[Reposted due to database problem]

As you may know, I celebrated my birthday about a week ago while I was on the road. Early this morning I began doing the weekly email inbox clean-up session that keeps me sane and ensures that I haven't forgotten to take care of anything each week. In the midst of doing so, I came across a handful of emails from vendors I've registered with -- including my favorite local radio station here in SoCal.

The station is smart enough to know that they should pamper their loyal listeners to keep them happy and tuning in, and they sent me a ecard to wish me a happy birthday. Sounds sweet, and it's nice to receive (even if in my heart of hearts I know that it is computer-generated and not a one-on-one note from my fave DJs) ... but there's also a *wee* little problem with the card.

In it, there was a note that allows me to accrue additional points (they have a customer loyalty program in place in which you trade points for goodies like CDs and concert tickets) just by going to their website and typing in a specific phrase. The problem? They didn't include their URL, and it's been a long while since I've been to their site, so it's no longer anywhere to be found in my recently used URLs file in Internet Explorer.

Secondly, the number of free points gives me essentially nothing. I'd have to have 15 times the amount given away in the ecard to even begin to be able to get anything at all.

So I've got a present that I'd have to do work for just to be able to someday possibly accrue enough points to get that Milli Vanilli CD I've been saving up for since the mid-80s ... if, that is, I can ever find the radio station's website when the time comes.

Folks, if you want to do something nice for your clients, make sure that:

a) it requires no work on their part to enjoy

b) it actually provides something of value to your clients

c) you include relevant contact info because your clients are not psychic and might not know how to proceed

All of the above will keep happy clients even more thrilled with you and your business.