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Why You Need to Stop Wishing Customers Happy Thanksgiving

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Services for Real Estate Pros with The Silent Partner Marketing

The Silent Partner Marketing on why you need to stop wishing customers a Happy Thanksgiving.As of this morning, I've received no fewer than 147 emails from assorted vendors wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving.

The text messages started flowing at 11am yesterday.  I'm sure that by 5pm they'll reach a fever pitch, flowing as freely as the wine being passed around many Thanksgiving tables.

Oh, you cared enough to send me a mass text?  Or to email me a generic graphic wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving?  Why, you SHOULDN'T HAVE.  No, really.  You shouldn't have.

Don't get me wrong.  I appreciate you thinking about me.

Or, in most cases, not forgetting about me is perhaps more of an accurate statement.

Come on now - you know exactly what I'm talking about.  You're going through your email list or scrolling through your contacts going, "did I miss anyone?"

Don't get me wrong.  If someone wishes me a Happy Thanksgiving during the course of a conversation, I'm all in.  I'm not one of those people who gets all offended at the mention of a holiday.  I celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, birthdays, and just about every day that I have an excuse to eat cake or turkey.  Even if it's a holiday that's not my religion.  Because I believe we're all children of the Big Baker in the Sky.  Society is too damn politically correct for itself these days.

I digress. 

Here's what I'm getting at.  How about a little personalization, ya know?  How about making me feel like I'm an important customer...not just another customer?

Your customers are thinking it.  Hell, you are probably thinking it too.  And now you're shaking your head in agreement because you realize what a bozo move you've been pulling on every major (or minor) holiday.

So here's your marketing challenge...should you choose to accept it.  Stop the mass texts and emails right now, because nobody cares.  They just DON'T.

Find a different reason to contact them on a regular basis - just because.

Drop by the office with some cupcakes on National Cupcake Day just because and tell your customers you wanted to let them know how much you appreciate them.

Call them out of the blue to see how their family is doing.

Send them a personalized email.

Text them a random thought.

But copying me on a mass email wishing me a Happy Thanksgiving?  Really - you shouldn't have.

 
Posted by
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Kyle Reyes is the President and Creative Director of The Silent Partner Marketing, a boutique marketing firm focused on helping businesses grow in an age of exploding technology.
 
Reyes is an acclaimed Keynote Speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, marketing and social media.
 
The CEO is a former Producer of News and Special Projects, having worked in broadcast journalism for nearly a decade.  His team offers a marketing one-stop-shop, filling the role of a Chief Marketing Officer and support staff at a fraction of the cost of having to worry about the payroll, taxes, benefits, etc.
 
Reyes has appeared in multiple media outlets including Aol.Com, Yahoo and Bloomberg Business. 
 
You can find him on FacebookTwitter, Instagram and SnapChat (@dasilentpartner).  And he wants to connect with you on LinkedIn, so send him a request!
 

Comments(111)

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Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Retired Home Stager/Redesign

What I learned

Nov 29, 2014 10:20 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Kyle, not a fan of the mass email anything! Too much stuff to muddle through to get to the good or necessary stuff. Enjoy your day!

Nov 29, 2014 08:39 PM
Kyle Reyes
The Silent Partner Marketing - Manchester, CT

You are the best, Kathy Streib - thank you!

Agreed, Wayne Martin

Nov 29, 2014 09:18 PM
Michele Connors
The Overton Group, LLC Pitt & Carteret County - Greenville, NC
Your Eastern North Carolina Realtor

Totally agree ! Good to see this got this weeks thumbs up from Kathy as I missed it the first time around. It is much better to be genuine and sincere than one of the dozens of contacts shooting a 2 second thought totheir contact list !

Nov 29, 2014 10:29 PM
Kyle Reyes
The Silent Partner Marketing - Manchester, CT

Thanks so much, Michele Connors - and thanks Kathy Streib as well!

Nov 29, 2014 10:39 PM
Kristin Johnston - REALTOR®
RE/MAX Platinum - Waukesha, WI
Giving Back With Each Home Sold!

I can see why Kathy included this post in her weekly summary...thanks for sharing!

Nov 29, 2014 11:22 PM
AJ Heidmann ~ CRS
McEnearney Associates, Inc. - Alexandria, VA
YOUR Alexandria & Arlington, VA Real Estate Expert

Kyle - Great point of the need to try clients as individuals & special, versus just part of a contact list...  Nice post.

Nov 30, 2014 12:04 AM
Sharon Tara
Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH
Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

What a well deserved Feature!  I am sick of deleting all those "holiday greetings". Enough already!

Nov 30, 2014 12:10 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

I agree! It's nice to be thought of...really thought of. But the auto generated emails just annoy me. 

Nov 30, 2014 12:17 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Hmmm... I guess I don't get annoyed as easily. Whether it's a mass greeting or an ad, I don't have any problem with the delete button. 

Nov 30, 2014 03:05 PM
Beth and Richard Witt
New York, NY
The best Retired Brokers !!!!

Excellent post Kyle ...  and thanks to Kathy including you in her Ah-ha moments I didn't miss it...

Dec 01, 2014 12:59 AM
Will Nesbitt
Nesbitt Realty at Condo Alexandria - Alexandria, VA
Nesbitt Realty is a family-run brokerage.

Kudos on the featured blog, Kyle Reyes at 866.432.6456.

Dec 01, 2014 05:52 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Good point, I got quite a few myself.   Like  everything else, what seemed like a good idea a few years ago, is losing it's novelty and meaning. 

Dec 01, 2014 09:09 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Kyle - I get plenty of these e cards from people with whom I have had little contact.  You are right.  It is just mass email.

Dec 01, 2014 10:01 AM
Julie A. Black
KAUAI DREAMS REALTY Kauai Real Property Specialist - Kapaa, HI
CLHMS, CRS, GRI, Realtor, Broker

How abou Happy 4 days after Thanksgiving? Love this post.

Dec 01, 2014 12:40 PM
Brian Olsen
Portland, Lake Oswego, West Linn & Dunthorpe Neighborhoods, Waterfront, Luxury & Floating Homes - Lake Oswego, OR
Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Group | Keller Williams

MERRY NEW YEAR!?

Dec 01, 2014 12:56 PM
John Grissom
Berkshire Hathawy HomeServices Elite Properties - O'Fallon, IL

I like Julie A. Banks idea, it is still a mass email but will get more attention.  I still think many enjoy a mass (insert holiday here) email if you make it personal to You or funny in a remind them of you way.  I agree the stock  Happy .... from what ever company packaged send outs is lame but if your client expects a laugh or a good tidbit they will read them and remember you!  I start with the stock from the company and add my twist.

Dec 01, 2014 09:27 PM
Barry Kessler
Pinnacle Estate Properties, Inc. - Simi Valley, CA
Barry Kessler

Very true. But there will be many out there who will say whenever you can get a touch in...it is all good. 

Dec 02, 2014 02:29 PM
Jeff Jensen
The Federal Savings Bank/Lending in 50 states - Greenwich, CT

What about sending out a self written poem like John McCormack?

Dec 03, 2014 07:11 AM
Ann Marie Clements
Remax Realty Group - Gaithersburg, MD
Montgomery County & Frederick County

I agree! I think that people should be thankful and be filled with gratitude all year long...a mass e-mail. NOT!

Dec 03, 2014 07:55 AM