Keep Those Cards Going Out!

As we finish up our first Peak Producers class in Indy and get our second class underway in the Lafayette office, I wanted to share some more of Brian Buffini’s approach to developing and maintaining a steady level of activity and revenue and avoiding the extreme peaks and valleys that come with the traditional approach to the business.

One of Brian’s keys to achieving that steady level of business is consistent, personal contact with our “database,” his term for that well maintained list including our clients, sphere of influence, contractors, friends, and family. He says that “Writing personal notes is the most powerful and least expensive way to grow your business!” Here are the Top 6 reasons for us to write personal notes:

1.              Personal notes leave a positive, lasting impact.

2.              They help you build a database of high quality relationships.

3.              They deepen your personal and professional relationships.

4.              Personal notes show you care and make you a more likely candidate to receive referrals.

5.              They make you stand out from the competition.

6.              They can make someone’s day!

And here are some tips on the Who and the When:

Write notes to:

·      Your clients—current and inactive (I don’t like to call them “past!”)

·      Family and friends

·      Your personal service providers; doctor, painter, landscaper, accountant

·      Lenders and title agents you do business with

·      Business owners you respect

·      Someone you’d like to meet

Write notes when:

·      To follow up a mailing, phone, call, pop by, or a meeting

·      After you’ve received a referral (duh!)

·      When someone does something that you appreciate or after you have received excellent service

·      Before, during, and after a transaction

·      To re-establish contact

·      To simply make someone’s day.

The bottom line is that personal, handwritten notes, even with only a sentence or two, DO make us take notice when we receive them, so making personal notes a lead measure as part of your daily rainmaking activities is sure to help you build and maintain relationships and earn more referrals on a proactive basis.

So fill up that trusty fountain pen!

David M. Hassler

VP, Director of Business Development