1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:16,320 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:21,920 Speaker 1: tip is to make your fingerprints visible. Let people know 4 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,680 Speaker 1: that you are the person behind the product or service 5 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: you're providing, and they will probably feel more excited about 6 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: the transaction in general. So every now and then, when 7 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:37,479 Speaker 1: I order something from a small business, I receive a 8 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 1: handwritten note from the owner. It is always a delight 9 00:00:41,720 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 1: to know that somebody actually cares that I have ordered 10 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: something from them. Even if I've never met this person, 11 00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,639 Speaker 1: I immediately feel like we are friends. I doubt I'm 12 00:00:53,680 --> 00:00:57,080 Speaker 1: the only one to have this reaction. So if you 13 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:00,280 Speaker 1: are in the business of providing products or service says 14 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:05,679 Speaker 1: to people, go ahead and make your fingerprints visible. Include 15 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:09,280 Speaker 1: a note when you ship a product to people. If 16 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,200 Speaker 1: you have provided a service, write a note to the 17 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: people who purchased it and thank them for doing business 18 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 1: with you. Sign your books or artwork and put a 19 00:01:18,280 --> 00:01:22,039 Speaker 1: note in there thanking people for supporting you. If you've 20 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 1: got a website about your offerings, tell a little bit 21 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,479 Speaker 1: about yourself and put a photo on there. Let people 22 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: know who you are and that you are making your 23 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,759 Speaker 1: products or selling your services with their happiness in mind. 24 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,440 Speaker 1: If you run a business, you know that every customer counts, 25 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:47,280 Speaker 1: but your customers don't always realize that making your fingerprints 26 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 1: visible reminds people that a lot of things don't come 27 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: from some big and personal factory. There's a person on 28 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 1: the other end, and that person is happy that you 29 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: decided to spend money with the same principle holds if 30 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: you're a leader of let's say a small nonprofit. You 31 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: know that every dollar counts, and sure you'll probably send 32 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:14,760 Speaker 1: boilerplate gift acknowledgments. But in addition to that, you can 33 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: write personal notes, emails, or texts, and you can pick 34 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,079 Speaker 1: up the phone and call to let donors and other 35 00:02:22,160 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: supporters know how much their support means. When you let 36 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: supporters know that you really do notice and value their engagement, 37 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: you'll increase their sense of connection to you and to 38 00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 1: the organization. I might forget to donate to a group 39 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 1: I just get mail from, but when Janice personally has 40 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: reached out to thank me, that is a different matter. 41 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:51,120 Speaker 1: I realize that people leading small businesses and nonprofits are 42 00:02:51,120 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: often working very hard doing their basic core work, but 43 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: just a little time spent personalizing interactions with customers and 44 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 1: supporters can have a big impact future Engagement is, after all, 45 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: an important driver of long term success. If you try 46 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: making your fingerprints visible, I'd love to hear how you 47 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,959 Speaker 1: do it. You can reach me at Laura at Laura 48 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:23,440 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks 49 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: for listening, and here's to making the most of our time. 50 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:38,760 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening to Before Breakfast. If you've got questions, ideas, 51 00:03:38,880 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 1: or feedback, you can reach me at Laura at Laura 52 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: vandercam dot com. Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartMedia. 53 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from iHeartMedia, please visit the iHeartRadio app, 54 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.