HMG will be closed on Friday, April 2, 2010, to observe Good Friday. |
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Best of Luck to:
Iowa Attorney General candidate Brenna Findley
Iowa State Senate candidate
Bill Anderson
Iowa State GOP Central Committee candidate
Craig Williams
These friends of HMG are throwing their hats in the ring and we wish them the best in their endeavors! | |
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Of Lions, Lambs, and Thieves
This epic winter will soon end, if only because the first day of spring officially arrives on March 20th! Remarkable for its intensity, duration, and frustration-inducing storms, we will remember the winter of 2010 in much the same way our forefathers regaled the winter of '36.
Can you picture yourself reminding your grandchildren of the ice storm, blizzards, electrical outages, impassable roads, grouchy people, heroic power line crews, and snow up to your _________ (fill in the blank - we don't know how tall you are!)?
March blessedly arrived in the form of the lamb. Sunshine did wonders for our attitudes and helps reveal to us again all the potential and possibilities awaiting us.
Over the winter, we have had the pleasure of working with EAPC, an engineering firm with headquarters in Fargo, North Dakota, on a business development program. They are methodically using direct mail to introduce their company and its expertise to prospects in targeted industries, using measures including sales volume and number of employees to refine their message.
We have also worked once again with the Republican Party of Iowa on event management for a breakfast and luncheon featuring Congressman Tom Price of Georgia. The weather cooperated for this late February day and we incorporated good media coverage during the swing as well.
On Monday, March 1, we found HMG had been broken into by uninvited guests who ransacked our desks, violated our trust, took our digital camera, destroyed two steel doors, helped themselves to cash, angered us, and walked off with several rolls of paper towels. We appreciate the response of the Sac County Sheriff's Department to the crime, were grateful no one was injured, the thieves didn't destroy more than the doors, and hope it never happens again.
Thank you for your business. We appreciate all of our customers and look forward to escaping winter's clutches to work with you to renew and revitalize your marketing communications strategy! |
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Etiquette
Miss Manners would likely croak if she observed our procedures for too long, so, we offer this advice to our clients as a way to brush up on our own skills and hope it will be of benefit to you as well!
Communications practices at all levels deserve our time, attention, and top level effort.
Telephone Tips
- Answer promptly - within three rings whenever possible.
- Be courteous when answering - the caller can hear a smile.
- Identify your company and yourself when answering. It's rude to make the caller guess who you are!
- Don't hit the hold or transfer button before you're done speaking.
- Don't begin speaking until you're sure you're connected.
- When you need to take a message, let the caller choose the method. Offer to take it the old fashioned way using those ubiquitous pink message pads or give them the option of voice mail if available.
- Speaking of voice mail... Make sure you have personalized your greeting with your name rather than the generic, mechanical voice from the system. We might not sound like James Earl Jones or Diane Sawyer, but, the caller has confidence they've reached the right voice mail box when they hear your name and voice. Make your greeting warm, sincere, and let them hear the smile.
- Return messages quickly. If you are going to be out of the office and unable to access voice mail remotely, ask a co-worker to gather your messages and deliver them to you for replies.
- Before placing calls to clients, co-workers, or prospects, prepare! Make a list if you need to so you make the best use of everyone's time. (That's why sticky notes were invented, if you ask us.)
- Remember the value of telephone calls. The more we depend on email, the less personal our interactions become. When a call will do, make it! You'll forge stronger relationships and those are what drive our success.
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