Ask.com March 2000
Cardworks: A Growing Business
http://homeparents.about.com/library/weekly/ucbus_story.htm
The struggle between career and family has been plaguing people for decades. The entrepreneurial
generation is setting a new pace for family priorities while at the same time fulfilling their career
dreams. In some strange way, one?s career becomes a major piece of their identity and when the choice
is made to give it up for family, a small piece of oneself feels lost. The internet allows a means to
start and grow a business, reaching millions of people and making it possible to raise a family, while
maintaining that career identity.
Jean Pederson and Barbara Lundberg are two of the growing entrepreneurs literally growing - who have
decided to remove the corporate handcuffs and start their own business. They know that family is more
important than the corporate glamour and have re-prioritized their lives to place raising a family first
while achieving the dream of business ownership. "Some people think we are crazy to jump into this right
now," says Pederson. "And we are, but the rewards outshine the struggles. We both are very driven to
succeed and do all we can do to achieve the best in our family life and in our careers. We have been
planning this business for a very long time and have strategic partnerships in place to make it work."
Lundberg and Pederson, founders of Cardworks and the www.cardworksonline.com web site, have built
their business on the grassroots theory of marketing. Treat people well and they will keep coming back.
Let other people know you appreciate and care about them as human beings, not merely as customers. A bit
simplified, but this key rule is often forgotten in the busy corporate world.
Cardworks offers a variety of sales and marketing tools that allow businesses of any size to keep
in contact with their valuable clients and add the special touch necessary to stand out against the
competition. The key line of products and services include high quality greeting cards that assist
individuals and companies prospect for business, build relationships and keep in contact with current
clients.
Business greeting card use:
Top sales professionals recommend keeping your name and company name in
front of your customers and prospects every month. Use a personal, hand
written greeting card to pass along a thank you message, to send an article
related to the recipient?s business or personal interests, or just to say hello.
After every sales meeting and business lunch follow up with a personal note
on a greeting card. You will make a lasting impression.
To maximize your marketing, set a come-up reminder and call your clients,
associates or prospects within 5 days after sending a greeting card. They will
remember who you are and will be more likely to hear your message or sales
request.
Greeting cards require only 3 minutes to write, address, stamp and send ?
make it a habit to send 3-5 greeting cards a day ? they are an efficient, and
cost effective way to keep in contact with your clients and prospects.
The cost of retaining a customer is about 1/16 that of acquiring one. Once you
have a customer, build loyalty by developing relationships with greeting
cards.
People do business based on how much they trust you and that is related to how well
they know you. Cardworks? cards help bring out an individual?s and a company?s personality,
help build trust, and as a result build stronger business relationships. Many sales
professionals, entrepreneurs and large corporate executives keep supplies of greeting
cards. It is convenient to have a supply in the office and to carry a supply of cards
and stamps with you at all times, so after a business meeting, luncheon, or other business
interaction, it is convenient to write a quick note, and send it off in the mail. The
www.cardworksonline.com Website goes beyond
offering just high quality business greeting cards. Customers are provided free 24 hour,
7 day a week access to an online calendar and
address book from anywhere in the world via the internet. If you need a reminder of that
special date or occasion, Cardworks also offers an e-mail reminder service. Entrepreneurship
is not easy and it requires a lot of time, but the rewards are incredible, says Lundberg.
We are fortunate to have supportive spouses and a strong family network that makes this
business possible. The journey has been magnificent. Our customers and partners have led
our business to areas we never dreamed of. And best of all, we can look back when we are
85 years old and know we made the right decision to place family first.
