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Old 09-18-2008
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Default Better than Send Out Cards
Does anyone have a company they use for sending out custom cards? Similar to Send Out Cards but with better customer service?
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Old 09-18-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
No other company to suggest, but I think SOC is oversaturating the marketplace. Everyone is using them for marketing these days and I think eventually people will recognize the distinctive type and ink colour and throw them in the "deal with sometime" pile.
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Old 09-19-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
That is good to know...I wanted to sign up with SOC but I think that initial sign up fee is very high. In fact, I did some math and it costs more the first year to use them than running to the Hallmark, or where ever to pick up a box of cards and much higher than making them yourself. I use Stamps.com so I always have stamps on hand.
I'm curious, Jenifer D, about the customer service issue. Did you have a bad experience?
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Old 09-19-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
Originally Posted by Desert DiVA View Post
That is good to know...I wanted to sign up with SOC but I think that initial sign up fee is very high. In fact, I did some math and it costs more the first year to use them than running to the Hallmark, or where ever to pick up a box of cards and much higher than making them yourself.
When you consider it is a multi-level sales company with uplines and all that, of course it's going to be expensive - someone has to pay for all the levels of people who get their cuts up the line. I've sent myself postcards and had others send me postcards from SOC and they always arrive with a thumbprint or some kind of damage so I would only use the cards.

They are a great idea for marketing, but when everyone is using them, it stops being effective.
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Old 09-19-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
Quote:
Everyone is using them for marketing these days and I think eventually people will recognize the distinctive type and ink colour and throw them in the "deal with sometime" pile.
I'm in a leads group with someone who said that he hates getting the cards with the Salt Lake City postmarks, because he knows they are SOC cards. (It's a B2B group, so he didn't have to worry about insulting anyone.) He's already relegated the cards to the "whatever" pile.
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Old 09-19-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
I've never looked at what the postmarks are on the SOC cards that are sent out in Canada. Anyone from Canada who knows?
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Old 09-20-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
Quote:
I'm curious, Jenifer D, about the customer service issue. Did you have a bad experience?
Well, this is a company that my client started up with and I manage. They are horrible. Three months in a row since I started managing them, they have sent double cards to everyone in the campaign. This happened the first month and I called and supposedly got it straightened out. Next month, same problem. I called back to their non-toll free customer service number only for them to tell me that I had messed it up and too bad on the double cost. Then this month, same thing. I called again and again they tried to say it was my fault and I told the gal that when this happened last month their very own customer service department walked me through the process and told me it was corrected. I ended up getting the points refunded but had to get my client to call them to refund the postage and even then, customer service tried to tell my client that I was the one who messed up. We only send 20-40 cards a month and they are always b-day cards that we made custom. But multiply that just times postage and its over $16 a month! Adds up fast.
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Old 09-20-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
wow Jenifer....that is enlightening. You know, at first it sounded like a great database idea to present to clients and though the fees are high, cheaper than getting ACT and getting it programmed, blah blah...
They are actually making your client look bad and in turn costing her/him money! That is further proof that it really is a pyramid scheme of sorts, not at all about the product but about the distributor's downline...Thank you so much for leting me know!
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Old 09-22-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
I am a more hand write the card person. I have this one person that keeps calling me about signing up and sending 2 free cards but I haven't had the time or want to do it. I am glad I read this post!
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Old 09-24-2008
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Default Re: Better than Send Out Cards
I am on the mailing list of a similar service called Jack Cards (http://www.jackcards.com/). Never used them, but if their service is as good as their own "keep in touch " program they might be worth a look.
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