I recently ordered a dog treat bag to use in some training with Cooper, my Bullmastiff. I promptly received the product and was quite pleased with its quality. Then, a few days later, I received a terrific email from the owner.

What struck me about this email was the upbeat manner in which it was written. It made me feel that I had a “connection” to the company and its owner.

Isn’t that what we all strive for in business? To make our customers feel like they know us and that we care about them?

What’s more, it’s critical for both small and large businesses to get referrals. I’ve written about referral techniques previously, but I really liked this one and wanted to share it with you. Here’s what I received:

Hi John:

My name is Gary, and I am one of the owners of Vaun Duffy Products.


We noticed that your order was delivered recently. I just wanted to make sure you were happy with your new Dog Treat Bag. If you have any issues, please reply to this message so I can make it right.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

We are a small business, and without your feedback and reviews, we can’t exist.

YOUR FEEDBACK IS IMPORTANT TO US.

If you think we have done a good job, I would really appreciate if you would leave us your feedback by clicking the link below. (A link to a feedback page was provided.)

I want to personally thank you for being one of our customers. We really appreciate your business and will always be here if you need us.

Take care,

Gary

Owner, Vaun Duffy Products

Notice how Gary addressed any issues or concerns I might have with his product first and foremost, and how he offered me the opportunity to immediately respond to problems.

Then, he went into his pitch for a referral. Honestly, I get a lot of online requests for referrals, but they always are so “automated” that I blow them off.

This one is most likely a form letter that his secretary just modifies for each order, but it doesn’t “feel” that way.

And that’s the point. This request made me feel good about giving the company a testimonial. It made me want to provide feedback.

So, you tell me, did Gary succeed in his mission of getting positive feedback for his company? My image of Vaun Duffy Products went from “Why not give it a try?” to “This is an awesome company!”

Don’t you want to do the same?

In today’s world, it’s important to get people’s attention in a favorable, positive manner. It’s not easy to stand out. But if you apply a personalized, caring approach as Gary did, you’ll be ahead of the game.

— John Daly is the founder and president of The Key Class, the keys to life skills success. Click to learn more about The Key Class, or click here to buy his book. John’s new book, 74 Key Life Skills for a Happy, Successful Life, is available on Amazon. Connect with The Key Class on Facebook and follow John on Twitter @johnjdalyjr. Do you have a question about business or social etiquette? Ask John at johnKeyClass@gmail.com. The opinions expressed are his own.