, here are five best practices for building your brand.

1. Create better customer experiences. Your brand is about so much more than what your logo and website look like. Your brand involves experiences, as in how do you make your customer feel every step of the way? Think about the experience you want your customers to have and make sure everything you do and every interaction you have helps create this experience.

What to do: Take a hard look at the different areas of your business—customer service, social, sales, customer loyalty strategies, and so forth—and see what needs improvement. Pay attention to customer feedback. They won’t be shy in telling you what’s working and what’s not, but it’s up to you to take action. You will learn the most from your biggest critics, so listen carefully.

2. Be consistent. If you’re touting one string of messages on your website and another on your social channels, then this creates a disconnect. Be consistent with your messaging across all channels.

What to do: Conduct an audit of all materials/places where your core messages appear and see if the messages are consistent. Better yet, ask someone else to look at your channels (e.g. website, social, online ads). Use a service like UserTesting.com if you need help. For each channel, ask the person what the main message is. Based on the feedback you receive, identify any inconsistencies and correct them.

3. Make sure your content marketing supports your brand. All the content you produce should reinforce your brand, and not just in terms of messaging, but also the look and feel.

What to do: If you haven’t been using one already, get in the habit of creating a content calendar. A calendar provides a clear snapshot of all your content so that you can easily spot holes or issues (for example, perhaps you spend too much time on one message while neglecting another). Conduct an audit of all layouts and make sure the physical presentations align with your brand from a visual perspective as well.

4. Do something different. If you want your brand to truly stand out, then you need to do something that will make it stand out. And, yes, we’re talking about something bigger than simply stating on your website the ways you’re different from your competitors. Here are some ideas:

•         Create a company mascot and use it on everything
•         Become an industry thought leader
•         Publish books or eBooks, whatever works for you

5. Develop brand ambassadors. You can’t do it alone. The way to build your brand and get the word out is by tasking people with the job of promoting your brand—both employees and customers.

Company Logo Products that are Missing from Your Waiting Room

Starting up and running a  small business is an all in endeavor and  one of your top priorities is to make your clientele comfortable and welcome. You've put thought into how your office or business looks when someone walks in the front door, maybe a few strategically placed plants or artwork, possibly a coffee machine in the waiting area to win customer satisfaction points.  There's still room to improve the experience in that critical, first - impression stage.

Company logo products can help...

Personalized coloring books are a lifesaver for parents with kids in tow. Not only will they appreciate the giveaway, they'll potentially have more time and focus to have an uninterrupted conversation about your services.

Pens are the essential company logo product for your waiting room-make sure they are available on a counter or coffee table for quick and easy access to fill out forms, and it's your name they will be showcasing everyday with this affordable customer take-away.

Photo Business cards are another great company logo product to have available in your waiting room.
This will not only remind you to pass them out rather than tucking them away to collect dust, it will also let people know who the members of your team are at-a-glance.

Personalizing and adding your logo builds brand recognition and by simply adding a few items to your waiting room you will allow your customers to spread the word with an affordable give-away.

Magnetic Calendars: Opportunities to Make Your Message Stick

Imprinting magnetic calendars with your company logo and contact info is a great promotional strategy-as long as you can find the right opportunities. Here are some good and not as good times to give away branded magnetic calendars.

Good: at the point of service in a customer's home or office space; a handy way to post an invoice as there will likely be a refrigerator or other appliance nearby to attach the magnet to.
Not as Good: Parades; attendees are far away from home and receive a lot of promotional papers and items and these are often left on the ground or thrown away.

Good: At the point of purchase ( if you sell food, baked goods, medical prescriptions or delivery items) customers will be bringing their purchases straight to the kitchen so there's a good change the magnet will be remembered and added to the artwork already adorning the fridge.
Not as Good: in a mailing campaign that lacks the proper packaging or fulfillment guidelines. You can prospect with a mailing and include a magnet but be sure to check with your post office.

Good: Send a follow-up thank you to clients for choosing your business. A Thank You goes a long way and magnet calendars are an affordable way to say "thanks" and included your information for future contact.
Not as Good: At a conference or trade-show; attendees are typically traveling and often will throw the product away rather than taking the space and time to pack it.

Whatever your plan is magnetic calendars add staying power to your promotion and keep your contact information visible all year long while in use.

4 Customer Types That Still Love Promotional Calendars

We often hear how business is becoming paperless, and how customers prefer to do their banking, shopping and communicating on line. But printed promotional calendars still make sense for lots of people and here are 4 potential customers you could reach with a printed giveaway:


Moms - Moms love having a wall calendar near their command center, where ever that may be, so they can choose a convenient date/time for your service call or free estimate.

