There are moments in life where we find ourselves being served either an “Aha” or a “Duh”
An “Aha” is an eye opener. It’s something that changes our behavior and leads us down a different path.
A “Duh” is the same thing as an “Aha” but it comes as the result of you doing the very thing you were busy telling people “I know that” and yet you weren’t actually doing it.
On Friday, I was served up an abundant helping of “DUH”!
I’ve known my whole life that birthdays are a cool time to acknowledge people and yet I can’t say that I’ve been very good in the “remembering to acknowledge everyone” department.
Upon further reflection, I give myself a failing grade in the “do something memorable” department.
Let me give you some examples.
Tessa Stowe sent me a very cool card and a box of brownies that were quite delish. It not only made my day, but it was the perfect example of practicing what you preach, because she sells Sendout Cards for a living which helps people do this very thing!
Brilliant (and I really did dig those freakin brownies)
A travel agency that I used a few years ago (and didn’t like at all) sends me a birthday card every year signed by everyone in the office, with a scratch off lottery ticket.
Note: I gave this agency a whopping $1200 in business. I gave another agency well over $20,000 and I never hear from them.
What’s wrong with this picture?
The $1200 agency might just win me over for no other reason than “out caring” the other agency!
Jamie McLennan sent me a really cool ball inscribed with a birthday message that ended with “hope you have a ball”
Note: Who the hell doesn’t like embracing their “inner kid” like this. Kudos Mr. McLennan!
So here’s the point (several actually)
1) We need to capture birthdays somehow, whether we check the profiles of those in our network, ask people etc.
2) We need to set an alert on our phone, in our crm, outlook, all of the above?
3) We need to do at least the minimum which is simply wishing them a happy birthday.
But this is just the minimum folks . . .
Here’s how you can kick it up a notch.
Spend some time thinking about this!
Ask yourself “In what ways can I acknowledge birthdays in a way that I differentiate?
Managers/Small Business Owners: This is exactly the type of question you should ask in your next meeting. Actually, that’s only partially true, challenge your team before the meeting to come prepared with 2-3 ideas to share with the team. Appoint someone as the “scribe” to capture all the cool ideas, compile a word doc and send it out to everyone.
Presto . . . you now have an arsenal of way cool ways to acknowledge birthdays!
Oh, and don’t you dare believe anyone who tells you that their birthday doesn’t mean anything to them.
So what say you Sales Playbook community . . . Is this business of acknowledging someone on their birthday (and doing so in a way that helps us differentiate) just a bunch of warm and fuzzy, touchy feely BS or is this yet another way for us to stay Top of Mind and “out care” our competitors?
Paul works with individuals and companies to help them achieve greater levels of awesomeness. For more info . . . click here!
This is very on the spot for me, I’m bringing a cake to a Fraternity Brother today; I’m hoping to do some printing for his company. Your right Birthdays count, if yo don’t believe that forget your wife’s birthday and see what transpires. Rock on Herb
That’s a great point Dan I don’t even want to think about what would happen if I forgot my wife’s birthday 🙂
That’s a great point Dan I don’t even want to think about what would happen if I forgot my wife’s birthday 🙂
This is so important, Paul. In fact when I don’t have a client/prospect’s birthday, I send them an “unbirthday” card and suggest that if they’d like it on time next year, to send me their date. I also do this for anniversaries for married clients.
With regard to your box of brownies, I also use that card company, and send a birthday card that actually has the person’s picture on it – usually stolen from Facebook – and make it special enough that they share it with their friends. Wonderful word of mouth. My relationship to the client dictates whether they get a gift with it or not, but most do.
I also like to send cards on weird holidays, like blue popsicle day or Kermit’s birthday or something with a fun activity inside. This allows me to keep in touch with people throughout the year in a memorable, fun way, and again, my clients talk about me to their friends because of it. Total win-win.
I love your “unbirthday” idea Darlene!
Thank you!
As was stated in “Alice in Wonderland” UN-Birthdays are so much better because we have 364 of them every year!
I also like the unbirthday suggestion, great idea. I’ll have to try it
Great idea Paul! I must admit, acknowledging key customer’s birthdays has never even crossed my mind! I will certainly give this some thought going forward. And you are right, being memorable and doing something different will go way further than doing the same old same old than everyone else is doing. Everyone seems to be doing Christmas (or the holiday season) and I have put some thought in to acknowledging different holidays to be more unique.
Me too Tim!
We’ll get through this together buddy 🙂
Thanks!
You are a good man Paul Castain, a good man! Thanks for the insite as always!
I thought it was all BS and I was one who really didn’t give a rip about my birthday. Until I got piles of Happy Birthday greetings on Facebook. A very small thing, but it made my day. I now have a Smart Task on Act! for birthdays.
Same here Steve Great point!
Every reason to get in touch with your customers or business relations is a good one.
Something I like to do is send out a handwritten romantic card or small present to clients I’ve been working with for exactly a year to celebrate our “anniversary”. Most of them think it’s fun, one called me a weirdo 😀
Thanks for the inspiration Paul,
Wim
Thanks for the reminder — I also had a coworker congratulate me on my company anniversary date — I thought that was really neat and have tried to pass that along also.
Have a great holiday weekend.
Debbie