Pixels CAN Become Personal… The internet world has almost decimated lasting personal communication. Cards, letters and pictures have been replaced by a floating digital world. Gone are the days of leafing through a ribbon-bound stack of love letters, or even birthday and holiday memories complete with pictures. And if you think that this is happening in your home, it’s almost completely gone from business relationships. “Appreciation marketing is still as necessary as ever in developing and maintaining customer relationships,” said Anna Graeber, a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) expert who specializes in helping businesses connect with their customers and business partners. An e-mail, she explained, just doesn’t do the job of sending a smile or communicating emotion. E-mails fill our inbox with tasks, follow-up items, spam, and every once in a while a flaming missive. It’s incumbent on today’s business person to forge a personal bond, that one-on-one experience that makes the interaction mean more than a dollar sign. Graeber uses many tools to build connections; however, one of her favorites is the old- fashioned greeting card with a new twist. As important as it may be, most business people and homemakers just don’t have the time to shop for the perfect card, write it out (in impeccable penmanship), address it, stamp and mail it. New technology has created platforms where this is a snap. An interesting aside, she pointed out that people’s mailboxes are not as full as the e- mail inbox. Direct mail is an excellent way to reach out to friends, family, business associates, and customers. In fact, from a business standpoint, direct mail is making a serious comeback as a top marketing tool. “Pixels can become personal,” Graeber explained. Uploading an image, creating a heartfelt thank you, birthday, thinking of you, and many different holiday cards can happen in minutes. “The result is long-lasting… we have found when people receive a card with a picture, they do not want to throw it away.” Graeber consults with businesses on how to create custom CRM outreach strategies. She recommends software and helps with the creative process, complete with the companies having the ability to have their own logo and website on the back of every card they send. Graeber also consults with families on the ease of turning the pixels in their computers into beautiful photo cards, photo books, posters, and more. “People never forget the way you made them feel” Graeber said. “My job is to help you create an atmosphere where your valued customer knows they are more to you than a dollar sign.” And the funny thing is it’s a great way to increase your revenues. To learn more and arrange a consultation: www.icareCRM.com anna@icareCRM.com 707.255.5242 J U LY / A U G U S T 2 0 1 2 55 SPEcIAL ADVErTISEmEnT
NVLife_JulyAug_2012
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