Primary marketCater To Seniors With Greeting Cards
Wouldn’t it be great if customers thought so much of you or your company
that they carried your picture in their wallet? Well, you can get very close
to making that happen with just a little thoughtfulness.
Here is a real-life
sales example right from my own in-person marketing experience:
During PR visits to senior clients’ homes, I’ve seen cards openly displayed
that I had sent them during holidays and special events many months earlier.
These cards were not in a drawer or in a pile on top of the refrigerator. They
were given prominent places in seniors’ homes - proudly displayed on coffee
tables and fireplace mantels like treasured gifts from family members.
Naturally, seeing these items openly displayed prompted me to say how glad
it made me feel to know they liked the card. Numerous seniors have told me that
these were the only “remembrances” they had received (sometimes in years)
from anyone.
The first time I saw this in a senior’s home was a nice spring
afternoon. There, standing up on the living room coffee table, was the Valentine’s
Card I had sent to this sweet widow several months earlier. Upon mentioning it to
her, she looked down and started crying, saying, “No one else remembered me.”
OK, tissue break here... go ahead, no one else is looking and even if they are,
it’s all right. It was all I could do to keep back the tears myself during that visit
with her.
Can you believe that? I hardly could, especially knowing that she had three grown
children living within ten miles of her home. But that"s the whole point, so learn it
well.
The kids and grandkids are “too busy,” and don’t take time to “remember”
their aging parents or grandparents. I"ve seen a lot of seniors wandering around
retirement communities all alone during the holidays. Sad, but very true.
Seniorized® Factoid: Forgotten and lonely seniors everywhere lament “You never call,
you never write, you never come by.”
This is your edge. Cater to seniors with personal greeting cards sent on every holiday
and every “special” day such as: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial
Day, Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day, etc.
The title of this marketing tune is “Times Remembered.” All cards should be hand addressed, hand signed and hand stamped - no postage meters. The stamps should be either patriotic symbols (flag is good), or emotional symbols (love or special day theme). Extra work? Yes. Extraordinary results? You bet. Like icing on a cake, it sure sweetens the results.
Often these will be the
only cards seniors will get; they will actually tell you so. This makes it pretty easy to
stand out with them in a very personal way and you will be remembered. In fact many
seniors will "adopt" you in their hearts, like the favored grandchild they all desire.
Once you have endeared yourself to seniors, you can kiss your competition
goodbye forever. Seniors will only have eyes (and buys) for you.