Sales lessons learned from my father’s death

Happy Holidays everyone!

Disclaimer: This is not a “get sympathy” post.

Unfortunately but not unexpectedly, my father passed away two days before Thanksgiving. He lived a long and fruitful life and he will be missed.

Through various channels, I informed friends of mine about the news.

During this time I unexpectedly received several cards by snail mail as well as phone calls from friends offering encouragement and support.

Receiving cards by postal mail was a pleasant surprise. I don’t hand out my home address too often but a few of my friends were resourceful enough to find it and drop a card in the mail. No matter the occasion, who doesn’t like to get a hand written card in the mail?

Who doesn’t like getting calls from friends letting me know that they were thinking of me and my family and that their thoughts were with me?

Unfortunately we live in a very impersonal, technology driven world and things like “phone calls” or ” handwritten letters” are considered too old fashioned and quaint. Emails and text messages are more modern and less intrusive.

Yet the calls and letters stood out greatly and I’m forever grateful.

As we approach 2016, perhaps we should go back to “quaint” ways of reaching out to prospects and clients. They may not respond but the extra effort and thought counts.

Merry Christmas everyone!