Connect Simply

Do you want more business?
Do you even have to think about that question?
How about more of your ideal customers?

I’ve always been told that the fortune is in the follow-up. One of my favorite newsletters is by Felicia Slattery, Communication Consultant, Speaker & Coach. Today I was pleasantly surprised, (well maybe not totally, I know she writes good stuff), to read Felicia’s article on how to ask for more business. For Felicia’s examples and tips on how to follow up and ask for more business, click on the more button and read her sage advice.

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Christmas is fast approaching and you haven’t even started your gift giving. Very business season, and you haven’t had a chance to come up for air.

Yet you would love to send out gifts of appreciation, if only you could find an easy way to do such without hiring temporary help, which is in short supply come holiday season. I’d like to share a simple quick way to have your personalized gifts sent out quickly,

1. Set up a SendOutCards account.
2. Upload your database names and addresses.
3. Pick or create your own personalized Christmas card. If you hurry, you’ll have time to get your handwriting font on the card
4. Send card to each person on your gift list, adding a personal note. You can pick a gift card to be added to the card such as Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Blockbuster, Home Depot, Walmart, 5 Restaurants in 1, Old Navy, etc. If you prefer a physical gift, you can choose from a variety of treats such as carmels and chocolates, cookies, brownies, tea, gormet coffee, nuts, etc. Each of these gifts are packed to send priority mail, with your holiday greeting card placed in a clear envelope and placed on top.
5. Click Send. And your card and gift will be printed, packaged, addressed , shipped and mailed.
6. Enjoy a stress-free Christmas season!

If you’d like more info, please contact me, and I’ll personally see that someone walks you through setting up your gift giving account.

Some corporations have it all together. Their holiday gifts were planned back in July, ready to be mailed first of December, if not already shipped out.

These tips are for the rest, whether you are a new and quickly growing company, so busy expanding that you forgot to properly thank your business friends who helped you reach success, or those who simply prefer putting things together at the last minute.

• Check your corporation’s gift policy. Are you allowed to give gifts? How much?
• Check IRS’s gift policy, how much gift giving do they allow you to write off as business expense?
• Don’t stress, if you hurry you can still get your gifts out for Christmas. Just don’t wait any longer.
• Think about the person you are giving a gift to, what would they appreciate? Enjoy? What would make their day?
• Send gifts. (Be sure to check back tomorrow to learn a simple time saving shortcut to do all of this)
• Or be different, send out holiday cards now and give gifts throughout the year, a thank you gift for a referral, a one year anniversary gift thanking a client for using your services for a year, give gifts celebrating a different holiday.

Whatever you do, make sure that your clients, business associates, employees, know how much you appreciate them. Don’t take them for granted.