raebates
08-25-2009, 05:05 PM
Here's what happened today. I got an out-of-the-blue call for a show. To find out how it happened, travel back with me in time . . .
Four and a half years ago I did a show at which the host was one of my friends. One of the guests was a woman I'll call Karrie. Two years later I ran into Karrie at a training event. She had had no interest in a PC business at the time of my show, but a year or so later she had gone to a show and decided to give it a try. The funny thing was that she still got my enewsletter because she enjoyed it. I expressed my best wishes on her new business and thanked her for her kind words about my newsletter.
At NC 2008 I spoke with a director who turned out to be Karrie's director. I found out from her that Karrie's life had changed a bit, and she had stepped away from her PC business.
Two months ago I got an email from Karrie. She was giving me a heads-up about her friend who might be calling. She was thinking about a fall show. Karrie had had a show or two with other consultants she knew from her cluster, but she kept thinking about how much fun she had at the show I'd done years ago. Since she was still getting my enewsletter, she was sure I was still a lot of fun. I told her it was amazing that she'd called when she did. I was just getting ready to institute a referral program. Details would be in my next newsletter.
Today Karrie's friend called. She scheduled a September show. She's always had "big parties," and is excited to get started on this one. I just emailed Karrie with her reward for the referral.
I keep thinking that if I had dropped her from my enewsletter list because she'd started her own business I'd never have this show. And, who knows where this show will lead.
Customer care (whether it's calls, newsletters, or kind words) really does count.
Four and a half years ago I did a show at which the host was one of my friends. One of the guests was a woman I'll call Karrie. Two years later I ran into Karrie at a training event. She had had no interest in a PC business at the time of my show, but a year or so later she had gone to a show and decided to give it a try. The funny thing was that she still got my enewsletter because she enjoyed it. I expressed my best wishes on her new business and thanked her for her kind words about my newsletter.
At NC 2008 I spoke with a director who turned out to be Karrie's director. I found out from her that Karrie's life had changed a bit, and she had stepped away from her PC business.
Two months ago I got an email from Karrie. She was giving me a heads-up about her friend who might be calling. She was thinking about a fall show. Karrie had had a show or two with other consultants she knew from her cluster, but she kept thinking about how much fun she had at the show I'd done years ago. Since she was still getting my enewsletter, she was sure I was still a lot of fun. I told her it was amazing that she'd called when she did. I was just getting ready to institute a referral program. Details would be in my next newsletter.
Today Karrie's friend called. She scheduled a September show. She's always had "big parties," and is excited to get started on this one. I just emailed Karrie with her reward for the referral.
I keep thinking that if I had dropped her from my enewsletter list because she'd started her own business I'd never have this show. And, who knows where this show will lead.
Customer care (whether it's calls, newsletters, or kind words) really does count.