‘I’d gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.’
Recognize those words?
Straight from the mouth of J. Wellington, aka ‘Wimpy,’ famous for his appearances in the Popeye cartoons.
Wimpy’s unforgettable character first aired in 1934. Interestingly, 70+ years later, his words still contain a nugget of truth: Tuesday is the day.
A 2007 survey conducted by Pitney Bowes revealed that Tuesday was the #1 arrival day for direct mail for three reasons:
1. It’s the lightest mail day in the U.S.
2. Having your letter delivered to a prospect on the day they receive the least amount of mail boosts your chances of the piece being opened and read!
3. Every other day in the week falls short.
HERE’S WHY: according to a related article in CRM Today, Monday is a bad day for contact because the Monday Blues will be descending and thoughts will be split between the weekend’s activities and the challenges that the week holds in store.
By Tuesday the weekend has quickly become a distant memory and minds are focused.
Any day thereafter, the mindset may be, ‘Well, I’ll deal with it next week.’
So, Tuesday is the day.
HERE’S THE CHALLENGE: what pieces do you send to prospects, customers and potential clients that are unique, memorable and persuasive?
I’m glad you asked. Here’s a list of seven ways to convert Touchpoint Tuesday into Wealthy Wednesday.
1. Event Postcard. When my St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 (woo hoo!) I bought a box of limited edition postcards and sent them out to my top 50 prospects. On the back of the card I wrote ‘GOOOOOO CARDS!’ Half of them called me back within two days. One client even booked me to do another round of training for his hotel! Going…going…GONE!
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What well-known, hometown event/holiday could you leverage to make your prospects think of you?
2. Article. If you come across an article that’s relevant to your prospect, his company or his industry, send that baby out! Emailing a link works best, although snail-mail and faxing works too. Just be sure to leave a little note (on your stationary, of course) that reads, ‘Thought of you when I saw this!’
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What publications are your prospects reading?
3. (Your) Article. Better yet, send them an article YOU wrote. If it’s online, shoot them an email with the link. If it’s in print, send a copy in the mail. If possible, use your prospect as a positive example in your article. Then highlight that section when you send it to them. Appeal to their ego.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What did you write today?
4. Travel Postcards. Every summer I spend a few weeks in Geneva, Switzerland, speaking at a youth leadership camp. One of my traditions is to stop by the local souvenir shop, pick up a few dozen postcards, grab a seat with a view of the Alps and spend the next half hour telling my prospects, ‘I wish you were here!’ NOTE: the key to this technique is to offer Social Proof. Don’t forget to ‘mention’ in your postcard that the reason you’re traveling is because you’re working with an existing client.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
When is your next business trip? To whom are you going to write home about it?
5. Mindshare. Sales isn’t about MARKETshare, it’s about MINDshare. So, complete the following sentence: ‘If my prospects saw (x), they would think of me right away.’ Now send them one.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What item immediately makes people think of you?
6. Blog Posts. Similar to emailing an article, try sending a blog post to your prospects. I do this every time I return from working with a client. I’ll blog about the speech by showing pictures and sharing stories from audience members. Sometimes my client will even comment on the post! Then I’ll email that blog post to similar prospects and say, ‘Just got back from another successful program in Pittsburgh! Thought you’d like to see a few pictures…’
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
What’s your excuse for not blogging yet?
7. Pictures. If you store your pictures online at Flickr or Photo Bucket, email the links to your prospects. CAUTION: be sure your pictures are 1) high quality, 2) professional and 3) show you doing what you do. Demonstrate value by sharing pictures of you and your existing clients laughing, having fun and working well together. Think of it as a testimonial, minus the words. Let the picture do the talking. And make your prospect think, ‘Man, maybe WE should be working with these guys!’
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Do you have pictures that show you doing what you do?
BOTTOM LINE: people who get noticed get ahead. Don’t get caught in the Normality Trap by using the same old, tired follow-up. Make your approach unique and unforgettable, and you’ll be certain to turn Touchpoint Tuesday into Wealthy Wednesday.
Wimpy would be proud.