Professionals Who Work with their Hands - Restaurant owners, chefs, and mechanics to name a few, need a quick at a glance reference while their hands are busy for planning and reference.

Government and Public Service Professionals - Teachers, social workers, police and firemen are often scrambling to make the most of scarce budget dollars. Advertising your business to them with a promotional wall calendar is a win-win, as it gives them one less supply to buy for themselves so they will be sure to use it. 

Seniors - Businesses that cater to senior citizens do well by supplying promotional calendars at the point of service or in a direct mail campaign. Seniors are less likely to track their schedules on a mobile device and the larger font makes for easier reading.


Your clients will thank you and our calendar reviews attest that printed calendars are "a great tool for a fair cost and get your name out there." Start your fall promotion off with a logo or personalized calendar and advertise your business 365 days a year.

Business Thank You Notes: 3 Steps to an Amazing Customer Experience

Email isn’t always best- certainly not when it comes to saying thanks. To create a truly memorable and amazing customer experience in the 21^st century, some companies are discovering they need to follow their mom's advice. Want to copy their success? Follow these simple steps:

1. Buy some branded or personalized business thank you notes

2. Encourage your sales team and  account reps to hand write genuine notes of thanks when customers buy, renew or even leave you for a competitor.

3. Be sure to set up a forum for positive and potentially negative feedback via social media and online reviews. Remember this can be an opportunity to change and grow.

Interacting with your customers encourages loyalty and creating a personal relationship creates an open dialog for better customer service.

This company learned the value of handwritten notes- read more  http://onforb.es/1sWzrXS

Our goal is to help your small business succeed one printed product at a time!

Affordable Company Birthday Cards that Deliver Valuable Results

When is a cheap company birthday card more than just a birthday card?

When you plan and create a campaign around it- one that can deliver valuable ROI.  Here are four industry examples of how to leverage cheap company birthday cards:

• From an accountant - A birthday card sent outside of tax season, with an invitation to check out financial services (in addition to tax filing services), might create a successful cross-sell
• From a salon- A coupon for a free birthday service in conjunction with a regular manicure/pedicure
• From a dental office- A discount on teeth whitening services 
• From a physician - add a helpful reminder about important milestone years that warrant a specific type of exam or procedure e.g. mammogram

If possible, give customers a code or special web landing page to reference so that you can measure the results and traffic from these efforts.

Your signature will add a personal touch your message and our greeting cards offer free imprints with your order.

Take Part in Small Business Saturday

Mark your calendars! Small Business Saturday is around the corner! An American shopping day held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving (after Black Friday and before Cyber Monday), this annual event encourages shoppers to do their holiday shopping at small and local businesses — like yours!

Small Business Saturday is anything but small and all about community. It was founded by American Express in 2010 as a way to celebrate and promote the local businesses that make America’s neighborhoods so great. Due to the big response, in 2011 it became recognized as an official shopping holiday.

This year Small Business Saturday falls on November 29^th.

No matter what type of business you are in, it pays to participate! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to promote your business and boost sales for your business.

Encourage your customers to Shop Small®.

Encourage your customers to shop your business by creating memorable marketing materials that promote your business and invite customers to Shop Small®.

1.    Extend an invitation. Create an in-store event to attract new and old customers to come to your business. Send out simple customized invitations. You can also promote online by creating an event on Facebook.

2.    Let it fly. Put up a flyer in your store window that reminds shoppers of the date and encourages them to shop local. Not only is it a great way to support your community, but it is also a great way to boost your brand image.

3.    Gear up on giveaways. Plan a special giveaway that reminds your customers to shop at your establishment all year long. Customized 2015 calendars, personalized pens, and custom-printed t-shirts are all great, functional gifts your customers can use every day of the year.

4.    Create special offers. Increase the incentives with special one-day discounts and promotions that will improve foot traffic into your store location. Giving away gift certificates  for every $XXX spent is a smart way to encourage repeat business.

5.    Give them something to smile about. Create even more excitement for your local small business by doing something unique to generate attention. Have a DJ play music in the store. Hire a magician or clown. Serve free coffee in the morning. Display balloons outside your store and give away free cake.

6.    Be social. Social media played a critical role to the first Small Business Saturday’s success. Be sure to follow the movement on Facebook and hashtag #SmallBusinessSaturday on Twitter.

