Motivating when the money isn't there

You'd love to giver your best employees a raise. They are pouring their hearts and souls into the company, working extra hours, skipping lunches. And you know they need the money, but for now, it's just not there to offer.

So how do you keep these employees motivated until the purse strings loosen up a bit? Study after study shows that being acknowledged and appreciated is one of the most powerful motivators an employee can offer. Knowing that the extra hours and extra effort are noticed and appreciated goes a long way towards keeping employees happy.

Here are a few ideas for letting employees know you see exactly what they do for your company. Some are cheap, some are inexpensive, and some are actually free!

1) Say thank you. A sincere, on-the-spot thank you in the midst of battling the stresses of the day can go a long way towards motivating an employee to work a little harder, try a little harder.

2) Put it in writing. Take that thank you, and write it in a thank you card and you will double the impact of your message. If the thank you is sincere, that card will go up on their wall, or travel home to be shared with family. Either way, your gratitude will make a big difference.

3) Make it personal. Today at work, I ws asked to create a personal message to go on an award certificate for someone who has been doing everything and more for her department. It came down to three, somewhat lighthearted lines that describe what she does. But when she gets that certificate in front of her teammates, she will feel the appreciation because the certificate's wording is personal. Not just good work -- the specifics make an ordinary award certificate truly meaningful.

4) Feed them. Whether it's lunch, a cappuccino at the corner coffee shop or a jar of candy for their desk, food is a great low-cost motivator. Give them a gift card in the thank you note, leave the candy jar on their desk with a note of thanks or give them an extra hour off one afternoon and prepay for a coffee or other treat. Little cost. Big results!

The message behind green business holiday cards

No, not green as in "red and green" and Christmas colors. Green as in recycled and soy inks and certified paper... all that ecolabeling.

If your company is claiming to be green or earth-minded, the company Christmas cards you send need to be green, too.

Choosing an earth-friendly greeting card says several things to your customers, including:

• Your actions match what you say, so you are a company with integrity.
  
  
• You understand the concept of limited resources and are doing your part to conserve, so you are a company with heart.


• You have taken the time to reach out and share a message with your clients/customers/employees while at the same time not adding to the waste stream, so you are a company that thinks ahead.

Whether you choose a clearly eco-friendly card like the one above (100% recycled and certified) with a green message, or opt for something more subtle, make sure the cards you choose are genuinely green. The positive power of green is nothing compared to the destructive image a greenwashing label will create!

Hitting the target: know your audience before you send

You've decided to try using business greeting cards as a way to keep in touch with your customers, contact prospects or motivate your employees. That's awesome!

But before you send a single card...before you sign them, address them or even buy them. take time to consider your audience. Who will read these cards? What are their ages, occupations, interests? How are they connected to your business? What do you know about them? Have they shopped with you or used your services? Or are they employees with company histories? Or are they just people or businesses you're targeting based on mailing lists, geography or industry?

Before you send out your business holiday cards or thank you cards or welcome cards, take a few minutes and list everything you know about your target audience. You may find you have more than one. They could be segregated by location, previous contact with the business, age, gender, lifestyle, marital status, etc. Whatever differences seem important to you, in terms of your business, are the demographics you should examine.

Once you have your groups (and most businesses find they have between three and six distinct groups), select a greeting card for each group. Or choose the same card, but use different sentiments in each group's cards.

Order cards that match each group. Here are some things to consider:

• Images -- if there are people in the card's image, do they match the demographics of your target audience? Images of young families may not resonate with senior citizens. Also consider what the image says about your company. A serious law firm may not be best represented by something too cartoon-y or informal.
  
  
• Message/sentiment -- Make sure the words you choose to have printed in your cards convey the right image for your company. Tailor your message to your industry. For example, a medical practice might wish their recipients good health, while a car dealership might offer their prospects a message of safety or adventure on the road.
  
  
• Holidays -- If you're using holiday greeting cards, make sure the holiday they mention is one your target audience celebrates. Remember, this isn't about what you or the people you work with celebrate -- it's all about the recipient.
  
  Once you've selected your cards, it's a good idea to also keep an assortment of all-occasion cards on hand, too. That way if an unexpected event comes up, you're ready to send a card out on the spot.

Maintaining contacts with cards

The economy is tanking, and with it, your business contacts and prospects are getting thinner than ice on a springtime pond (forgive me..I'm a Southerner...phrases like that just sneak out when I least expect it.)

Colorful images aside, it's rough out there. And you're looking for any way you can to catch customers' attention. You've tried Facebook and Twitter and blogs and networking and still....

It's time to give an oldie but goodie. A card.

Yup. A paper with words and a picture all stuffed into an envelope card.

Why a card? Because people are tired of electronic messages. They're bored with wading through 200 updates about what someone had for breakfast.

Because an old-fashioned card is new again.

Send them a card for their birthday. For an anniversary. As a thank you for business or a follow up to a chance encounter or a meeting at a conference.

There are as many reasons to send a card as there are potential customers. Look around. Look for a reason. Keep some card assortments and a supply of stamps on hand for moments when inspiration strikes.

Ready, set, surprise them with a card!

It's time to start thinking about Christmas cards

Okay, okay, it's not even summer and I'm telling you it's time to start thinking about your company Christmas cards! Enough already, right?

Give me a minute and I'll tell you why now is EXACTLY the right time.

