Post it, like it, tweet it. Whatever the message, these days it seems that the only way to market is short and speedy. But how do you know if your quick blurb landed in the spam folder or ever reached your friend?

One approach that has never gone out of style is the sophistication and personal touch of the thank you note. But for those needing a zippy new marketing trend, we’ll call it Appreciation Marketing: a tangible, thoughtful greeting card that arrives in a real mailbox, not a virtual one.

The thought of driving to the card store, sifting through the choices, finding the envelope , buying the stamps and getting the card written leaves most busy people thinking it’s just one more thing to add to the list, and one more thing to feel guilty about when they don’t follow through.

Taking that burden off yourself and having it done for you may seem like the type of service that only top level executives have access to. However, it’s available to anyone for a fraction of the cost of the standard greeting card shop purchase.

I saw the hidden power of thank you first hand when I challenged myself to send one unexpected greeting card each day to those I encountered. At the time, I had a thriving business in home staging and redesign. Like most people, I had often thought of sending a thank you, but would put it off until it seemed too late and embarrassing to do so. Making the effort to keep up my challenge began when I asked myself, “What is something I could appreciate about them?” and then pushed myself to follow through with the action.

As I began to send the cards, I was amazed at the reactions of the recipients. Many would telephone me to thank me for the thank you. I realized that many of us assume that people know we are thankful for what they do, but the recipients were thrilled to be acknowledged. Gratitude, whether it be for the reliable member of the car pool, or the committee member that always stepped up to take on a project, came back to me multiplied. It seemed the more I gave, the more I received.

I had stumbled upon Appreciation Marketing, and witnessed its power before I knew it had a name. It just seemed to me to be a nice thing to do. I knew that many were missing out on a great way to make a connection because they were not following through when prompted to say thanks. Then I found an opportunity and system to expand upon the idea of expressing gratitude through a company called Send Out Cards.

Send Out Cards began in 2004 and has been growing by leaps and bounds since then. The simple idea of a thank you or congratulatory greeting is made almost effortless with an easy to navigate website. From the boardroom or your kitchen table, with a few mouse clicks, you can choose a card, sign it and be assured it is mailed

Just like exercising a new muscle, getting in the habit of sending a card opens up a new flow of goodwill between you and your customers, colleagues, family and friends. The beauty of a service like Send Out Cards doesn’t stop with the ease of selecting a greeting and clicking send. As you build your database, you also build a record of cards you have sent, when they were sent and the occasion, so there is no second guessing.

Oscar Wilde said “The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.” Simple acts of gratitude are long lasting in the minds of your clients. Let your words flow from a heart filled with gratitude. They will know, and remember.

No longer will those opportunities to send a kind word pass you by. Send Out Cards is the tool to help you reach out with more than a quick informal email or instant message. The surprising benefit is that it also makes you feel almost as good as the recipient. Don’t take my word for it, you can give it a try on me by visiting www.SendOutCards.com/krisporter.

And, if you need a fancy name for it just to feel like you are using the latest marketing techniques, remember, Appreciation Marketing, it never goes out of style.




Kristine Porter of KP-BusinessMomentum.com is a Senior Manager with Send Out Cards, an on-line greeting card service offering cards and gifts for all occasions.

I've noticed lately that I get so busy thinking about what is next on my busy "to do" schedule, that I get to the end of a busy day and am not sure I let others know how much I appreciate them.  If I don't make a conscious effort to "notice" the color of the eyes of the person serving me, then I know I'm too busy.  When was the last time you thanked your server, and commented on his  or her eyes? 

There's more to life than merely increasing it's speed.  Just ask George Jetson, at the end of the cartoon when he hops on his treadmill and the dog & cat make it spin too quickly.  Do you find yourself screaming, "Help, Jane!  Stop this crazy thing!" 

Thanks for stopping by to check-out my new blog.  I enjoy talking over a good cup of coffee, or laughing about something silly I read.  I also love to let people know how much I appreciate them, NOW, in the moment!  Life is made up of tiny moments...I don't want to miss anything.

What do you remember most about your childhood? 

I've been contemplating that sentence, now that my youngest (of 4) is graduating from high school.  I want her to remember how proud we are of her, all her accomplishments, from learning to ride her 2-wheeler to driving a car, to acting on stage, to singing with joy. 

Yet when I think back on my childhood, I remember tiny moments more than big accomplishment...getting ice cream at Zestos one hot summer night, stubbing my toe and having my Dad carry me home, and getting to stay up late catching Lightening Bugs.