Regardless of whether you are a retail store or restaurant, a beauty salon or a bakery, Small Business Saturday is a fantastic opportunity to reach out and show your community that small businesses matter. The only “wrong” way to participate is to not participate at all.

Be sure, too, to check out the free materials American Express provides to assist you in promoting this fantastic and meaningful event.

Thing big. Shop small.

Have you celebrated Small Business Saturday in the past? Are you planning to participate this year? We want to know! Please tell us your story below.   

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Your Customers Are Looking Online. Can They Find You?

Every day people use their smart phone to look for everything from local movie times and dining options to car repair services, pet supply stores, beauty salons, and more.  Is your company one of them?

According to The New York Times, nearly half of all mobile searches — also known as “googling” performed on a smartphone — have a local intent. This means that the person who is doing the searching is looking for local information. This number is up from 40% last year and translates to literally billions of local searches taking place on mobile phones.

To better understand people’s local search behaviors, Google recently partnered with Ipsos MediaCT and Purchased to research the behaviors of more than 5,000 American smartphone users. Their study revealed:

• Searches with local intent are more likely to lead to store visits and sales within a day
• 1 in 3 searches on smartphones occur right before a consumer’s visit to a store
•    50% of mobile users are most likely to visit after conducting a local search — compared to 34 percent of consumers who are using tablets or computers to research the same information.
• Mobile searchers are typically ready to buy once they are in a store.
• 18% of local searches lead to sales, compared to 7 percent for non-local searches.
•  Consumers search for a variety of information, the most popular being:
• Business hours
• Directions to a local store
• Local store address

Despite the huge volume of local queries in mobile, a majority of small businesses and brands still don’t have mobile-optimized websites. If your company happens to be one of them, Cordial Greetings can help. 

The Benefits of Mobility
Given the growing trend in mobile device use, it’s more important than ever to ensure that your business can be found quickly and easily — and using the devices your customers rely on the most.

We’ve all been in situations in which we wanted to find something nearby — the closest gas station to the airport, a local yoga studio, or simply a place to go to dinner. We also search for services that don’t necessarily have a prominent store front — a landscaping business, a trucking company, a dentist, a plumber, and more. Mobile content helps to ensure that your business is found and allows people to pass your name along effortlessly!

Get Your Business Moving
Dedicated to helping small businesses succeed, Cordial Greetings now offers Mobile Landing Pages. Choose one of eight attractive and professional template themes, including automobile, construction, landscaping, general business, towing, plumbing and more. Each one is designed to make it easy for your customers to access your business information on their mobile device.

Getting Started – Three Simple Steps

1. Provide us with your company and contact information
2. We will create a Mobile Landing Page for your business and provide you with a QR code image via email
3. Add your QR code to any promotional product or printed media

With Cordial Greetings a mobile website isn’t only easy, it’s also affordable— just $49.99 for an entire year! Your Mobile Landing Page will be active for 12 months from the date of purchase and can easily be renewed - allowing your business to benefit for as few or as many years as you choose.

Take the Next Step

Get started today!

Promotional Ideas to “Fall” in Love With

We hate to be a buzz kill, but the summer months are drawing to a close. Goodbye sun and fun, hello autumn! Soon the temperatures will start to fall — and so will the leaves.

For many of us, the “back to school” season also means “back to business.” The time is now to start thinking about new and innovative ways to promote and market your company. To help get you started, consider some of the following Cordial Greetings autumn themed promotional products:

Thanksgiving Cards – Why wait until the winter holidays to express appreciation and gratitude? Cordial Greetings offers a wide selection of attractive Thanksgiving cards that make it easy to say thanks to customers, partners, and prospects.  

Personalized Tear Off Calendar Cards — Make a date with the Carving Thanks Perfed Calendar Card.  Personalized, perfed calendar cards are a calendar and card in one! They are a perfect way to say you care and give a promotional gift your customers can use every day of the year.

Promotional Pens — Write it off! Promotional pens are perfect for Fall. Did you know that Cordial Greetings offers 13 different types of customizable promotional pens? Choose from a wide range of styles, shapes, colors, and imprints.

Customizable Coffee Mug— As the days grow cooler, give your favorite customers a gift they can warm up to. Our customizable, classic coffee mug is an affordable and functional promotional gift that’s brimming with potential!

Promotional Notebooks — Take note! Our new line of promotional notebooks are a fun, contemporary way to get you company noticed. The Orange Chevron Reporter Style Notebook and the Colorful Circles Journal Style Notebook are two perfect options for Fall and ideal for the office, home or school. Customize the back cover with your company name and contact information. 

