Greeting Card Etiquette

One of my very favorite quotes from Maya Angelou is:

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."        

I think sending a real paper card is one of the nicest little tokens of appreciation we can give someone these days. I know when I open my mailbox, I'm excited when I find something personal, like a card.   I smile and I usually keep that card to remind me of that person especially if it was a genuine heartfelt personal card.

I find that society has become more and more dependent on computers and that the art of sending a real paper card is fading away.  However, there is a wonderful company that has found a way to use technology to send real paper greeting cards.

This is the time of year when there are a lot of occasions and events that we may find ourselves sending or receiving greeting cards, such as graduations, showers, weddings, etc.    

Like all forms of social communication, greeting cards come with their own set of established etiquette rules. Close friends and family members love to receive greeting cards from you regardless of whether or not you follow etiquette guidelines perfectly, but business colleagues and other influential contacts you'd like to impress will certainly have a more discerning eye. And typically more formal invitations, such as wedding invitations are more scrutinized and I have listed some basic guidelines at the end of this post.

Here are some general guidelines for sending greeting cards:

·       Put some forethought into your card selection Your card should match the style and intent of the communication.  This will ensure the greeting card indicates your warm wishes were given some forethought.

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·       Let your envelope set the stage.  Since the envelope is the first thing recipient sees, you want to ensure that it is addressed properly and the information is correct.  If you are addressing formal cards for weddings, etc.,      this is one place that Ladies are not always first, unless they outrank the man of the house.  (Refer to handout).

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·       Plan ahead.   Allow plenty of time for your greeting to arrive.  For a casual invitation, it needs to arrive at least ten day to two weeks in advance.  For more formal/wedding invitations, 4 to 8 weeks is the guideline.

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·       Add extra special touches. Although formal greetings for colleagues and clients should be more friendly than heartfelt, personal greeting cards for close friends and family members deserve an extra special touch. Writing and creating custom cards with a personal message, or including a gift makes your greeting card more memorable.

And if you are Sending greeting cards, then you are probably also sending Thank you cards.  I think one of best things we can teach our children is the importance of writing thank you cards and the proper way to Write thank you cards.   

Tips for Thank You Notes:

·       Be timely – Write and mail your thank you notes immediately or as soon after the event or receipt of the gift as possible.   Sending notes weeks and months after the occasion or event loses sincerity.

o     If you are late in sending your greeting card, try to make up for it by putting extra thought into your personal note.    

·       Mean it when you say thank you!  People get it when you genuinely mean something and also when you are just going through the motions.

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·       Keep it Short - Only one or two sentences at the most. Anymore than that and you are running the risk that it will not be read at all.

·       Be specific about what you are thanking people for.  Sometimes it means even more when people know what they are being thanked for e.g. ‘Thanks so much John for the book on resume writing.  I will certainly put it to good use.’  Or 'Thank you so much for the coffee pot with the timer.  You know how we LOVE our coffee.'  It makes the whole exchange richer and more meaningful than just a casual generic “thanks."

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·       Smile - Smile while you are writing the note because it will put a positive slant on your words and your happiness and enthusiasm will be conveyed to the reader.

·       Post It - Always use the traditional mailing method for your thank you notes. There is more of a chance that they will remember your note if it is delivered in an envelope, more so than they would if it is just another email on a long list of emails that may not be received or read.

The most beautiful thing about truly thanking someone is that it creates a deeper and instant bond between people.

In 1922 Emily Post wrote, "In writing notes or letters, as in all other forms of social observance, the highest achievement is in giving the appearance of simplicity and naturalness."

My interpretation of that statement is, it is better to write a simple note and mail it in a timely manner, rather than get hung up on what is proper etiquette or not.

Quoting Lydia Ramsey, business etiquette expert  – It’s not about the Rules, it’s about the relationships.

Such a small gesture of appreciation and gratitude should be a habit in everyone's personal and business life.  

Rules for addressing Envelopes for Business,

Formal Communication and Invitations:

·         Always write titles on the envelope. The card or invitation goes to "Mr. John Smith," not "John Smith." It is addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith," instead of "John and Mary Smith."

·         When addressing a couple, use titles, rather than professional initials.  It’s “Dr. and Mrs. John Smith,” not John Smith, M.D. and Mrs. Smith.”

·         If both the husband and the wife are doctors, you write, "The Doctors Smith." However, if they use different last names, address the envelope to "Dr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Brown." The husband's name is placed first.

·         If the wife is a doctor and the husband is not, send the invitation to "Mr. John Smith and Dr. Mary Smith."

·         Try to get it all on one line. When the husband has an unusually long name, the wife's title and name are indented and written on the second line:

The Honorable Jonathon Richardson Staniskowsky and
    Mrs. Staniskowsky

·         When a couple is not married and share a mutual address, their names are written on separate lines alphabetically and not connected by the word "and."

Ms. Mary Brown
Mr. John Smith

·         When sending to a married woman who uses her maiden name at work, address the cards to “Mr. and Mrs. John Smith.” If she prefers to use her maiden name for all occasions, work and social, address the card to “Mr. John Smith and Ms. Susan Jones.”

·         When the woman outranks her husband, her name is written first. It's "Major Mary Smith and Lieutenant John Smith."

 Note: The man's name is always written first unless the wife outranks him or if the couple is unmarried and her last name precedes his alphabetically. So much for "Ladies first."

The above information from http://mannersthatsell.com/index.html

Happy Card Sending,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

Show Some H.E.A.R.T.

 It's almost Valentine's day and love is in the air.  Our thoughts are of hearts and love.  Do you Love your customers?  Do you appreciate their business?  When was the last time you let them know?  Did you at least let them know the last time they did business with you?

