Christmas Gifts

[PTS]

This year I decided that I was going to send out a Christmas Card to all of the customers that we have serviced since the day we opened shop and in the Christmas Card I included a $20.00 Gift Certificate. I wished them a Merry Christmas and thanked them for their business. I addressed the certificate, "for you or someone you love," and put an expiration date of end of next year so it will give people time to use it. I figure with all of our maintenance customers they will surely use it and for those who aren't on a plan it may encourage more work. With every use there is work so other than a small amount of time I'm really not out anything. All of the sales on saws and lawn mowers and outdoor power equipment is under the other business name so it really is only good for service stuff. No inventory items.

What's your thoughts.

 

[ASD]

good idea we do some thing like that but hear in CA. (PC land) it's happy Holiday's

 

[Redbull]

I think its a good idea. I probably don't have the customer base that you do, about 80, so I am going to try and deliver their Christmas cards personally. 99% of my customers live within 10-15min. of me so driving won't be too bad. If they are not home, I'll leave it in the door so they know I delivered it personally. This is probably the only year this will work, since I plan to have many more cutomers next year. I think any personalized gift to your customers is a good idea.

 

[PTS]

Its interesting that you bring up the happy holidays.

I debated this and thought to myself with the 99.9% of our area being Christian, I thought that saying Happy Holidays may offend them especially with all of the hype going on right now with the boycotting of Walmart for now saying Happy Holidays and with all of the press we see on the television especially nationally. I figured I would step up to the plate and join those trying to keep Christ in Christmas, because that is my belief and others have theirs. That is what makes this such a great country. We can have whatever beliefs we want. I encourage those of other religions to celebrate their traditions and holidays however I absolutely hate what people are trying to do with picking apart our holiday. If you are mad about all of the stores having Christmas stuff then express your concern to the store to start carrying merchandise and decorations for your holidays. Don't like a nativity scene in public then look the other way. Wish you could put your religion's stuff in the publics eye then go for it.

OK I'm off the soap box. For the very few customers if any are offended and can't understand the intent as apposed to the words then I guess oh well. They could let me know they're say Jewish and I will next year send them a Happy Hanuka card.

 

[Redbull]

I know this is off topic but, I don't think as much of our countries population is responsible for the PC movement as liberals would like you to believe. All it takes is one cry baby with a really big voice.
On topic- MERRY CHRISTMAS cards are always a good idea.

 

[PTS]

Heres a thought: those Loud mouth few are the ones who have made our laws what they are today by suing, fighting a charge with some BS twist to try to get off, and the ones who make lawyers rich.

I think we need to go back to the thought process our forefathers used. Stop nit-picking at the laws and at society and start looking at the intent of the laws and actions of society. It would make it a better place to live.

 

[ASD]

i am with you! but we would have to buy a island start are own state and run it are way! but about the time we wear all happy the feds or atf would come burn it to the ground and kill all of us and say "we had to stop them they were a dangers group of crazy people"

 

[okietreedude1]

Sending out the christmas cards does sound like a good idea. As for the correct greeting, Id like to think through yearly contact, if a customer was jewish or muslim or just someone that didnt practice the 'christmas' holiday as that, you might know and could then send them a different card.


Ive got a friend in AL thats jewish and each yr I send her a card thats PC.

 

[rfwoodvt]

I've given this a lot of thought over the years. I've never been insulted when someone wishes me Happy Hannukah! tho I'm not Jewish. Kwanzaa? Not sure I understand the holiday enough to comment either way.

So over the years I've been sending Christmas Cards. This year, because we were late in getting our cards out we switched from our traditional Christmas Card and made a New Year's card with a special blessing.

One of things Jesus of Nazareth has commanded his followers to do is to go and share the Good News to every corner of the Earth. Since I subscribe to his teachings I never given it a second thought.

He didn't say go and beat the un-believers senseless. He didn't say go and Kill the Infidels. He said go and share the Good News. So that is what I do.

Some will accept, some will reject but that IS the beauty of Free Will, isn't it?

I have an Ichthys fish blended into my Logo. No one has yet to complain and the number of calls I get has not dropped.

As much as I am concerned about insulting someone Ive realized two things. First, nobody seems that worried about insulting me. And,second when all is said and done there is only one person I need to worry about having insulted and since eternity is such a long time, I'd like to do my best to meet His expectations.

Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[JUDGE1162]

I know this is an old post but it is getting to be this time a year again.

I think it is a great idea (type of gift plus direct marketing (people who have already used your services/products)). Question whats the limitation is it $20 off a hundred or is it a true gift of $20 off anything. It should be $20 off, when I managed a lumber yard we would base the amount on sales so 1/2% of their annual sales so in some case the gift card was for sever hundred dollars, plus a bottle of wine, and at time a compay logo shirt or jacket.

The favorite gift I get from vendors are a wine basket, but a gift card would be nice too. Company logo stuff is also good for gifts and is free marketing.


In regard to the merry christmas or happy holidays, if you celebrate christmas and you know most of your customers do too, just send a merry christmas there are very few people who will be offened that you wished them a merry christmas even if they do not celebrate christmas themselves. At the same token, I send happy holiday cards for my business just to be safe because again very few people are truely offened by a happy holidays card and understand why you have to send them instead of happy holidays cards.

 

[Sprig]

Old thread but PTS brings some good points to the table and I feel an urge to comment. I think that any company that gives a little back to the customers is both generous and worthy of my business, even a simple card shows that you care and hold your customers in high regard (even the difficult ones), it is great PR. I know many people from about as many different beliefs and have yet to meet a person who is insulted or miffed to be wished Merry Christmas, Quansa (sp gah!), Happy Hanukkah, what-ever. For those with deep personal reasonings on the significance of various celebrations, cool to you too, but in my personal world Christmas is for the kids be they believers or not, its about sharing, bringing the family together, spreading joy and peace and goodwill, you don't have to be a Christian to do this and for sure don't need any special day to do it either. I am not particularly religious myself but don't have a problem with adding my basso profundo when everyone else is singing carols, ain't that what life's about? Straying off topic slightly, back to the main point, out of all the businesses around here in our small community, and there are many as we number around 12,000 year round, the ones that do best are the ones who treat their customers right, be they who they may, and involve themselves with the people as a whole, it goes a long way imo. And for some, especially, for example, those who may be alone in the world and have no one else who cares for/about them, such gestures can bring a little light into their lives however dim. It cannot be a bad thing.
My blathering 0.02$ for the day.

 

[PTS]

I am really excited to see this topic brought back up because around the office here it is a current topic. What to do for this year. Do you do the same, something different....

Here is what I know. I got back a ton of gift certificates for labor work only not for merchandise. They may or may not have planed to do the work but sitting on the $20 gift certificate may have helped them to decide to have the work done. I guess what I am getting at is after a year of reflection. A HUGE SUCCESS! There is a lot that plays into figuring why you increased customers and increased number of repeat customers and I know our service does alot for both but I can't help to think that relating to our customers on a special time of the year and making them our family has to be a big part of that too. If people didn't think that; they wouldn't have remembered where they stuck that gift certificate a year later. Food for thought.

 

[okietreedude1]

In years past, I had magnetic calendars made that Id send to my Arbo Supply bus customers.

This year, Im sending much of the same to my tree care customers. Its 3"x4" and being magnetic, they can stick it on the refrigerator as a handy reference when in the kitchen talking on the phone. The are only about $.60 each (plus postage to mail them).

As a way of thanks but also as a friendly reminder.

 

[begleytree]

In years past, I had magnetic calendars made that Id send to my Arbo Supply bus customers.

This year, Im sending much of the same to my tree care customers. Its 3"x4" and being magnetic, they can stick it on the refrigerator as a handy reference when in the kitchen talking on the phone. The are only about $.60 each (plus postage to mail them).

As a way of thanks but also as a friendly reminder.

Hey David, thats the same thing I send out in my x-mas cards. vistaprint is running a special on them right now, if anyone is interested.
we sent out almost 300 cards last year. we stopped sending to the entire client list, now we send only to those clients whom have used us this year.
It's a hit/miss thing. one sending to all clients keeps you fresh in their mind, but also, sending to all clients, really starts to add up! we sign all of ours by hand, no preprints. we made that mistake once... I heard about it all year! PPL miss the personal touch. the preprints are too generic and imo, an afterthought.
-Ralph

 

[okietreedude1]

I get mine from national pen. I get all sorts of free junk through the year too. sample things. Ive gotten lots of pens, a pocket knife or two, biner lights, pocket calendars.....geez, the list goes on.

 

[JUDGE1162]

I get a bunch of magnetic calendars sent to me each year, the problem is you only need a few and between the magnetic calendars and the regular paper ones, I got them all over the place. The gift card is a great idea it is a real gift and it get them to use your services/products. I think it is fine to send magnetic calendars to your ok customers but I would hope that you send larger more personal gifts to your bigger clients at least a gift basket (fruit, hickory farms, etc).

Every year I get a nice wine basket from one of my Sub-contractors, believe it or not it is one of the main reason I give him jobs even if he is not the cheapest guy because I feel he values my bussiness. I get a sweatshirt or jacket from another ventor with his logo (tends to be too small for me but the wife likes them)