Count on Cordial Greetings

While we can’t make summer last forever, count on Cordial Greetings to help make a lasting impression this Fall. From key chains and coloring books to can coolers and coffee mugs, we offer a wide variety of unique and affordable promotional products that are perfect for your business or organization.

Have a great idea for a fall promotion? Let us know! Tell us how you plan to use promotional products to market your business this autumn by posting your story below. We’d love to hear about it!

SWAG: The Power of Promotional Products

Sealed With A Gift? More sales. More customers. More profits. What are we talking about? The power of promotional products. Research shows that customers who receive promotional products return sooner and reorder more quickly — and frequently — than those who don’t.

According to a study conducted by Relevant Insights:

• Eight in 10 consumers own between one and 10 promotional products
• Six in 10 consumers keep them for up to two years
• More than half (53%) of these consumers use a promotional product at least once a week or more

Is yours one of them?

If promotional products aren't currently part of your marketing mix, perhaps it’s time to explore how to put this form of advertising to work for your company. Not only can promotional products be used to help generate more business, they can be a great way to motivate your staff, encourage customer referrals, thank regular customers for their loyalty, increase visibility at a trade show, launch a new product and/or demonstrate support for your community. 

Plus, promotional products can be one of the most cost-effective forms of advertising. According to the Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI), the cost-per-impression of a promotional product is just $.005 — less than prime time TV advertising, national magazine advertising and newspaper ads.

When considering promotional products for YOUR company, consider the following tips:

1.    Choose promotional products that your audience will actually use. When promotional products are useful to and appreciated by the recipients, they are retained and used longer, ultimately communicating the imprinted message over and over—without added cost to your business. Some of the most popular and successful promotional items include pens and writing instruments, desk calendars, water bottles, coffee mugs and apparel — such as t-shirts and hats.

2.    Avoid a short shelf life. Select items that will be around for a long time. While imprinted sticky notes are certainly useful, a customized note holder can be used repeatedly.

3.    Choose quality over quantity. Think of the promotional products you purchase as “gifts for family and friends.” Cheaper is not always better. One well-considered promotional gift can have a far greater impact than a hundred smaller ones.

4.    Make it memorable. Don’t be afraid to get creative. Promotional products are a $19.83 billion industry. Every year, thousands of new products come to market. Keep an eye out for new and exciting ways to put them to work promoting your business.

Cordial Greetings Can Help

From key chains and coloring books to can coolers and coffee mugs, count on Cordial Greetings for a wide variety of unique and best-selling promotional products. All of our items are easy to customize and economical — and guaranteed to please.

Want to share your experience?  Tell us how you’ve used promotional products to expand YOUR business by posting your story below. We’d love to hear about it!

Picture This: Personalized Photo Business Cards & Calendars

As a company that specializes in quality personalized promotional print products, Cordial Greetings embraces opportunities to help small businesses build relationships and brand recognition.

“Should I put my personal photograph on my business card — or any other promotional products, for that matter?” — it’s a question we get asked all of the time. Our answer? Yes!

Whether you are a real estate agent, an attorney, an insurance broker, a home repair persona, or a hair stylist — if you operate as an independent contractor or a small business, you are your business! Personalized photo promotional items are a great way to be memorable and set you apart in the marketplace.

Put Your Best Face Forward

Cordial Greetings now offers a variety of customizable photo business cards and photo personalized economy calendars that make it easy and affordable to put your best face forward and:

• Be memorable.
  Visual recognition can be a powerful tool. How many times have you heard somebody say, “I don’t remember names, but I do remember faces?” Photo business cards and promotional items are great tools that can help jog a person’s memory— long after you meet face to face.

• Build brand awareness.

You put your picture on your website, your Facebook page, your LinkedIn profiles, Google + profiles, your Twitter feeds — and quite possibly your brochures. Including your photo on your business card is a smart way to reinforce the connection and build brand awareness.

• Make it personal.

People do business with those they know, connect with, and trust. If you are in the business of building relationships and want to be remembered, photo personalized promotional products are a great way to create an emotional appeal and establish a personal connection.

• Build credibility.

A picture says a thousand words. If you are in the business of building relationships and want to be known as a trusted expert in your industry, a photo business card or calendar is a simple way to build recognition and help people associate your face with your business.

• Stand out in a crowd.
  Consider all the business cards you collect — whether it’s attending networking events, conducting business day-to-day, giving or receiving a referral, etc. If you’re like most of us, you probably have quite a stack. How many of those business cards are truly memorable? Can you recall or visualize who each of those individuals are?  Photo business cards are a smart way to stand out from the pack and be unique.

