Peddling down the home stretch!Hard to believe we are not only into the last few weeks of the year, but also the DECADE. Unreal that 2020 is rapidly approaching....seems like just yesterday we were talking about the Y2K "virus"....You have about 2 and half weeks left to get all those deals closed, projects completed and budgets approved while you also hit the holiday party circuit, get those Yankee Swap gifts for co-workers and break out those ugly holiday sweaters. Are you ready? While it seems like it may be a tough time of year to get it all done, I am quite confident you are going to crush it. And for those that are looking for a sure fire way to get business lined up or some sort of initiative going with another person or company early in the New Year, I'll share something I like to do each December.By this coming Tuesday (12/10), I am going to compile a list of my top 20-30 most valuable clients/prospects/LinkedIn connections from 2019. These are all people with whom I had more than one business correspondence during the year. Doesn't matter what you do for a living -- everyone likely has come in contact with at least 20 people that can help them in some way or form do something better in 2020.Between Tuesday and the end of the year, I will schedule time on my calendar (Sunday nights to Wednesday nights are best, or noon-1:30pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays) to send each contact a quick, simple, personal email (not a text, LinkedIn message, group email, mail merge, etc.) with the subject line "Happy Holidays!" I know, seems unoriginal, but simplicity is key, plus these actually get opened when they are sent from a real person.If you don't know what to say in your email, I'm going to make it easy for you -- here is a template you can copy and paste and edit and customize to fit your needs for each person:{First name of contact},Just a quick note wishing you a great end of year and a happy holiday season. I hope you will be able to enjoy some downtime with family and friends. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to {pick ONE: connect/chat/meet/have drinks/get better acquainted} with you {and the/your team} this year and {learn more about/discuss} {some important thing they were doing and will likely be doing next year}. {Add a short additional positive sentence or sentiment to support if necessary}Looking forward to speaking again soon and seeing how we can collaborate in 2020.Best,{Your full name}That's it! Nothing more than a simple expression of gratitude and well wishes. Don't set up a meeting. Don't ask for business. Don't put any graphics in it or make it look too corporate or like you just cut and pasted it. Don't add a PS. Give yourself permission to put no more than 1 or 2 exclamation marks if needed. Stick to a plain text email that someone can easily read on their phone while they are sitting on their couch, during a commute, in a grocery store line, etc. that genuinely expresses gratitude.Try it and let me know the response you get in return. It should make it so much easier for you to get the ball rolling again in mid January. And in some cases, these contacts may even reach out to you! In the meantime, if there ever was a week where you needed to check out the stories, Friends, THIS IS IT. The Last Word is a little long, but it is a CRAZY one -- worth putting down the egg nog and finding some time to dig into it if you can. And if you have not heard about her by now, be sure you also read about the outrage surrounding "Grace in Boston" in the Random section....it will make you reconsider that Fitbit you were planning to get your significant other....Enjoy!XOXODave
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Friends of Dave #154: Grace in Boston
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Peddling down the home stretch!Hard to believe we are not only into the last few weeks of the year, but also the DECADE. Unreal that 2020 is rapidly approaching....seems like just yesterday we were talking about the Y2K "virus"....You have about 2 and half weeks left to get all those deals closed, projects completed and budgets approved while you also hit the holiday party circuit, get those Yankee Swap gifts for co-workers and break out those ugly holiday sweaters. Are you ready? While it seems like it may be a tough time of year to get it all done, I am quite confident you are going to crush it. And for those that are looking for a sure fire way to get business lined up or some sort of initiative going with another person or company early in the New Year, I'll share something I like to do each December.By this coming Tuesday (12/10), I am going to compile a list of my top 20-30 most valuable clients/prospects/LinkedIn connections from 2019. These are all people with whom I had more than one business correspondence during the year. Doesn't matter what you do for a living -- everyone likely has come in contact with at least 20 people that can help them in some way or form do something better in 2020.Between Tuesday and the end of the year, I will schedule time on my calendar (Sunday nights to Wednesday nights are best, or noon-1:30pm on Tuesdays to Thursdays) to send each contact a quick, simple, personal email (not a text, LinkedIn message, group email, mail merge, etc.) with the subject line "Happy Holidays!" I know, seems unoriginal, but simplicity is key, plus these actually get opened when they are sent from a real person.If you don't know what to say in your email, I'm going to make it easy for you -- here is a template you can copy and paste and edit and customize to fit your needs for each person:{First name of contact},Just a quick note wishing you a great end of year and a happy holiday season. I hope you will be able to enjoy some downtime with family and friends. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to {pick ONE: connect/chat/meet/have drinks/get better acquainted} with you {and the/your team} this year and {learn more about/discuss} {some important thing they were doing and will likely be doing next year}. {Add a short additional positive sentence or sentiment to support if necessary}Looking forward to speaking again soon and seeing how we can collaborate in 2020.Best,{Your full name}That's it! Nothing more than a simple expression of gratitude and well wishes. Don't set up a meeting. Don't ask for business. Don't put any graphics in it or make it look too corporate or like you just cut and pasted it. Don't add a PS. Give yourself permission to put no more than 1 or 2 exclamation marks if needed. Stick to a plain text email that someone can easily read on their phone while they are sitting on their couch, during a commute, in a grocery store line, etc. that genuinely expresses gratitude.Try it and let me know the response you get in return. It should make it so much easier for you to get the ball rolling again in mid January. And in some cases, these contacts may even reach out to you! In the meantime, if there ever was a week where you needed to check out the stories, Friends, THIS IS IT. The Last Word is a little long, but it is a CRAZY one -- worth putting down the egg nog and finding some time to dig into it if you can. And if you have not heard about her by now, be sure you also read about the outrage surrounding "Grace in Boston" in the Random section....it will make you reconsider that Fitbit you were planning to get your significant other....Enjoy!XOXODave