Messy Writing & Chalk - 3 Reasons Why You Should Put the Personal Touch on your Business
Well, seeing as I’ve started to throw a couple thoughts out there on this blog, I thought I’d do up a second post..
I write a lot in my down time. I think it’s a vital part of the creative process, especially for a photographer. And not just typing words out like I am right now…but actually grabbing a pen, marker, chalk, etc and putting your personal touch on an a surface in front of you. It has more of an impact than you and others may realize.
These pages are filled with years of goals, insights and memories. I write and take pictures to keep things out of my head. Hopefully I’ll learn a thing or two along the way as well.
As Terry O Rielly’s book “This I Know” states “customer service is marketing”, and I couldn’t agree more.
But I didn’t always know this.
Your work can be great, but if no one knows about it, you’ll have a harder time reaching a wider audience.
I didn’t know customer service marketing because I didn’t have customers!
Over the years, myself and the creative professionals on my team have always tried to put a personal touch on our marketing + customer service interactions. If you’ve been to our studio before, you likely have seen an example.
Some very small, simple ways of doing so, from writing their name on the door of the studio to make them feel more welcome to a hand written note, thanking our client for their business.
But why? It’s easier to just make copies. It seems like a lot less work.
Plus, who knows what to write? It all seems generic and insincere, right?
Just put the same message down and put it in front of people - good enough.
Well, here are 3 reasons why you may consider otherwise:
A Memorable and Lasting First Impression
A sincere little message, customized directly to your client - not for social media, not for a mass audience - but for one client. It leaves a great first impression, and a lasting impression after.
I think your business card, along with a personalized note will stand out from most other cards that person has collected in the past few months, if not years.
My messy left-handed writing has led to meetings with people I still work with a decade later.
2. It’s Cheap and Easy
While I prefer to consider the words “thrifty” and “simple”, cheap and easy get the point across even better I guess.
Order business cards in bulk . They are cheap. You are thrifty.
Writing a note on the back of your business card and handing it to someone you just met almost feels like handing a signed autograph to a fan. Maybe not quite, but you are leaving them with a piece of you - your personal touch, your identity, your personality. All of this can be expressed in just a sentence or two.
Shadow Box Studios door signage for an Amanda Diaz Workshop.
3. The Connection Shows You Care
People are less likely to throw away a hand written marketing piece. It shows you care. This is for them, not 1 of 1000 copies.
In this digital and isolated time, people value this sort of connection. Letters, notes, thank you’s, gift cards are all more well received when you put some effort, time and your own messy handwriting.
Just a couple thoughts for today.
How do you put a personal touch on your business? I’d love to get inspired by some more ideas.