Smile for the Camera!

According to Dan Crowther, an online marketing consultant in Racine, Wisconsin, putting your picture on your business card is his number one piece of advice for making your card stand out.  But that’s not to say that any old photo will do. Make sure the photo you choose is professional and matches the image you wish to communicate — a pleasant, friendly smile works wonders, too!

What do you think?  Do you use a photo on your business card already?  How has it been received? Let us know by posting your experience below. 

The Write Stuff: The Power of Promotional Pens

Even in our digitally connected world of smart phones and keyboards, texts and emails, writing instruments are still considered to be the #1 most popular promotional product. Why? Simply put, people use them! We rely on pens and pencils regularly— at home, in the office, and on the go — to leave notes, write reminders, sign documents, and mark boxes. Their uses are endless!

According to a 2012 study published by Promotional Products Association International (PPAI), people in the United States use a pen 5-10 times a day. Seventy-three percent of people in the United States carry a pen with them at all times.

When it comes to promotional pens, the PPAI study also reported that of those who have received a promotional pen:

• 79 percent reported that they use promotional pens they receive
• 40 percent reported they use them at least 1-5 times a day
• 60 percent could recall the name of the advertiser who gave them the pen
• More than 50 percent of them could remember the product or service
• Almost half of the people surveyed said they often pass on the pens to another person

Five Benefits of Promotional Pens

Aside from statistics, here are five more reasons that customized promotional pens have all of the components of the “perfect” promotional product:

1. Customized promotional pens are used all of the time.

Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of customized pens is that promotional pens are used on a daily basis — by people of all ages and in every industry.  

2. Customized promotional pens are often shared.

Like money, pens often move from hand to hand. Statistics show that the average pen has seven different users in a lifetime. While a promotional pen may start with an original customer, quite often it will wind up in the hands of someone else. Every time the pen changes hands, the company’s name and identity spreads.

3. Customized promotional pens are easy to distribute.

Customized pens are small, portable and convenient to pass around — at trade shows and special events — as well as within your place of business. Recipients can carry them anywhere they go — quite often they may pick up a promotional pen without even realizing it.

4. Customized promotional pens are inexpensive to produce.

Promotional pens are one of the least expensive forms of advertising and ideal for companies with lean marketing budgets. They provide maximum brand exposure at a surprisingly affordable price. Cordial Greetings offers a wide range of options — some cost as little as .49 cents a piece!

5. Customized promotional pens come in all shapes and styles.

There’s blue ones and black ones, red ones and green ones – even pink and purple. The list of types and styles of promo pens are endless. Cordial Greetings’ own selection of promotional pens range from basic ballpoint pens to more sophisticated designs — such as our new Stylus Click Pen that offers both the functionality of a pen, as well as a stylus.

What are people’s favorites?

The PPAI study also revealed people’s preferences for promotional writing instruments. The top five user favorites were:

1. Ballpoint pen
2. Roller ball pen
3. Gel pen
4. Highlighter
5. Permanent marker

Get to the “point.”

If you are looking for an easy, inexpensive way to market your company and build brand awareness, a customized promotional pen can be a smart addition to your marketing mix. Ready to get started?

10 Easy Ways to use your Calendar as a Marketing Tool

What do you get when you cross a kangaroo with a calendar?  A leap year, of course!

They come in all shapes and sizes.  They bring images of glorious landscapes, icons of patriotism, happy puppies, playful kittens, beautiful flowers and even the smiling faces of your office staff!  With designs and styles too numerous to mention, calendars remain an economical and practical way to market your business.

Here are ten easy ways to market using this truly versatile tool!

1.     Save the date!  Part of a local festival?  Having a pre-holiday sale?  Anniversary sale?  Choose a desk or wall calendar and note your special date with a bright sticker.  Your customers will be grateful for the easy reminder.

2.     Say Cheese ... or First Bank and Trust!  Placing the smiling faces of your office team on a photo-personalized calendar card helps your customers -- and perspective clients -- see just who they'll be dealing with!  The importance of familiarity in the business world can't be emphasized enough.  Are you a one-person show? Consider a photo card calendar with a business photo of yourself or add your family, for a more personal touch.

3.     Keep your business info right before their eyes!  How wonderful -- and how easy! -- would it be to have your business information, address, telephone, website and even business hours right before your customer's eyes, each and every day?  Imprinted desk calendars do just that!

