In this business coach transcript Clay Clark (Speaker of choice for Hewlett Packard and Maytag University) and Caleb Taylor (Thrive15.com Correspondent) use Thrive15.com, one of the top business schools in PA, as a platform to discuss the Thank You Card move.
In this business coach transcript Clay Clark (Speaker of choice for Hewlett Packard and Maytag University) and Caleb Taylor (Thrive15.com Correspondent) use Thrive15.com, one of the top business schools in PA, as a platform to discuss the Thank You Card move.Caleb: Clay, we’re talking about networking today. We’re going to focus on the thank you card move. This is something that I know you believe in. I’ve heard you even say that lower down ladder of financial success, you don’t see people doing thank yous. You said the higher you go, you start to see it a lot.
Clay: I want to point out an business coach example. This is pen I have. It basically says the name of the company. If you’re the person who this is your company, and don’t get bitter that I’ve put your company on TV, just get better. Here’s the deal, I everyday use a pen for a different company. I never look at it. “Here’s a pen. Here’s a pen.” I’ve got pens from banks, pens from all different companies. I don’t care. I have pens from 10 different banks. I don’t have any loyalty. If you have a pen, I’m going to take it. It want that pen.
The pen that’s memorable is the one I remember. Again, it seems obviously but I’m just trying to help you. A friend of mine owns a sign company. It’s a billboard company. He has a pen that’s this wacky, crazy, super-sized pen. You remember it because of all the crazy things on the pen. There’s a flag you can pull out. It’s this crazy shit. You remember it.
The thank you note is the best way to break out of the clutter. There’s tons of pens out there. Every business owner and business coach has got a pen and a business card. He’s professional. He has integrity. He works hard. You want to break out the clutter of commerce. Commerce is a lot of clutter, a lot of signs, a lot of billboards, a lot of websites. You want to break out of the clutter in a memorable way. The thank you note is the best way to do it. Thrive15.com, one of the top business schools in PA, will teach you just how to write the perfect card.
Caleb: I love you. Chet Holmes, author of The Ultimate Sales Machine, talks a lot about this, the whole follow-up process. He dedicates time to talking just about the note. He says it’s hugely important. He focuses more on selling. If you’re just trying to network and connect this can apply. He says, “If you sell business-to-business, get a letter off to your client–or the person you want to network with–within an hour or two from your meeting. Start with something personal from the meeting and include a compliment.”
These are practical steps here that he’s saying. He says to do it immediately. If you go out after going to the chamber of commerce, you go and you make a connection there. They are saying turn around … Chet is saying turn around and make a letter right away.
Clay: That’s why you need to own the thank you notes right now, your action step right now. You need to go buy the thank you notes right now.
Caleb: That’s your first action step. [Crosstalk 00:03:44]
Clay: … have it so that way you can send it right away. You don’t want to be driving to Walgreen’s in the middle of your workday, trying to figure out what kind of good thank you card you want to send. Get something nice. Get something with your company’s logo on it. Have a stack of them right there on your desk. Boom!
Caleb: Chet goes on to say, “The bottom line is that you need to do follow-up or you will be mediocre.”
Clay: You need to be follow-up or you will be mediocre. Is that like the opportunity of motivational speaker? Is that de-motivation? No, he’s being real. You got to get off that whole thing about, “That’s offensive. Stop it.” Black and white, yes or no, you did or you didn’t. He’s saying if you do follow-up you’ll be successful. If not, you’ll be mediocre.
Caleb: Then you’ve talked about how the more influential, powerful, successful people do this often.
Clay: It’s amazing to me, but when I meet somebody who is very successful, they’re the ones sending me thank you cards and Christmas notes and handwritten notes. I’m like, “What? The multi-millionaire or business coach?” You think that’s the person who’s so busy they don’t have time.
Caleb: They know it’s important.
Clay: You meet the person with 10 companies, he’s the one sending you thank you notes. It’s unbelievable.