This time of year makes me even sappier than I already am. I reach out to family members I don't hear from often, I drop a dollar or two in the red kettle every time I pass (and have the cash!), I donate food to food banks and toys for children. I watch parades and movies and act like a child every time I see Santa.
Then it dawned on me...as a society, why do we only do this once a year. The feeling of paying it forward is so extraordinary.
So, is there a lesson here for us marketers? You better believe it.
Reaching out to your family should not happen exclusively by automatically generated letters that go out on holidays and birthdays. What about the letter you write or call you make to say "I just wanted to say hello and congratulate you on your daughter making the honor roll." Would reaching out like this cost you more? Nope. Maybe a little time, but what would it mean to your customer (i.e. family)? It would mean that you care and you are paying attention.
I know that many institutions "Adopt a Family" around the holidays and you and your coworkers pitch in and go shopping for the family to provide them the best Christmas ever. What about the families in your community that suffer a loss...loss of a job, loss of a loved one, loss of a home. I'll bet they could use a little help at some point during the year too.
What I am saying is that there are so many ways we can do special things throughout the year, with a little effort and very little out of your budget that will go a long way for you and your institution. Just think about the publicity (not that I am encouraging being a vulture with a camera or an ambulance chaser) you could generate.
The concept of paying it forward is something we believe can speak volumes of how you do business...not to mention help to create customer evangelists! And creating customer evangelists is priceless.
It is ALWAYS the season for giving back. Do something extraordinary in March too.
Jenna
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