I was thrilled to be asked to write a guest blog for Motivating Mum recently and excited to see it posted today! Thank you Ally for the opportunity and I hope your readers get something from the post!

http://www.motivatingmum.com/wp/starting-out/virtual-elves-whats-in-the-name/

Where is it now?  Still there?  On a pile on your desk?  In your business card folder and did you need to blow the dust off it first?

We’re all guilty of doing just that, but what you have in your hand is a gift  (and I’m not talking about the mini spring roll and sweet chili sauce – look in the other hand!).

A business card is an opportunity on a bitty piece of cardboard.  It is someone saying “call me, email me, look at my website – we need each other, our worlds can potentially align”.

But your worlds won’t align, and opportunities will be lost if you don’t do anything with these cards.

This heady period leading up to Christmas is where you have the most chances of giving business cards and receiving them.  Use this opportunity wisely, and you’ll be miles ahead of everyone else.

It’s simple.  The best ideas always are.

Put all the business cards you collect over the next few weeks straight into your database.   As you receive them, load them straight in.

Or you could keep it even simpler …

Send them through to us at Virtual Elves and we’ll pop them straight into your database for you.

It’s a mad, crazy time leading up to Christmas.  We know it.  Gaps appear and chances fall through them.  Let us at Virtual Elves, help steer you and your business through this time, let us be the sane voice amongst the bubbles.

Call or email me, and I’ll take care of your business cards.  Leaving you to take care of the more fun stuff.  Like another glass of bubbles perhaps?

“It’s Christmas time, there’s no need to be afraid…” have I got the sound of Band Aid’s “Feed the world” ringing in your ears ….

Christmas is zooming up, and there are some things that you just have to do before it gets too crazy – I’m thinking, filling your diary with Saturday drinks and BBQ sessions, attempting to get all the Christmas shopping done before all the car parks are gone at the local mall, putting the ham and turkey order in to the butchers, …

But it’s not just about getting your personal life organised for Christmas. There are some tasks for your business that are just as important before you get bogged down with the pre-Christmas madness.

Christmas cards.

That’s right.  The good old fashioned beautiful cards (made of real cardboard, none of this virtual stuff) with a thoughtful and heartfelt personal message to your clients.

Who doesn’t want to receive a gesture of recognition and thanks, and what better time to do it than Christmas?  I think of it as a moment to pause, and say “thanks for a great year and I can’t wait to do business together in the next”.  It helps enhance and develop your relationships with your clients in a genuine way.  You’re not asking anything of them other than to pop your card on their counter or desk, and to understand that you want to say thanks.

It needs to be personal, heartfelt, and appreciated.

Never underestimate the business and personal value of this tiny bit of effort.

Have you started thinking about ordering cards? Look at your diary now, think about what date you really want your clients to receive them by. Then work backwards to when you need to be ordering, writing in them, and sending them out.

Ok, now I bet that’s put the fear of god in you!  Because it’s soon right?  I’m guessing 9th December is my drop dead day for popping mine in the Post.

Why not let Virtual Elves help you out?  I have handpicked some stunning cards, all you need to do is a quick call or email to me by 26^th November and I can either incorporate your own concept into a personalised card for your business, or you can pick from our gorgeous range and we can customize that. Cards can be designed in 48hrs, printed in 4 days and delivered to you within 48hrs. But don’t stop there! Let us then send them out for you from your database!

It’s that simple.

Done.  Box ticked.

Now onto the next item on your To Do list (and we can probably help you with that too!)