Now is the time to start building your holiday card list

Start with the cards that came back last year and correct those names and addresses. Make phone calls, look up addresses in databases and online. Make sure you have the right names for cards that are sent to other businesses...receiving a card addressed to your predecessor is not likely to inspire confidence.

Create a list of new contacts, prospectives and customers to add to this year's list. Brainstorm groups or individuals you want to add to your list this year based on your business and marketing plans.

Check your lists for duplicates, misspellings and incomplete addresses and make necessary corrections.

Now is the time to select your cards

The card you choose says a lot about your company and how you feel about your customers and employees. Review your card choices and select designs that convey the message you choose.

Now is the time to compose your message

The sentiment and the signature printed in your cards will also say a lot about your company, too. Take your time, and make sure the message your customers and employees read is the one you want them to see. This is too important to be left for the last minute.

It takes awhile to sign all those cards

If you were reading this blog last year, you'll probably remember all the posts talking about how important it is to sign each card, in addition to the printed signature. If you have many cards to send, it's never too soon to start signing all those holiday cards!

Keeping the good ones - employees, I mean

Even when the budget is at a bare minimum, there are just some employees you will do anything to keep. They are your stars, your core, your always-there-in-a-pinch.

And they'll understand why you can't give them a raise right now, right. Maybe.

And they'll understand why you've stopped giving out gift certificates and gift cards and awards and toys, right? They'll stay through thick and thin...

Ummm... Excuse me. Is that your star employee heading out the door, résumé in hand? Yup. Guess they didn't understand after all...

A lot of employers are making the mistake of assuming two things:

1)Their star employees are 100% loyal and will understand all the cut backs

2)No one leaves a steady job in a bad economy

Both assumptions could not be further from the truth. The best will leave if they are not properly acknowledged and rewarded, and they will do it either as soon as the economy improves, or right now if a better offer comes in.

So what is an employer to do? Here's the quick and dirty answer: reward them!

What???? Spend money? Yes.

Odds are. you've reduced your workforce and your stars are carrying a heavier load. Why not give them a small percentage of the previous employees' salaries? Give them 10% and you're still saving 90% of what it used to cost!

If the money just isn't there, consider other options to let them know how much you value their expertise and hard work. For instance:

Recognition -- A thank you card, an award plaque with a small gift, a personal note from you expressing your appreciation, an announcement about a their accomplishments in the company newsletter... Let your employees know you notice what they do and that you appreciate what they do.

Fun -- Who says work has to be dull and boring? Make it fun. Start an impromptu game of catch with a squishy ball at your next team meeting. Treat everyone to a Starbucks drink, complete with whipped cream. Start a "Cartoon of the Day" e-mail. Fun creates a feeling of belonging, and that can go a long way towards improving employee morale and commitment.

Learning and growth -- Let your employees try new things, enroll them in classes that interest them, encourage new ideas and new ways of doing things. Instead of closing down and keeping to the tried-and-true, use this economic slump to start some new projects, try some innovative ways of reaching customers or experiment with new work processes and schedules. Odds are, you'll find a few things that will serve you well when the economy picks up, and you'll also be improving employee engagement.

How about a summer employee picnic?

Summertime, and the living is easy....

Yup, it's almost summer! So throw a party! Sure money is tight...yes, I know your budget is screaming in pain! But an employee picnic could be just the thing to cheer everyone up, improve employee morale and release tension and stress.

• Plan your picnic on a work day, if at all possible. Coming to spend time with coworkers on a Saturday or Sunday might actually add to many employees' stress. Some employees may be Sabbath observant and unable to attend. Others may have kids sports or family events planned, and yet feel obligated to attend. Having it on a work day makes it extra special..time off AND a picnic!
  
  
• Make it a potluck. Randomly assign employees to main course, appetizer, side dish or dessert by alphabet or date of hire or department. If employees are worried about costs, assign more to the main course category so each can bring a smaller dish.
  
  
• Invite families. It's summer so kids are off school and many spouses are home, too.
  
  
• Have your company provide the drinks (no alcohol!) and disposables.
  
  
• Make it fun. Have games, toys and music to add to the celebration.
  
  
• After the picnic, send them home! You'll score huge points with employees when they get to leave early on a workday, especially after a picnic!

Why employee anniversaries matter

Bethany has been with your company for three years this month. Aiden started six years ago, and Phyllis just passed her ten year anniversary. Lisa's only been here a year...actually, it's a year this month. And what are you doing to celebrate and honor these milestones? Giving them a performance review? Letting them earn an extra hour of PTO each month?

Your employees are the backbone of your company. Odds are, they spend more hours there, in their offices and cubicles and workstations than they do with their kids or even in their own houses. And yet, year after year, their anniversary comes and goes without a word.

Let me ask you something...do you actually WANT them to care about your company? About the team and the projects and the goals and the deadlines? Not just do it for the paycheck, but CARE.

If the answer is yes, it's time you let them know that you could not have a company without them. No employees means no expertise and no customer service and no products made or sold...face it, they are your company.

Instead of acting as though they're lucky to have a job, start acting as though you're lucky to have employees.

Start with their anniversary. Even if you've never mentioned it to them before, look up the dates and make a big deal about each and every one. Give them employee anniversary cards and SIGN THEM! Have a once a week announcement of who is celebrating and how many years they've served your company. Print up colorful lists for each month and hang them in break rooms and lunch areas. Give long-term employees a small gift or award.

Make it a big deal that these people spend most of their waking hours at your company! The rewards your company will reap will far outweight the cost of a few trinkets and a package of anniversary cards.