4.     Don't just send a card -- send a gift!  Calendar greeting cards do twice the job for a fraction of the cost.  Now when your loyal clients open your holiday greeting card, they'll find not only your best wishes but a useful and practical gift. 

5.     Come fly with me.  Travel agency?  When you give the Destinations 2014 calendar to your clients not only are you giving them a practical gift but a ... hint!

6.     Instant art!  Wall calendars provide instant brightness to a sometimes not-so-festive cubicle and add a nice addition to a breakfast nook or home office space.  Warm, practical and imprinted with your business information, you won't be forgotten -- you're a part of the decor!

7.     Be a hero!  When you donate calendars to a local school or assisted living facility, your good deed -- and your business -- gets noticed!  

8.     A little something extra in the bag!  Save mailing costs and target your market when you tuck a calendar into their shopping bag or give a calendar magnet when you provide a service call. 

9.     Get your votes here!  Running for office?  Newly elected?  Patriotic calendars are a wonderful way to reach out to your constituents while providing important information about your campaign or district office.

10.   Say Ahhhhhhh.  Whether puppies or kittens are your clientele, offering their leash holders a puppy and kittens calendar with dates pre-marked for their furry one's next vaccine or grooming appointment is a great way to ensure a return visit.

We hope these ten suggestions give you ideas that help you market your business 365 days a year!  Cordial Greetings encourages you to share your ideas with us -- and wishes you a happy, prosperous 2014!

Adding a Personal, Local Touch to your Marketing

Disneyland is a work of love.  We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money.  --  Walt Disney

Business is about people.  When we approach our customers as friends; when we create a business environment that feels welcoming and when we provide products or services that deliver what they promise at a fair cost -- we soon find our bottom line isn't quite so ... bottom!

As summer draws to a close and we settle into our regular routines, we find that the sometimes lazy autumn season becomes the perfect time to touch base with old acquaintances and remind our customers that they haven't been forgotten. Here are just a few examples of ways to spark the interest of new clients while reminding our long standing customers that they are truly valued:

Get your cider on!  Whether hosting a full-blown fall open house or simply brewing an urn of hot cider or hot cocoa to have on-hand, you'll find that even the simplest of personal touches will help you to stand out and be remembered.  They may come through the door as customers -- but they'll leave as friends. 

Trim the Tree.  Offer a week-long Tree or Wreath decorating contest and prepare for a revolving door!  Prospective customers  -- not to mention participants -- will be stopping by to check out the competition.  Add  a coloring contest for the little ones and now you really have a show.  Display the winners in your storefront window.  This fun idea will truly live up to its name as it acts like a beacon, drawing customers to your door.

Baby it's cold outside!  Autumn brings with it more time indoors -- and more time surfing the web and catching up with our social media sites.  Don't forget to update your website, add some cool seasonal colors or graphics and offer cyber coupons.  As your customers check you out, remind them that there's a coupon that they can access right then from their smart phone.  Remind them to “Like” you on FaceBook for additional sales and promotions. 

I Yam who I Yam.  Popeye, that great guru of branding, knew his stuff!  Keep in mind as you shift your colors, your themes, your products to suit the season, be true to your brand.  If you are a floral shop known for your unique arrangements, don't succumb to the tried-and-true leaves-in-a-frosted-pumpkin.  Stay innovative!  If you are the local coffee shop, add a pumpkin spice selection.  Place those cool college sweatshirts front and center to remind those who drive by of the big game that weekend.

Reach out, stay in touch and welcome your customers in a way that only you can -- and you'll never be at a loss for business! 

Charlie Brown, you are the only person I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem."   Linus  (Charles Schultz)

It's September.  It comes every year.  The month when we begin to hear the whispers of the approaching holiday season.  It begins slowly.  Back-to-school clothes replace the brightly colored shorts and tees.  Before long, the appearance of the first turkey serving platter.   It's only a matter of time. 

This year, why not get a head start and prevent the heretofore inevitable deer-in-the-headlights moment when, standing amidst hanging snowflake ornaments and over-stuffed Santas, you realize that (again) you're too late to market and advertise effectively for the season. 

Here are a few easy-to-do suggestions that will jump start your advertising campaign and will advertise for you!

I'm here for the wooden spoon set.  An interesting study by the Yale School of Management indicates "the shopping momentum effect" is alive and well.  Draw customers into your store and get them to buy just one thing -- and you'll find that they will immediately begin looking for other things to buy.   When you advertise to bring your holiday shoppers through the door, keep that in mind and offer special pricing on an item or service everyone can use. 

