If you have been reading my past blogs, you know that I highly recommend staying in touch with your past clients and prospects using a marketing program that is not necessarily real estate related. Most sales people use some type of self promotion marketing which in so-many-words says "look at me I'm really great" or "I'm better than anyone else in this business". That is a big turn off for many prospective buyers or sellers not just for real estate agents but anyone that is in the business of selling a service or product. Then there are sales people who no matter what the occasion will put a business card in their mailings to past clients.  You know what I think of that - it's dog poop! If the recipient is a past client don't you think they know what you sell!! People rather you let them know how much you appreciate them.

Last year while looking for a way to get in touch with past clients just to say 'hi how are you?" I came across a program called Send Out Cards.  Actually I was on Plaxo making a connection with a Realtor in North Carolina when I noticed a link on his message for Send Out Cards.  I clicked the link snooped around some and liked what I was seeing; however since I really did not know him personally I went to the company website to check it out a little more.  There I realized the cards were just what I needed to accomplish my goal of getting back in touch with those I had not contacted in a while. They were not your typical real estate cards - well there are some on the system - but for the most part they would meet every Greeting card need I would ever have as well as general marketing.  The company would only refer me back to the "person who introduced" me to Send Out Cards.  So I signed up under the Realtor from NC.  To this day we have never met but have talked via the phone on several occasions. 

It would be an understatement for me to say I love Send Out Cards!! The program is more than I ever thought it could or would be. A contact management program where I can create campaigns and schedule for them to be sent monthly, quarterly or whenever I want without having to do anything else. I can do all my holiday cards in February or any month to be sent on a particular date in December without doing anything else. There are more than 15,000 cards to select from or I can upload my own photos to create a personal card.  I now use the program for all my closing gifts as well because I can include a gift with the card - anything from gourmet foods, jewelry, books and gift cards.  Yes they have Just Listed and Just Sold post cards or I can create my own using a photo of the property.

Here is a couple of really great features.  Birthdays or Anniversaries, if you have the month and date in the contact manager you receive a reminder about 10 days in advance. I don't know about you but I'm a little forgetful when it comes to trying to remember more 500 to 1000 birthdays.  Here is the best feature - I never have to go to Hallmark or a drug store to stand there looking for the perfect card that says exactly what I want it to say - I can hand write the card myself yet never touch it, never have to buy postage, box the gift or take them to the post office - the company does all that for me.  I just use my computer to create the card.  Yes it is my personal handwriting, the company sends a form for you print the alphabet in upper and lower case, all the puncation and numbers then they create your personal fonts and upload to your program. Another great feature, I can import my contacts from Outlook or many other programs.

Are you thinking this must be really expensive. You will be amazed that it not that expensive. The cards are available in three styles; post cards, double fold and tri-fold cards.  Depending on the program the user selects to purchase will determine the price of the cards but all are under $2.00 including postage.  I pay $0.62 for a double fold card plus $0.44 postge for a total cost of $1.06.  Thinking you may want to check this out! I invite you to go to this website, click on the banner ad and feel free to send a couple of FREE cards. Just make sure one is to yourself so you can see the quality.  Here is the website: http://www.DeeSendsCards.com

How will this help you business.  I'll let you know in the next blog!!