“Low Tech, High Touch”

A lesson that personalization wins the day, every time.

I was intrigued when a friend sent me a note about a pop-up plant nursery that was going to be open to the public for a limited time. It’s springtime. Gardening is in the air. So the fam and I jumped in the car.

The place was a quiet glen outside the owner’s house. He had a couple hundred pots of various plants, and he told me he liked to grow unusual things I couldn’t get at the home center, which is something I appreciate.

As my toddler son tore all over the place letting us know there were “More flowers!” I talked to the owner about a pepper plant that had caught my eye. He mentioned that they grew in the Copper Canyon area of Chihuahua, Mexico, and were difficult to grow from seed. Once we started talking recipes, I was hooked. (A product with a story is always better than a product alone.) I bought the plant, signed up for his email list, and we took our new pepper plant home.

But the core of this story is the email I received from him the next day. It’s a lesson for all of us in simplicity, warmth, personalization, and the beginning of a new relationship. I have pasted it in below:

Ron,

Thanks for coming out to the nursery yesterday and for your purchase of the Chiltepin ‘Batopilas Canyon.’

It was a pleasure to meet you, your wife and son. (Sagan is quite a good spirited boy!)

I hope the plant performs well for you. Should you have any questions or problems please do not hesitate to let me know.

I will keep you informed of any classes, workshops or special nursery deals here.

I look forward to your next visit to the nursery. Until then I hope that your potato planting works out for you. (I also hope your mother likes the Chiltepin too!)

Once again, Thank You!

Steven E. Popp Green Tiger Garden

This is email is right on in so many ways:

The timing is perfect, following up quickly. He thanks me for my purchase, and wishes the plant well. He references several aspects of our conversation, including the potato plants I’m planting, my son’s name, and the fact that I would share the peppers with my family. It’s a personal note. He offers ongoing value, by being a resource I can contact with any questions. He promises to keep in touch when he can offer more value with events, special opportunities, etc. He closes with another thank you. He includes multiple ways to contact him, so I can actually follow through on his offer.

Steven doesn’t need a fancy technology system to have a good relationship with customers. All he needs to do is show effort.

I’ll be going back.

Time for you to implement. It’s Ron’s Monday Mission™:

One of the awesome aspects of Steven’s email is that he remembers and comments on the conversation we had. It’s a technique that builds instant credibility and trust. In your conversations this week, practice remembering a couple of “unimportant” things the person you’re meeting with says. In your next interaction, share those things back to the person, and watch the response. This is an excellent skill to develop, and it makes everybody feel good.

Have a great week,

Ron