"Love doesn’t make the world go ‘round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile." ~ Franklin P. Jones

And what a worthwhile ride January has been for me, thanks to regularly sending out love via snail mail. While a number of recipients have thanked me (which is always fun to hear), the simple joy of sending the cards is a power all its own. No matter what kind of day I'm having, I feel uplifted after sending a card.

So how did I do at getting a card out each day? I fell behind. I had a couple of big projects to finish, and I didn't prioritize sending cards for several days. I always went back to "catch up," so I ended up sending 31 cards for the month. But I knew I would have a hard time sticking to my resolution long-term if I didn't change my approach.

This is the point at which I would normally lose interest and decide it's not worth the effort. In a world of instant gratification, it is hard to stay the course when results aren't immediate and obvious. And when you're doing something as "squishy" as simply sending love in all its various forms, good luck figuring out whether you've had an impact on the amount of love in the world!   

I've now created a spreadsheet and begun populating it with known events for which I can send cards. In advance. Yes, I know, obvious. But in the flurry of simply wanting to dive in and get momentum, I neglected to plan ahead so I could manage to complete big projects and send cards every day. I did OK; I will do better.

The love that made the ride over the last nine days worthwhile included encouragement to a friend who wondered if anyone noticed her, gratitude for people who provide important services and support in our community, and reaching out to friends and connections: 

Has someone told you they feel invisible? Is there someone in your life who does necessary and important work in obscurity? Surely you're connected to someone with a birthday. With a little love, you can help make their ride worthwhile. 

"​Love sought is good, but given unsought is better." ~ William Shakespeare

Last week I attended a new network gathering at the behest of a friend. She had raved about the group and insisted I would find it worthwhile.

As an introvert, I am slow to warm to extraverted activities, so I wasn't completely convinced I would feel the same. But I trusted her and knew she had my best interests at heart. Plus, I had told her I see my life as a continuous journey along a guided path, where I'm often presented with unexpected "side trails" to explore. So of course she said this is a "side trail" worth exploring!

Do you know someone who is celebrating a special occasion? How about reaching out to people you haven't seen in a while? You can surprise them with unsought love and lift their spirits for days. And I guarantee you will feel equally as loved in the process.  

"We have before us the glorious opportunity to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of our civilization." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Last week's glorious opportunities included expressions of gratitude for generosity, guidance, and leadership, plus a couple of birthday wishes: 

Is someone you know doing important work for a cause you care about? ​Has somebody recently given you guidance in an area that's important to you, but you didn't know where to start? Did you enjoy meeting someone new? Let these people know about their positive effect on you.

​To a family member. Because Christmas. And he fixes my car at rock-bottom prices.

Do you get a great deal on professional services because of a special relationship you have with a friend or family member? Have you formally recognized the extra value you receive? Might be worth a few kind words.

​To a family member. Because she graciously hosted us at Christmas, cooked us a delicious dinner, and lavished us with gifts that will bring even more enjoyment in the future.

Do you have someone to thank for giving you holiday cheer? Family? Friend? Client? Colleague? It doesn't have to be fancy. A quick call, text, or message through your favorite app is guaranteed to warm your heart and make their day.  

In my first blog post of 2017, I resolved to send snail-mail greeting cards to at least one person each day to express joy, love, inspiration, and gratitude. Follow my blog or my company pages on Facebook and LinkedIn to see my progress and get inspiration for your own personal connections. ​

​I didn’t believe it, either. There’s always a catch. I mean, come on, I’m the one who shares memes about hard work and perseverance being keys success!
 
Which is why I was so surprised at the impact of this simple resolution. I committed to it right after my Christmas vacation, and have been easily sticking to it for 11 days now (seriously, this is huge for someone who is so easily distracted). In fact, I look forward to it and must restrain myself from doing too much of it (if that’s even possible). It has infused my work with new energy. It has made me more optimistic. And it’s a perfect fit for my introverted style, but works equally well for extroverts.

​What is this magic resolution?

Everybody counts. Family. Friends. Networks. Clients. Prospective clients. People I’ve lost touch with. Those who are hurting. Someone who needs a boost.
 
As an introvert, I have chosen to formally act on this resolution by snail-mailing one greeting card per day to someone who has made a difference in my life or touched me in some way. My hope is that when recipients open those personal pieces of mail, they will know that someone is paying attention to their story, and that it matters.
                                                                                                  
To keep myself on track, I will post pictures of each card on my blog, with brief descriptions of why I sent them. Here’s what I’ve sent so far this year:

​This is the first time I’ve ever been confident that I will keep my new year’s resolution. After all, I’m having a blast, so why wouldn’t I?
 
Want to see how I do and get inspiration for your own personal connections? You can follow my blog, or my company pages on LinkedIn and Facebook.
 
Have your own story for connecting? Please share in the comments! And may your new year be filled with people who remind you of the value you add to their lives.

I was nervous.

My son had been invited to his first birthday party. This was a new friend and a family we didn’t know well. It was “first impressions” time in a community where it can be difficult to build relationships because we’re “not from around here.” 

(One friend, who also came from outside the area, once joked that her child could grow up here, marry a local, buy a house, and have three children who went to public schools, and their family would still be considered “non-locals.”)

