Just last week, I
used the last receipt form on my counter, and went in search of a new
receipt book. It was a fruitless search... I had just used the very
last one in the office. Grumbling, I berated myself for not paying
closer attention and went to check the mail.
Surprise, surprise!
In my mailbox, was an advertisement with my name scrawled across the
top. It asked if I had forgotten to purchase receipt forms, and gave
simple directions to get them overnight!
It was like a
message from heaven! How did they know my name, and the fact that I
was out of receipts? Of course they have computers that keep track of
regular orders... they know approximately how long it is between your
orders, and take advantage of the knowledge, but the impact of a
personal message at just the right time astounded me.
What's in a name?
Power, for
starters. When someone says your name you stop what you're doing and
respond. When you see your name in print, you perk up and pay
attention. Yeah, a name is a powerful and magnetic tool that gets the
attention of your customers.
Don't be afraid to
use your customer's name. Address any mail to them personally. Put
it on their emails. Your correspondence is much more likely to get
read when it has their name scrawled across the top.
Real name vs.
screen name.
Sometimes it's hard
to get the real names of potential customer who come to you on the
Web. With a little research, you can usually find their name
somewhere in the email address or on the header of their emails.
Can't find it? A screen name will work, but won't have the power
their real name would have.
Set the example.
Sign all of your emails with your real name, and see how many
customers respond with their real names. It's almost automatic. Once
you've captured a name, store it with the email address so that it's
ready to be used in future mailings.
Be careful not to
OVERDO it!
The key here is to
be natural... you wouldn't say my name 6 times in a conversation that
consisted of about 3 paragraphs. Don't annoy the heck out of your
customer by doing it in print. A good rule of thumb is to use the
first name 2 - 3 times per email.
Personalize your way
to greater success, by using customer names.
Who is Allyn
Cutts, and why should you care?
Allyn has spent over
24 years helping businesses like yours find new customers and increase
sales to current customers. Allyn is a marketing and sales fanatic,
providing measurable marketing solutions that drive huge results for
small-to mid-size business clients. Allyn works personally with
clients to design and deliver off-line and on-line direct marketing
strategies that focus on metrics and measurable results. You can learn
more about Allyn Cutts at
www.AllynCutts.com and you can call 610.437.4106 between 10 AM and
4 PM Eastern Time Tuesdays and Thursdays.
