At  Christmas time, I blogged about calling your clients to wish them a happy holiday instead of pushing against the emotions of the season and trying to meet with clients who are not inclined to do so at that time of year. 

Let’s take this a step further. In your business, do you send Christmas cards and birthday cards to all your clients?  Or even to your clients’ children? I remember every single year when I was a kid I received a birthday card from my parents’ insurance agent. I had never met the guy and wouldn’t know him on the street. I thought this was stupid then and I still do.

There are people in this industry and maybe in others too, who still follow this old tradition and send, or probably have their assistant send, birthday and holiday cards to all their clients. I truly think this is largely ineffective and a waste of time.

Don’t get me wrong, a hand written card or note is classy. I love sending them and people appreciate it. There are times this is the perfect approach. And it is very different from simply signing your name on a card you didn’t choose with the recipient in mind and sending hundreds of them to everyone on a mailing list from your database. That is cold, impersonal and pretty meaningless and I have a very hard time believing it works.  

How much nicer is it to pick up the phone and give it the personal touch? Most people are just tickled to say hello and hear a sincere happy birthday wish from someone who isn’t related to them! It makes people feel special. Ask them how they plan to celebrate. With some clients, I even sing happy birthday!

For those with the difficult task of having to make sales calls all the time, these are happy calls; easy calls.  This method not only makes your clients smile and feel they matter, it gives you the opportunity for a conversation. A conversation which may reveal they want to meet with you. Or that they need your help with something. Things a card cannot do.

This is a much more personal connection to make. It saves trees and postage.

Want to try it? Who’s got a birthday tomorrow?

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