Haul out the holly.  Literally.  Decorating your storefront will set the holiday atmosphere before they ever walk through the door.  Change it just a bit each week and you'll keep interest piqued! 

Stick to your reputation.  A holiday card in an envelope sealed with a sticker will be less likely to be tossed and will show your customers that, true to your reputation, you take that extra step to make things perfect. 

Don't break the bank.  Take advantage of early-bird specials on 2014 calendars and holiday cards.  When you order early you save not only money but you buy yourself time by having your cards in-hands and ready to be addressed whenever you are ready! 

Gift cards ... keep giving!  Stock up on gift cards and keep them on display at the register.  Not only are they great gift giving ideas for your customers -- but great gifts for your customers, as well.  Consider advertising a free $10 gift card with every $50 purchase.

Local Saturday.  Focus on local traffic on the Saturday before Christmas.  Last minute shoppers will welcome ideas for those last minute purchases.  

Hope this list spurs some ideas that will encourage you to begin strategizing early -- hopefully avoiding those last minute marketing misses!

Making the Most of a Negative Review

SEND IN THE LEMONS

… make lemonade.

Few things are more humbling in our business lives than receiving a negative review.  Like most things, it’s not so much the event as it is how we deal with the aftermath.  We’ve assembled a few suggestions to hopefully help you weather this inevitable storm and to realize there is good that can be taken from a negative review.  From evaluation to recognition to resolution, here is a mini-guide to helping all involved feel better!

Give me five.  Reacting immediately to a negative critique is the equivalent of taking the club from your reviewer’s hands and hitting yourself over the head.  Brilliant financier Warren Buffett was once asked what was the greatest piece of business advice he had ever been given.  Without hesitation, he said he was once advised:  “Remember, Warren:  There’s always tomorrow to tell someone to (take a leap)!” 

Whether you have read feedback online or actually have endured a face-to-face unhappy camper, your long-term best response is to step away from the keyboard or, if you are confronted in person, simply say, “I appreciate you’re taking the time to share your thoughts.  I’ll certainly think about all that you’ve said.”   Ask for their number or email address so that you can follow-up.

Really?  Here’s the part where we get our coffee and close our door.  It’s also the part where our conclusion determines our next step.  Was your receptionist honestly rude?  Was your promised delivery time missed by a mile?  Was your floral arrangement prepared with white carnations when they ordered red roses?  Could you really have served breaded rubber bands and saved the cost of fresh calamari? 

We always fry it for three minutes.  Determining if the criticism is valid really is the first step to resolution.  Have you had complaints before about Sally at the front desk?  Has your delivery service been late getting to your shop for a pick-up? 

Here’s how we know:  Take a listen to how Sally approaches your customers.  Are there times when she’s swamped and gets a little snippy?  Pull that floral order.  Could you have read it wrong?  Try the calamari. 

Squeeze the Lemons.  First, right the cause of the wrong, if there was one.  Change delivery services or put them on notice.  The front desk is a hectic mess and Sally really could use some back-up during rush times.  You didn’t read the description of the arrangement – only the item number.   The difference between the “5” and the “3” was … well, roses vs. carnations.  Have each order double-checked (not by Sally!) to be certain the description matches the product.  The new fryer runs hotter – looks like it’s now only two minutes for the calamari.
 
Pour the Lemonade.  Perhaps the most important strategy of all in winning the war against negative comments is to respond in the same venue as the critique was first given.  If you received unflattering feedback via social media, respond both on your Facebook/Web page and to the individual.  Keep it very, very brief.   If the comment was a valid criticism, thank them for their input and explain the changes you’ve made.  (Keep in mind, if Sally had to go … this isn’t the place to announce it!)  If the critique wasn’t valid, then the simple response thanking them for their input, along with a little blurb about how your customers are valued partners, works best.  (Because it’s true.) 

Customers will remember how you resolved their problem longer than they will remember the problem.  A refund for the floral arrangement, totally your fault, is in order.   An apology?  Those always come from you – you are after all the name on the door.  A nasty server, unpleasant customer service representative – or even Rude Sally – shouldn’t be the ones to apologize to the customer for that is the very best way to unleash an Armageddon-sized can of worms.  Offering a gift card is a great way to ask for a second chance to do it right.  The next appetizer is on us! 

Just remember that the worst possible mistake is doing nothing.  Even if you feel the critique is thoroughly unjustified, responding will mitigate the damage! 

Now, pass the calamari!

