Holiday Cards...

...or more specifically Christmas Cards for past clients.

Do you send?

Good Idea?

Bad Idea?

Why?

Can't hurt.

Last year I even sent Holiday Cards to VENUES that I hadn't played.... I did get two calls, but didn't book either one.

Last year, I didn't really have many customers to send cards to... this year will be better. :sqbiggrin:

Poll added... your name will be listed along with your vote.

Can't hurt.

Last year I even sent Holiday Cards to VENUES that I hadn't played.... I did get two calls, but didn't book either one.

Last year, I didn't really have many customers to send cards to... this year will be better. :sqbiggrin:


Don't you send to all of your past clients or just the previous year? I can imagine for those that have been in the biz for a long time that list could be quite long if you sent a card to everyone.

I'll let you know.... I'm only back in business for 2 years. :sqbiggrin:

I send a New Years Card to most of my previous clients.

When you send cards, pay attention to what you say inside. It can make a difference. You can PM me and I'll explain the difference between "sending to give" and "sending to get".

Hey Alan where in heck have ya been we've missed you here I hope Kirby is sitting down when he see's you posted today lol. PM a number and I will phone to catch up.

Yes, Alan good to see ya around...you'll have to visit here more often!

Kirby

Thank you sir....I shall do so!!

I have sent as many as 350 cards and as few as none. I like to get them out and who makes the list largely depends on how much time I have to get them out. I start with current clients, venues, etc and work over to friends in the biz, etc. Sometimes I send to clients of past years, sometimes just the past year.

After viewing the poll results, I can see that some people see no benefit to sending a card, and some just never thought of it. After receiving a few PM's, I decided I would just explain it as I see it.

In this day and age of the internet, the traditional methods of marketing don't work as well as they used to. Anyone can use Google to find a hundred DJ's they can call. What you should be using is what is called "Relationship Marketing".

Every one of your past clients, venues, etc. are a potential sales person for your company. They talk to friends and associates on a regular basis. When a friend mentions needing a DJ, will they recommend you? If you do a good job, they might, but what happens after a year or two has gone by...will they still remember your name? Or will it be "the guy I had was good.....what was his name?"

To keep your name fresh in their minds you need to make your relationship with them more personal. I'm not satisfied with them recommending HotTrax Entertainment, I want them to say "Give Alan a call!"

The easiest way to do that is to send a card.

Why do cards work great? Think about it. When you're going through today's mail, most flyers get thrown away, bills get tossed aside, but we all recognize the shape of a greeting card, and we open it immediately. So you've overcome the first obstacle to getting your message out....it won't get thrown away without being read.

Now that they opened the card, what will they find inside? This is the difference between "sending to give" and "sending to get".

If the card is full of self-promotion, then it's obvious you are sending the card to "get" something. If it reads like a mini sales flyer, it will probably get tossed.

But if the card is written from the heart, it will be thought of warmly and kept around.

So what do you put on the card?

First, it's almost guaranteed not to be thrown away if you put their picture on the card. It will sit on their desk or mantel for years, with your message inside, if you put a great photo of them on it.

So what about the inside?

If you had all your past clients standing in front of you, what would you want to say to them? You'd probably say thank you, and that you really appreciate their business. This is "Sending to Give", you are giving your thanks and appreciation to them for hiring you over all the other choices. No self-promotion, no hype, just a simple thank you.

Joe Girard is listed as the Worlds Greatest Salesman in the Guinness Book of World Records. One of the things he did was send a card every month to his past customers that simply said "I Like You!". He sold on average 6 new cars every day for 15 years!

Although the "thank you" cards do not give any immediate return, in the long run they will win you more good will. You have become a friend, and friends get recommended. So by "Sending to Give", you wind up getting more than if you "Sent to Get".

What you want when you're all done is not hundreds of past clients, you want hundreds of friends!

Now sending "Thank Yous" and Christmas cards can be time-consuming and expensive. If you'd like a solution to that problem, you need to PM me as I won't reveal that on here.

Take care!!

...or more specifically Christmas Cards for past clients.

Do you send?

Good Idea?

Bad Idea?

Why?

I don't send them to bar venues, but I do send them to past and present private clients. High quality a must, I get them custom printed.


Um, Joker, you send yours via E-Vite? :sqlaugh::rofl::sqlaugh:

Um, Joker, you send yours via E-Vite? :sqlaugh::rofl::sqlaugh:

Nah I fax mine... I use to send out stone tablets but the mail carrier was getting pissed.....:sqwink:

I don't send them to bar venuse, but I do send them to past and present private clients. High quality a must, I get them custom printed.

The trouble with custom printing is everyone gets the same card. No personalization.

The trouble with custom printing is everyone gets the same card. No personalization.



Only the graphics are custom printed. I personalize the innards.

Only the graphics are custom printed. I personalize the innards.

That's what I meant, the front of the card. You can't personalize it by putting their wedding photo, birthday photo, etc., to ensure that it gets placed somewhere that it will be continually looked at.

That's what I meant, the front of the card. You can't personalize it by putting their wedding photo, birthday photo, etc., to ensure that it gets placed somewhere that it will be continually looked at.

You could have one of those cards printed up with the insert cuts for a photo... car dealerships do this all the time... they take a photo of you by your new car then just send a card on the anniversary of the purchase with the photo inserted like you would a business card.

I stand corrected! :sqwink: