This year, I decided to send out business valentines to uniquely ‘touch’ my prospects, clients, and business partners. I’m pleased to report that these handwritten cards (only sent to about 1/10th of my mailing list) were well received. Hopefully, they provided a surprise diversion from what one usually finds in a stack of business mail.
I discovered a few things during this valentine preparation process. 1. I have been relying on email addresses only, so much of my mailing list is void of snail mail addresses. 2. Linkedin is a dream come true, because when people move around from position to position, they do not always sent out announcements to everyone they know. As a result, the only truly reliable source for a contact’s location (if you have not spoken to that contact in over six months—and let’s face it, we can’t talk to EVERYone that frequently), is Linkedin. I discovered a few surprising switches that I didn’t expect among my contacts. 3. Although it’s time consuming to hand write envelopes and brief personal notes, it’s fulfilling and worthwhile when you receive positive feedback from the recipients.
By the way, the valentine sentiment was fitting for those of us dedicated to this creative field. Front cover (with an image): The key to our success… Inside: Love our work. Love our clients. Love our AEC industry colleagues.
And they say there’s no emotion in business. Again, I beg to differ.