Wouldn’t it be great if customers thought so much of you or your company that they carried your picture in their wallet? Well, you can get very close to making that happen with just a little thoughtfulness.

Here is a real-life sales example right from my own in-person marketing experience:

During PR visits to senior clients’ homes, I’ve seen cards openly displayed that I had sent them during holidays and special events many months earlier. These cards were not in a drawer or in a pile on top of the refrigerator. They were given prominent places in seniors’ homes - proudly displayed on coffee tables and fireplace mantels like treasured gifts from family members.

Naturally, seeing these items openly displayed prompted me to say how glad it made me feel to know they liked the card. Numerous seniors have told me that these were the only “remembrances” they had received (sometimes in years) from anyone.

The first time I saw this in a senior’s home was a nice spring afternoon. There, standing up on the living room coffee table, was the Valentine’s Card I had sent to this sweet widow several months earlier. Upon mentioning it to her, she looked down and started crying, saying, “No one else remembered me.”

OK, tissue break here... go ahead, no one else is looking and even if they are, it’s all right. It was all I could do to keep back the tears myself during that visit with her.

Can you believe that? I hardly could, especially knowing that she had three grown children living within ten miles of her home. But that's the whole point, so learn it well.

The kids and grandkids are “too busy,” and don’t take time to “remember” their aging parents or grandparents. I've seen a lot of seniors wandering around retirement communities all alone during the holidays. Sad, but very true.

Seniorized® Factoid: Forgotten and lonely seniors everywhere lament “You never call, you never write, you never come by.”

This is your edge. Cater to seniors with personal greeting cards sent on every holiday and every “special” day such as: Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Valentine’s Day, etc.

The title of this marketing tune is “Times Remembered.” All cards should be hand addressed, hand signed and hand stamped - no postage meters. The stamps should be either patriotic symbols (flag is good), or emotional symbols (love or special day theme). Extra work? Yes. Extraordinary results? You bet. Like icing on a cake, it sure sweetens the results.

Often these will be the only cards seniors will get; they will actually tell you so. This makes it pretty easy to stand out with them in a very personal way and you will be remembered. In fact many seniors will "adopt" you in their hearts, like the favored grandchild they all desire.

Once you have endeared yourself to seniors, you can kiss your competition goodbye forever. Seniors will only have eyes (and buys) for you.

Published: May 17, 2002

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Gary Onks, founder of Sold On Seniors, Inc., is an author and marketing consultant who has been featured in The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, The Washington Times, CBS Radio Marketwatch, Microsoft bCentral and other publications. His book "How You Can Reach & Sell the $20 Trillion Senior Marketplace" is acclaimed as "the 'Art' of pleasing senior customers." Onks has sold millions in goods directly, one-on-one to seniors. His experience includes serving as executive director of a large retirement community and selling to seniors for over a decade. His trademarked Seniorized marketing methods deliver exceptional results. You can reach him at 800-416-8785, GaryOnks@SoldOnSeniors.com or at his website www.SoldOnSeniors.com.