Over the past couple of months I have done business with several local businesses, i.e. HVAC, handyman, mover, bank, and carpet cleaners.  All of these people I know from various networking groups in which I participate.  I choose them to do my work because I trusted they would do a good job and they all did.  I have no complaints on their timeliness, the quality of their work, or their price.  So, you ask, what is my beef.  Two of the five sent me a Thank You card expressing how much they appreciated my business.  And just a side note, they didn't use my service, but at least they took the time to send a Thank You note.  The other three, not a phone call, not an email, nada, nothing.  Now I know that being 'in the business' I am a little sensitive on the subject of sending thank you notes, but not to get ANY kind of thank you from these three businesses really shouts volumes to me.

Following up and saying thank you is a simple little thing that makes a business stand out from all the rest.  It doesn't cost much and it doesn't take up that much time.  I believe it is essential to express appreciation to clients when they make a purchase, but I also believe it's important to let them know periodically that we appreciate them.  Valentine's Day is a good time to do that. So show some H.E.A.R.T. to your clients and let them know you care and appreciate their business.  I believe it will yield tremendous results and make some very loyal clients.

H  heartfelt

E  expressed

A  appreciation to clients yields endless

R  referrals in no

T  time

Happy Valentine's Day,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"

 

Peanut Butter

I love peanut butter, in fact there are even times that I actually crave the stuff.  I'll eat it straight out of the jar with a spoon.  I especially like the extra crunchy kind.  What I like even better is chocolate with my peanut butter.  Reese's is my very favorite candy.

But I digress.  My liking peanut butter is not really the subject of this blog.  What I dislike, really hate, is when a 'peanut butter' approach is taken in a business situation.  For instance, you belong to a group or organization and some infraction has taken place.  A mass email goes out to everyone, not to do this, that, or the other every again.  If something wrong was done, then why not address it with the person(s) in question, rather than use the 'peanut butter' approach of spreading the blame around.  I didn't do it and I don't appreciate getting these types of emails filling up my inbox.  And usually the person(s) that actually did the infraction, either doesn't get or read the email or thinks that it doesn't apply to them.  

Working in the corporate world for almost 20 years, I found this to be quite the norm.  I was a call center manager for many years and often received emails from other departments with instructions to tell my team not to do thus and so.  I always asked for the particulars, because I felt if you addressed the issue directly with the person(s) in question, the issue could be resolved a whole lot quicker and more effectively, rather than using the 'peanut butter' approach and reprimanding everyone.  My approach was spread the praise and not the negative.

So I guess the moral to this story is; eat your peanut butter and enjoy it and think twice before using the 'peanut butter' approach to get an issue resolved.

In appreciation,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good'

How to get the most out an expo

You spent your money on a booth.  You invested your time.  You gathered lots of leads and prospects.  Now what?  As the old saying goes...The Fortune is in the Follow up!  Did you know only 20% of vendors follow up after a trade show or expo?!

I often participate in local expos and I make it a point to make my rounds to the other vendors typically before the expo starts.  The reason I do this is that the other vendors are typically my best prospects, so I want to meet them before all the activity starts.  I try and introduce myself.  I also register for or put my business card in the fish bowls for the drawings in hopes I'll be a winner. :)   I know that by doing so. my contact information will probably end up on the company's email distribution list.  However, I'm amazed at the ones that never follow up.  The statistic above of only 20% of vendors following up is about spot on and the other 80% complain they didn't get any business or wonder why they didn't get business.

Expos and Trade Shows aren't always about the sales.  It's sometimes more about exposure and connecting with people.  Even if the traffic is light, take the time to really engage with your potential clients.  Some of my my best clients came from the smallest and least attended events.  Always go with a positive attitude.  Good comes from everything.  Sometimes it may be six months later before you reap the benefits.

Here are some tips on things to do after the event to get the most out of your trade show investment:

1.  - Follow up at least 24 to 48 hours after the event.  Those that were 'hot' prospects, call and find out their needs.  Schedule an appointment to meet with them ASAP and/or send them additional information.
2. - An email blast is great to say thankyou to everyone who stopped by your booth.  Contstant Contact is a great service to use to follow up.  It gives the ability to send a professional email with photos and special offers to all prospects and it usually makes it through most spam folders. 
3. - If you offered a door prize, be sure and announce in your email blast, on your website and/or Facebook Fan Page who the winner was.  This adds to your credibility.
4. - Perhaps offer a special 'Expo discount' if they purchase within a certain time frame.  Or if the event was for a fund raiser, offer to donate a portion of your sales to the organization.
5. - Sending out 'thank you for stopping by' via traditional mail is also a good effective follow up.  Send a greeting card or postcard within 2 to 3 days after the event. Again perhaps with a special post expo offer.
6. - Keep in touch.  People buy when they are ready to buy and now may not be the time.  Add your prospects to your distribution list/CRM and follow up with them periodically.  It usually takes someone hearing from you 7 to 8 times and then they to have a need before they are ready to buy.  If you stay 'top of mind,' you'll be the one they call or refer.
7. - When they do buy or provide a referral - say Thank You!  Send a thank you note perhaps with a gift card.

Think beyond the immediate sale.  Work on building the relationship.  To keep relationships strong, companies need to regularly remind clients that they are important to them.  They also need to remind them who they are, what they do, what services they offer, and why they are their best choice for their product or service.  Busy people tend to choose the fastest solution to a problem.  By keeping in touch, a company makes themselves stand apart from the rest of the crowd and their clients and prospects are more apt to call them the next time they need their product or service.

What other advice would you offer to maximize the investment of participating in a trade show or expo?

In gratitude,
Annette
Painted Lady Enterprises
"Helping You and Your Business Look Good"