Last month I picked up a pair of 10-pound hand weights at one of those used sporting goods stores. It was called 2nd Wind Sports and located in a strip mall near my optometrist. I had no intention of going in until I found myself waiting in line at the register, gently used dumbbells in hand.
The man who rung up my sale was very friendly. We chatted about health, fitness and the onset of spring – a glorious time in Chicago. As I left I remember thinking that I when I improve enough to require a set of 12-pound weights I would absolutely shop there again.
But what really solidified the relationship was the handwritten thank you note I received a few weeks later. Yes, you read that right–it was a note penned by a real person thanking me for my business and encouraging me to visit again or call any time with questions.
All I can say is WOW! And that’s not the only handwritten note I’ve received recently. I’m working with a professional book writer to assist with my forthcoming book on social networking. After we spent a grueling day working side by side on the content, he too sent me a handwritten note of thanks.
I was so impressed, so delighted, that I read it aloud to my husband. When is the last time you’ve done something so small yet extraordinary that your customers told their friends about it?
I firmly believe that social media and digital marketing are powerful tools that you should be incorporating into your mix, but don’t dismiss the value of old fashioned marketing and recognizing people as people, one handwritten note at a time.