Last week’s blog (Bad News for ‘Hot Guys Reading Books’) generated some interesting feedback, including my new favorite phrase to refer to lights out operations—roboprinting. While I received some supportive and insightful comments, my favorite response arrived in my mailbox yesterday.
Unexpected mail is always a little exciting. And when I opened this envelope, I was blown away. The letter was from a UPS Store in Jacksonville, FL. The owners, Jim and Shirley Burns, read my blog and have logged on for some of the many webinars that Bill and I have presented. [You can find the most recent offerings, “The Short Attention Span” weekly webinars here.]
Here is an excerpt from the letter. “Your recent article...both inspired and deflated me. I had a few synapses of my own start to fire, and could definitely see the ‘print lives’ theme used in our own little print world.”
Shirley included three pages of stickers that she designed herself and printed in color, and I sure hope she plans to use them in her own sales efforts.
Here are the lessons to take away...
Inspiration can come from anywhere. Even though my article was a critique of one element of our industry, Shirley found an idea of her own to use. This is a great reason why reading industry publications can be more than educational or motivational. You can occasionally find your own creativity inspired. What would make me even happier would be if Shirley now starts her OWN blog, if only in some small part because she was inspired by PI bloggers.
Validation feels GOOD! It was incredible to get this letter from these UPS Store owners, because it can sometimes feel like you are shouting into the abyss when you write ablog. To know that there are folks out there reading regularly makes me feel so good. And when people feel good, good things happen. All this positive energy floating around in the universe is good for all involved. And yes, I really DO believe that.
Go one step further than pasting a Comment or sending an e-mail. What made Shirley’s efforts so meaningful is that she took the time to write a letter and UPS it to me. Imagine how your customers and prospects would feel if you took steps like that to acknowledge them. It could be for a favorable article in the newspaper, an award they have won, or taking notice of some interest that they have and sending along some memento of it with a quick handwritten note
I guarantee you, your efforts will not go unrewarded. Maybe not every time you put yourself out there, but you WILL see benefits from your unique attention.
If I ever need something printed in Florida, you can bet I will be calling on the Burns’ shop in Jacksonville. And if there is ever anything I can do to help them, you can bet I will. It’s just the karmic thing to do.
Thanks again Jim and Shirley Burns for the lesson (and the topic)!
- Categories:
- Business Management - Marketing/Sales
Blogger, author, consultant, coach and all around evangelist for the graphic arts industry, Kelly sold digital printing for 15 years so she understands the challenges, frustrations and pitfalls of building a successful sales practice. Her mission is to help printers of all sizes sell more stuff. Kelly's areas of focus include sales and marketing coaching, enabling clients to find engagement strategies that work for them and mentoring the next generation of sales superstars.
Kelly graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in Political Science and, among other notable accomplishments, co-founded the Windy City Rollers, a professional women's roller derby league. She is also the mother of two sets of twins under the age of ten, so she fears nothing.