Of course we were going to put our best foot forward. This meant having my son create a handmade card – the most personal of all gifts. He dove into the task. He poured his heart into the words, saying how much he liked his friend. He drew + colored birthday images, which he painstakingly glued on the card to create a 3-D effect. It was a masterpiece to rival any fancy card from the store.

I beamed.

I worried about my son’s vulnerability. He was exposing himself creatively. He was expressing tender emotions that are often discouraged in boys. Would his card + feelings be trampled in the stampede of a typical six-year-old's party? I feared that my son, who is highly sensitive, would end up in tears at what was supposed to be a fun event.

But there was no turning back. He was proud of his card and couldn’t wait to give it to his friend. He badgered me: “What do you think my friend will say when I give him his card? I can’t wait to give him his card!” I kept my concerns to myself, hoping for the best.​

When we arrived at the party, I immediately noticed the stack of wrapped presents that were clearly big, powerful boys’ toys. We placed my son’s card and small dollar store gift in the pile. They looked so plain among the glitz + glam of the other items. To make matters worse, my son was scared to be in an unfamiliar house, and I could see tears brimming his eyes.

​I couldn't stand the thought of him having his heart broken.

But I tamped down my fears and told him we would get to know the house and the people together. So we did. We ate. We talked. We sang “Happy Birthday.” I had almost forgotten about the card. Almost.

Then it was time to open gifts. Frenetic energy propelled the birthday boy from one item to another. Cards were ripped open and jettisoned after the money was acquired. Crumpled paper piled up, hiding everything underneath. The decibel level exceeded comfortable limits. All of the boys rambunctiously pawed at each new toy. All except my son. He was waiting. Waiting to see when his friend would open the card he made.

The noisy chatter continued until the birthday boy pulled my son’s card out of the envelope. For the first time, he didn’t simply open the card looking for money. He stared at the front of the card where the images were pasted. He began tracing the images with his finger, marveling at the 3-D effect.

The room fell silent.

Then someone asked, “Did you make that?” My son was smiling and nodding his head. “Wow,” exclaimed another person. “That’s really good,” said a third. Even the other boys had stopped playing to take a peek. The card held everyone’s attention for at least a minute – a lifetime to a six-year-old. The birthday boy’s mom proclaimed that this was a card worth keeping.

It was my turn to fight back tears. I was elated and ashamed. My son had successfully expressed his authentic self to the world, and I had worried that it would not be good enough. And it was. Of course it was.

That day, my son reminded me of the power of authenticity + vulnerability in making deep, personal connections. Connections that move others. Connections that last.

Today we have a nice friendship with that family, not because we made a good “first impression,” but because a little boy helped us make a compelling connection from a place of love, joy, and creativity.

So next time you feel you need big-budget marketing to make a lasting impression, remember my son and the power of his handmade card.

​It’s that time again. Whether you swear by resolutions or at them, it makes sense to spend at least a few minutes (or maybe a little more) each year thinking about what you want to achieve and how you plan to get there.

​If one of your priorities is to increase profit through better client connection + retention, here are three things you'll want to stop doing:

As the saying goes, a bird in the hand is more likely to come back, bring her friends, and eat more from your feeder than the two birds hanging out in the bush (at least I think that’s right…)

Seriously, let’s break it down by the numbers, courtesy of highlights from an illuminating infographic by invesp (used with permission - thanks, guys!): 

​Wow, that's huge! But the story gets even better:

Still on the fence? Let's see if this seals the deal:

I'm blown away! And these clips don't even touch on the value of social proof that results when happy clients give good reviews + refer their friends.
 
Bottom line: Unless you are just starting out and have no clients, the smart money (and greater profit) is in strengthening your existing customer relationships.

The best part is you don’t need a huge budget to do it. Simple acts like providing personalized communications + engaging on social media can go a long way toward making your current clients feel like they matter to you. 

​“Out of sight, out of mind” is simply not a winning strategy. ​If you pay attention to your customers only when they are handing money to you, it won’t be long before they take their business to someone who cares about more than just their pocketbook.

​To remind me of the importance of continually connecting with my clients, I've come up with my own version of the adage, “Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching”: 

​​Remember, it’s not enough to be good at what you do (if only!) Others can be equally good. What’s more difficult to replicate is how you make clients feel, above and beyond your superior products + services.
 
This year, resolve to take that data you’ve gathered – whether in your head, on note cards, or in a spreadsheet – and use it to help you connect with existing clients on a regular basis. In other words:

I call this the "only-when-I-have-to-because-the-world-isn't-giving-me-the-results-I-want" mode of communications. It's reactive. It's abdicating responsibility for managing client relationships. And it's an approach that makes it too easy to blame outside factors for your lack of client connection.

Sure, real crises do occur, and you need to respond. But if reacting to external events is the sum total of your communication efforts, your business will stagnate from the lack of proactive investment in customer loyalty. 

Avoid that fate by taking the time to develop + implement a communication plan aligned with your goals. It doesn’t have to be fancy. But it does have to be authentic, relevant + consistent to create lasting connections + success. (Need a starting point? Download my free plan template.)

Will this be the year you decide to grow your business through better communication + connection? I bet your customers will thank you…and so will your wallet.
 
(P.S. Tempted to skip this list in favor of “Five Hacks to Earn Six Figures in 24 Hours”? Read Martin Zwilling’s "This Is How Long ‘Overnight Success’ Really Takes" on Business Insider. Then reconsider.)