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. Whats in a name? Power, for starters. When someone says your name you stop what youre 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. Dont be afraid to use your customers 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 its 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. Cant find it? A screen name will work, but wont 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. Its almost automatic. Once youve captured a name, store it with the email address so that its ready to be used in future mailings. Be careful not to OVERDO it! The key here is to be natural... you wouldnt say my name 6 times in a conversation that consisted of about 3 paragraphs. Dont 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 Copyright 2006 Cutts Group, llc |
