How To Create Customer Loyalty & Get Valuable Feedback In 35 Seconds
I have been doing something with my businesses for years and if you have ever purchased an advertising package from I Love Hits you will know what that ‘thing is’. I send post cards, thanking customers for their purchase. I’ve been doing this for a number of years and when I started, every single card was hand written and a stamp licked and placed on the card.
Technology is a wonderful thing and thanks to programs like Send Out Cards I can address a card and send it in about 35 seconds. It’s a really cool technology and saves me trips to the local post office.
Why send cards? Simple, building my brand and customer loyalty. It costs me about 50 cents roughly to stamp a card and send it and the return on these cards is huge. People enjoy getting ‘thanked’ for their purchase and only a handful of traffic exchanges around the net say ‘thanks’ like this.
But something else I have been doing, has really got me super excited about post card marketing and that’s to generate feedback and suggestions on how to improve my business.
For example, I now send ‘exit surveys’ on post cards when people unsubscribe or cancel a subscription with me. I simply ask them how I could improve my business and if they would be so kind, as to send me a note with their feedback.
Wow! Some of the answers have been so valuable and this is critical for any business to get feedback to improve. Regular emails to these customers didn’t get much response, but sending a post card, I get messages from clients with some great suggestions on how to improve.
This stuff has always been something that has helped me build successful traffic exchange businesses for years and if you use post cards in your strategy, you will see some amazing things happen. 99% of the people that read this, will not start using post cards. For the 1% that do….Get ready for some exciting strides forward!
What kind of strategies have you used to ‘thank’ your customer? Let’s share some examples and comment below!
Related posts
Tagged with: customer service • delivering happiness • how to sell in traffic exchanges • traffic exchange • traffic exchange business • traffic exchange community • traffic exchange consulting • traffic exchange expert • traffic exchange guy • traffic exchange guy consulting • traffic exchange industry
Filed under: Uncategorized
Like this post? Subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
This is right on John thanks for the post as a insurance sales agent for AFLAC as well as your Sweeva Support person With AFLAC we used to send out personal thank you notes and I heard time and time again how much they appreciated it and as your sweeva person we just had a customer comment how they loved getting a card in the mail from sweeva
Larry – thanks man. Yup that’s the purpose and it feels good too. I mean so many times we in this business get ‘yelled at’ and told we are rotten human beings LOL
it’s nice to have some good feelings now and again
/warm & fuzzy
Hey Jon,
Thanks for the reminder. This program has been around for years and I have been presented with it by many marketers. I had never thought of using it in such a way as you have described. I could see how you would get priceless information and feedback from it.
Just one more reason I need to just go and do it
DA
Hi Jon,
I still have your cards that you sent me when I purchased my Lifetime upgrades in ILoveHits and SwatTraffic. They made an impression on me and I sure noticed you more!
That’s definitively a good business strategy!
Oh no!! Jon is going to spam my snail mail…. Just kidding …think its a great idea
It seems like a terrific way for us Internet people to give out something tangible that people can touch and feel. And it’s also a way to make yourself stand out — something ridiculously simple and not particularly expensive that makes people remember you.
Great suggestion!
Definitely one I’ll put in my arsenal when finances allow … I’ve never gotten one though
Diane
Thanks for the post here Jon. I had thought about this several times but never knew how it would translate in the TE industry.
Hey Jon,
Funny you should mention this. Quite a while back, I took your special offer for a lifetime upgrade at ILoveHits and received one of your postcards. Just a few days ago, I ran across the postcard while I was “uncluttering” and I thought again, “What a great idea!” I was so impressed that the postcard is still here, and did not end up in the trash barrel.
Nina Nestoroff
http://viralcashlist.com/link/upl
Thanks everyone for the great comments. Much appreciate everyone’s input. Does anyone have any other ideas on how to increase our ‘thank you’ output =)
Right on, Jon. I know how much I appreciate cards from my Dentist, Doctor, Broker, etc.
When I unsub from a mailing list, I usually give the reason. I don’t generally unsub from TE’s.
I appreciate you keeping things stirred up. It keeps the room active.
I’ve been using postcards too for a while now and I think it is really the least I can do to say THANK YOU to my customers. Just like with every business, my customers are the lifeblood of my companies success so it is worth doing everything you can to create a positive experience for them. I feel like the postcards, which I do hand write, are a way that I can personally and honestly thank each customer (that includes a shipping address with their payment). I have not been doing exit surveys but that’s a great idea.
I know that I personally like to feel appreciated by a company and knowing that they understand how valuable I can be as a customer so when I have things like this done for me, when a company goes out of it’s way to show it’s appreciation, I will return 100% of the time, as opposed to companies that not only thank me but then also provide poor service. A lot of people don’t seem to “get it” or for some reason feel their customers aren’t worth the effort or expense to go that extra mile before, those little things make a world of difference to me.
Great idea Jon.
However, I purchased a lifetime upgrade off you a while ago, but I never got a card.
Love it John, great post.
Cristin – wow, seriously? I might have missed it. I do apologize about that.
Patsy – Yup, with this technique, people DO leave feedback and it’s so valuable
Sounds like a good idea but I do not remember giving my address when I joined I love Hits and I know ad exchanges don’t ask for addresses. I have a feeling a lot of people would not join if they had to give their address considering the lengths some go to to hide their identity.
