I’ve written blog posts before on great customer service and other things about making your employees and customers happy. I want to take a moment today and let you know about some things that I’m working on to make working with me the best experience ever. I believe that going above and beyond for a client is something a lot of companies are forgetting to do in this busy world of ours.
People would rather take 10 seconds to send a happy birthday text to a close friend or relative rather than taking time to get an actual card for them and send it in the mail. The same goes for businesses. The ones that contact me online and through the mail are the ones that really stand out to me now. We are losing those extra special touches that made the businesses of the past so successful. I do my best to make the entire experience of hiring me and working with me enjoyable and memorable.
I was in a mastermind group a couple of years ago and the one member was showing everyone his wax stamp setup. He’d put his wax seal of approval on a card attached to his products and also on letters he’d send out. I remembered seeing and hearing about people using wax seals back in the days of George Washington or before. It was something that was used to seal a special letter or for a seal of approval on a very important document. It’s that seal that shows you nobody tampered with it and didn’t get inside the envelope. To me is just gives the mailing a sense of class that was lost a hundred or more years ago when things were a bit simpler.
I ended up asking my marketing friends for their wax stamp maker connection and got one made as well. I liked it so much I even had a logo made with my wax stamp as the model. You can see it in the banner above.
I looked at it and thought it was something that showed this company took extra time to make their customer’s experience extra special. It was that classy little touch that was pretty cool to me. It’s something people don’t see everyday and it stands out.
Many, many years ago and possibly still today in some countries, people wore special rings that they’d press into the hot wax. Their one of a kind seal showed it was this person and only this person that sent and sealed the message. They’d also put it at the bottom of a document like a seal of approval. It was almost like their signature. Now most people just use gold stickers. I think a wax seal is way cooler. Don’t you?
Here is a really cool page about the history of wax seals if you are interested in learning more: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/02/13/wax-seals-a-history-and-how-to/
When I send out an agreement to a client, I send one out via email so we can get the ball rolling a little faster, but also send a hardcopy off to them. Yes, I know they can print up the digital copy, but I like the added touch of sending the follow-up piece in the mail to touch base.
I heat up the red wax, drip it onto the envelope and gently push the metal stamp onto the burning hot wax sealing the agreement in the envelope. It matches my logo and people seem to like it. This is just one of many things I do to add special touches to the entire experience of working with me. You’ll get to see how it looks when we work together.
“Care more than others think wise. Risk more than others think safe. Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible.” – Claude Bissell
Excellent Customer Service For New And Returning Customers.
Over the years I’ve received special new customer deals on my cell phone service, internet, cable TV, etc. The companies you aren’t currently using send you an advertisement in the mail for an incredible deal, if you switch to their service. A year or so after you switch they raise your rates through the roof since the promotional rates expired. Why do they mess over their longtime loyal customers, but give deals to people that never used their services? That doesn’t seem right to me.
As a customer you never receive anything in the mail letting you know they are dropping your high rates just to be nice. Sometimes if you call to complain, they’ll tell you about a special offer, but only if you call them. They aren’t calling you letting you know how you can drop your rates for no reason at all.
I like keeping my clients around and do my best to keep them. I want them happy before, during and after working with them. A lot of my bookings are from repeat clients or referrals from my clients. Some are also new clients that find me online or call me after receiving a postcard or something in the mail from me.
I treat my longtime clients the same great way that I do my brand new clients . That’s how it should be. I don’t automatically double your rates like your cell phone company would after you use my services once. I actually have packages available where you save money the more presentations you book.
I’m currently working on a new section of my website for clients that book direct, where I’ll have the capability of setting up VIP client pages that are tailored for each event / client. You’ll be able to log-in and see my rider, stage and room setup suggestions, see my flight arrival and departure times, download promotional photos and other info to print in your programs (if you have one), etc.
I’ll also be able to set up conference calls via telephone or Skype to talk to you and your committee if you need to discuss anything. It’s going to take a while to get up and running, but once it is, my new clients will have access to it. It will give you everything you need to know for before I get there, when I arrive and even when the event is over.
This is just one more way I’ll be able to you feel like the VIP customer that you are. I truly appreciate your business and I look forward to working with you again soon. If you aren’t a former client, I look forward to getting to know you and making your corporate event the best ever. While you are here, sign up for my email newsletter using the form below. I’ll send you some great information that will help you in planning your next event.