Special Events Gift Cards

We collect our customers’ birthday and anniversary dates so that we can send them a greeting card and a gift card to use in the store. We call birthdays and anniversaries “special events” because they are opportunities for us to sell to our customers.

It is vital to a salesperson’s success to acquire these special event dates including the customer’s

• birthday
• significant other’s birthday
• anniversary
• even children’s birthday(s) if applicable.
• other special people, like parents, secretary, etc.

If you see that one of your customers does not have this info in their file then pick up the phone, email or write to them so you don’t miss out on these potential sales.

This is not something you do once and then forget it. If they are a decent customer (and especially if they are a good customer) you keep asking until you get ALL of these events.

Once you get these dates, you must take the following steps:

1. Add the special events to their Business Mind file.
2. Pull up a weekly list in Business Mind of your customers that have special events that are 2 weeks away.
3. Send out a handwritten and personalized special event gift card to every customer on your list. Make sure to include the exact date of the upcoming birthday or anniversary. If it’s the husband’s birthday then send the card to the wife; if it’s the wife’s birthday then send the card to the husband. If they do not have a significant other then send the card directly to them. For the anniversary, you can send each of them a card indicating that they should come in and buy a gift for their spouse.
4. After 1 week has passed, call every customer that you sent a card to and remind them that you sent a gift card. You will, in a moment, ask them what they will be buying with it but first, check to see how they are doing, and then make a comment such as:

“Helen is great isn’t she…for putting up with you!”

“John works so hard and it must be difficult to find something to give him that he will like and use but we have these custom knives/pens/money clips by William Henry that he will love…”

You can say anything at all but comment positively on the spouse, child, girlfriend, etc. and then throw in something about a certain gift or product type. Assume they are going to buy something. Always assume that in your attitude, tone and expectations. This WILL come across to them and help encourage the sale. Make it fun and light, not serious.

Anniversary card example:

Hi John,

I just wanted to remind you that your wedding anniversary is on the 18th of June.

I have the Marco Bicego earrings that match the pendant you bought her last year that I know she will love!

Let me know if you have any other ideas or just come see me and we’ll find her something special.

Best, Lisa

Birthday card example:

Dear Helen,

John’s birthday is coming up soon on 25h of July. John was in here last month admiring a William Henry knife. He would be so thrilled if you surprised him with it!

Or the above can be replaced with the below if he has never seen the product:

Since he is so hard to buy for, may I recommend a custom William Henry knife…?

Call me or stop by so I can show you the knife or I can show you some other things that he liked.

Best, Lisa

SUMMARY

The main points of this policy are:

1. Get the events and e-mails
2. Promote to the appropriate person to make a sale for these events.