You would not find me if you did have my address I have moved twice since I joined.
My script does not tell me when someone unsubscribes I just know someone has because the number is less than yesterday.
Admin mails are rarely read in the ad exchange business, even when the title makes it clear they need to read it. I have manages to increase the reading of mine from less than 1% to 7% by adding a promo code now and then. It is still very low.
Hi Jon,
A very good and thoughtful post. The card idea is great. I have been approached by Send Out Cards and never really saw a major use for them. This is a good idea, except for the trouble of getting address.
As for other ways to thank customers, I try to let my downline know how much I appreciate them. I know I don’t do that enough. I also use a feature at some exchanges to gift credits as a thank you as well.
I do encourage people to add me to Skype , so if they do, a quick phone call I think would do wonders. I havn’t done this yet but since you have me thinking I will have to give it a go.
Thanks for the inspiration,
Nick
Jean / Nick – The mailing addresses are provided by PayPal. If you have a verified account, the person you purchase products or services from is provided the address for shipping.
Just like your email, name, etc…Nothing you ever send me will be shared, sold, ever. You are safe with my businesses.
Hey Jon,
Great post. There are a lot of ways to use cards to generate customer loyalty and get more referrals.
I’ve been with Send Out Cards for 6.5 years now. I originally didn’t intend to do the business side of things I just signed up as a distributor in case I could make enough money from referrals to pay for all the cards I sent.
I signed up with SOC in order to be able to send cards to my existing customer base. At the time it was only about 200 customers and there wasn’t a lot of profit in it. I wanted an affordable way other than email to communicate with them, ask for referrals, show them other products, etc. I wasn’t even thinking about customer loyalty and customer retention!
Then a strange thing happened.
1. I discovered that the cards helped with customer retention
2. I discovered other savvy business owners who saw the cards started asking me about how they could use them for their business
I send cards AND gifts for all sorts of reasons. If I get ANY customer I send them a gift. I send them a $12 box of brownies. It could be a $3 customer or a $300 customer. But I want them to know they are important to me. I want them to have my phone number and email. I send them those cards why? Because they keep a card, they don’t tend to keep an email but a lot of them save the cards.
Jon, try this one. You own “i LOVE hits” right? Try sending a Valentines day card that says:
“I bet you’re wondering why you’re getting a Valentines day card from me? Because I love my customers. Thanks for being a customer of I Love Hits.”
I’ll be sending out Valentines to my customers again this year. LOL.
Also don’t forget your JV partners and top affiliates. Send them cards!
Heck I even send cards as an invitation to a webinar, invitation to meet with me at a event, etc. There are a lot of reasons to send cards.
BTW I’m going to be borrowing your “exit survey” idea
If you want more ideas this week I’m starting a new 4 week teleseminar series called 40 Ways to Grow Your Business using greeting cards, postcards, and gifts. Jon’s referral link for that is:
http://www.40waystousecards.com/jonolson
Thanks Ben.
Yea it’s funny because people do not know how such a little investment, I think it costs me like 50 cents roughly to send a card, can translate into hundreds of dollars, etc…
Everyone talks about ROI in this social media age, how’s that for ROI? 50 cents into 300 bucks LOL
Jon:
Great idea about the post cards; although, the return may be very low, it doesn’t take many to make the effort well worthwhile. I’ve found people crave something tangible from using digital products or services – it must be that human contact thing…
Even if they don’t respond, it still seems to enhance the customer’s trust of their mentor or provider. Something to the effect of, “…there really is a person behind all those emails!” Consequently, any future purchases from that seller comes with much less contemplation on the customer’s part.
I had learned this reciprocal exchange of benefits when I was in direct-mail marketing. I would send all of my prospects postcards or letters in hopes of getting more sign-ups for whatever MLM program I was promoting. The return was only 2% or less, but the ones who signed-up and replied (less than 1%) became repeat customers.
buckboyy
Alan , thanks for that. I also send the cards because it just feels good to say thanks. I mean of course I want repeat clients, but I’m a big fan of this new ‘thank you economy’ we are starting to see in 2011 (copyright Gary Vee) lol
As the owner of a brick & mortar business, I have been sending out a variety of cards to my customers since we opened our doors. The variety ranges from Thank You cards, Christmas Cards, and special announcement cards with an occasional Get Well or Sympathy card. I usually include something free with the card. For me it is easy, we can give out free rentals.
The special cards are hand written with Announcements being a form letter with my signature.
These have always been very much appreciated.
For something new to create customer loyalty, it is always a matter of engaging the customer. I have started some online games by using the social media sites. This has peaked some curiosity and is bringing in some younger crowd.
Keep it fresh. Not always Easy but Imperative.
Hi Jon,
I love to reread your blog post again. When I was in an MLM business I did post cards when people join, when they had birthdays, and also when they unsubscribed. I also send them postcards at Christmas even thou they were no longer with me.
Veronica Smith
http://veronicasmithonline.com
Excellent post. I learn something more challenging on different blog sites everyday. It is always stimulating to read content from other writers. I’d love to use a bit of the content on my blog site if you don’t mind. Of course I’ll give you a hyperlink to your blog page. Thanks for sharing.