The Power of the Pen

loyalty-from-customers-and-employees

We all know what a pen is – however my question to you is…”Do you know how powerful the pen can be?” Think about it, we write checks, sign our names on credit card slips and point of sale machines. This little instrument gives us the power to spend our money at the retail shops, restaurants and professional services of our choice.

But you may wonder what makes us decide where we shop, eat, buy our groceries and choose professional services such as hair care, massages, chiropractic care, etc. As a consumer, we don’t want to feel like just another number. We want to feel special and appreciated. That’s why you see businesses, credit card companies and coffee shops offering VIP rewards, special sales and offers. They want you to come back and use your pen to purchase from them.

As a business owner, the flip side of the coin is how are you using your pen to keep customers coming back? A colleague and outside salesman shared this true story with me.

“He had sold product to a nonprofit organization for a number of years. As in any type of sales, there is competition. One day the governing board of the organization contacted him and asked for a meeting. They said they were tired of dealing with multiple vendors, wanted to simplify their ordering process and were giving all their business to him. He was rather surprised at the outcome of the meeting.

As the meeting was coming to a close, the board asked him if he wanted to know why he was awarded the business. Of course his answer was YES. They then showed him a hand written thank you letter from his company that they had received after placing their first order years prior. They told him that the extra effort the company took to let them know their order was appreciated was WHY they chose to give him all of their business.”

Because of technology, shooting a text or email is much quicker and easier to do. We abbreviate things, copy and paste something in the body of an email and perhaps the receiver may take a few seconds to read it. Based on what you put in the subject line, maybe the note went into spam or a junk folder to be deleted without a thought. The art of a hand written note has gone by the wayside. It takes time, thought, a card and a stamp. All that extra effort – is it worth it? I think so.

Not only does the thank you work toward creating loyal customers, think about your employees. When was the last time you took the time to write a hand written note thanking them for all they do? After all, they too are the face of your company.

Find your pen, invest in branded note cards and let others know how thankful you are for their support and their business! I invite you to share your success stories with us.

About the author: Autumn Edmiston is the CEO and owner of the Edmiston Group. The Edmiston Group is a multifaceted Pittsburgh based marketing consulting firm providing senior level marketing management services to businesses and non-profit organizations on a short or long term basis. Core areas of service are business development, marketing, strategic planning and public relations. The Edmiston Group has consistently delivered and implemented real-world, proven business marketing ideas and strategies for business growth.