Keeping In Touch with Your Customers

"I'm not a marketing person.  I don't ask myself questions.  
I go by instinct."   Karl Lagerfeld

Whether keeping in touch with friends or family, greeting cards remain an economical, fun, thoughtful way to do just that.  

That same philosophy makes an easy jump to our business world when we begin to look at our customers as our business-friends.   Not only can we say “hello” and remind our customers that we are there to help when needed or to wish them well on their birthday, but we can (and should!) use this handy keep-in-touch method as a vehicle to update our customers on everything from our monthly specials to a change in contact information.

Greeting cards are just one "marketing tool” that works.  Let's take a look at a few more marketing ideas that don't come with a hit-you-over-the-head club, but yet are super effective ways of making things happen!

I Like You ...  Social media really is the latest and greatest way to stay in touch and let your customers know what you're up to.  Offer a coupon to those who Like you on Facebook.  Don't forget to post often and encourage customers to visit your page for deals not offered anywhere else.  Placing cyber-coupons on your page makes it easy for customers to effortlessly "carry" your coupons, rather than clipping and cutting and arriving with a messy tangle.

You can take it with you ... Colorful bookmarks with your company name and address; recipe cards with your kitchen store hours; coloring sheets or squeaky new crayons for the little ones -- offer your customers something to take with them and you've struck marketing gold.  Now they are reminded of you each and every time they bake a pie or turn a page or are presented with another masterpiece from their child.  You've become part of their everyday world.

Don't Be Shy ...  Link your promotion to a public event.  Sponsor the local run/walk race and offer a free gift or discount from your storefront for all of those who participate.  Being seen in the community helps to show customers that you're not just the shop on the corner, but an integral part of the town.

There are many (many!) ways that we can market.  Choose the vehicle that seems right for you ... or stretch yourself a bit!  Reaching out to your customer as we would any friend will create long-lasting, profitable partnerships.  

"In the world of Internet Customer Service, it’s important to remember your competitor is only one mouse click away."   Doug Warner

... or a call away, a block away, an advertised sale away ...  

Although Mr. Warner may be referring to internet customer service the truth is that, whether we're clicking it or walking it, Main Street is bigger than ever.  Even savvy business owners can no longer be confident that their customers are captive audiences, as theirs' isn’t the only game in town.  Customer service is more important than ever.  It not only keeps one's customers coming back, but it's often the linchpin for drawing new customers through the door. 

Here are a few basic rules to not only draw new customers, but new-to-you customers!

To thine own self be true.  Bill Shakespeare must have owned a small book store!  Remember when all this began?  Remember your great idea, your enthusiasm for the products you carry or the service you provide?  Get back there!  Being true to your mission statement, true to your dream, will instantly provide a certain level of service that your customers will feel, respond to and (better yet) spread the word about.  Trite but true:  Your business is a clear reflection of who you are.  When people feel comfortable with you, they feel comfortable working with you.

Whatever you are, be a good one.  If you are the Mom and Pop diner with your storefront nestled between the florist and the hardware store, don't try to be the shiny new giant Starbucks down the street.  Know that there is a service you provide that can't be -- and isn't being -- duplicated by a competitor.  Know your niche and embrace it rather than putting your efforts into becoming something else.  Abe Lincoln's homespun wisdom seemed to work for him!

Would Macy's tell Gimble's ....?  Run your own race, but keep your eyes open.  When seeking to draw (and you should seek to draw!) clients who are unhappy with the service a competitor is offering, first take a look at what exactly that service is.  Do your research.  Pull some of your competitors' brochures.  Visit their web sites.  How are you the same and where do you differ?  How can you differ?  What client-base isn't being served?  Armed with your competitors' marketing strategies, it will be easier to see what's worked and what hasn't. 

Make new friends, but keep the old!  There is little that frustrates a long-time customer more than finding your storefront emblazoned with a banner offering special discounts to new customers.  Should you advertise to welcome them?  Absolutely!  That being said, you may want to herald in your campaign targeting new customers at the same time you offer a customer appreciation celebration.  Want a little more bang for your buck? -- run your customer appreciation week immediately prior to your welcoming-new-customer offers.  Your current customers will feel you thought of them first -- and your new customers are likely to have seen how you value your old customers, as well. 

Revisiting the core of your business -- who you are -- is the fastest route to becoming who you want to be and will provide invaluable insights into how to get there.

The Cordial Greetings Team encourages you to take your lead from the budding trees and flowers around you  -- make this be the spring your business blooms brightly!