World Post Day Challenge: Let’s Help Each Other Grow Our Businesses!

I don’t know about you but as a blogger, I spend a lot of time sitting in front of my computer. I’m writing articles, answering emails, sharing posts on social media, and looking for ways to help GreatfulMoments.com grow. But today, I got to thinking about something. Just because my business is online doesn’t mean every connection we make has to happen on a computer screen.

My business reaches around the world. I might be sitting here in Texas while you are in California, New York, or somewhere across the ocean. We may never have met in person, but that doesn’t mean we can’t help each other succeed. And that got me thinking about the lost art of sending cards and letters, the excitement of receiving something in the mailbox, and how a simple piece of paper can introduce us to someone new.

Since World Post Day is October 9, why not celebrate by doing something that could help another person? Instead of simply talking about the importance of communication, let’s put it into practice! I’m challenging bloggers, content creators, and small-business owners to join me in the World Post Day Small-Business Challenge.

Here’s what I would love for us to do: Write a short paragraph about your business. Tell people who you are, what you do, what makes your business special, and how they can support you. Keep it short enough that someone can read it quickly and remember you. Then send it to me and I will share it on my Facebook page and then do the same for me.

The step two is to prepare ten business cards. Include your business name, website, and the best way for people to contact you. If you don’t have business cards, this is a wonderful opportunity to make some. You can print them at home or order them when your budget allows. Sometimes places like Vista Print has free cards and all you pay for is shipping and handling.

Then find a business friend. Connect with another blogger or small-business owner who wants to participate. They might live across town, in another state, or in another country. The idea is to help each other reach people we might not otherwise reach and help each other share there businesses in new places..

Exchange your business introductions and ten cards. Mail them to each other if you can. If postage isn’t in your budget, you can also exchange your introductions digitally and print the cards locally, or share digital business cards. Don’t let the cost of a stamp keep you from participating.

Share the ten cards you receive. Introduce your new business friend to people who might appreciate their products or services. Your partner will do the same for you. Follow up and encourage one another. Let your partner know where you shared the cards and what kind of response you received. Celebrate the little victories together.

I’ve also created a printable challenge sheet so you can keep track of your business partner, their information, and the ten cards you share. You Don’t Even Have to Leave Your House! Which with the price of gas this is a Godsend for my family and even my friends and local business owners.

Now, this is the part I really want everyone to understand: You do not have to get in your car, drive across town, spend money on gas, or go shopping to participate in this challenge. You can start right where you are, in your own home! Think about all the people you already know.

You have friends, family members, neighbors, former coworkers, and people you talk to every week. Some of them may be interested in your partner’s business. Others may know somebody who is. Here are a few simple ways to share those business cards without making a special trip.

Give a card to a friend or family member: The next time somebody visits, tell them about your new business connection and give them a card to pass along if they know someone who might be interested. Share cards with your relatives. Your family members have their own circles of friends, coworkers, and acquaintances. One person may know someone who needs exactly what your business partner offers. Take a card when you take your children to school. If your school allows community business cards or flyers, ask whether you can leave one in an approved area. You might introduce another family to a useful service or a small business they haven’t discovered yet. Share a card when you go out to dinner. If a restaurant permits business cards, ask whether you can leave one in an approved spot or share it with someone who expresses interest. You don’t need to make a special trip just to spread the word. Share cards with neighbors. If you already visit with your neighbors, you can tell them about the business and offer a card. Keep a few cards in your purse or wallet or glove compartment: You never know when a conversation might lead to an opportunity to introduce someone to a business that could help them. Use your existing online connections. If someone you know lives far away, you can send them the business introduction digitally or share a digital business card.

Ask before leaving cards at a business or public location. Some schools, restaurants, shops, and community centers have rules about advertising materials. A quick question makes sure your kindness is welcome. See? You don’t have to spend money on gas or rearrange your day. You can share cards as part of things you’re already doing. And if you don’t have ten people to give cards to today, that’s okay. Start with one. You can share the rest over time. Or you don’t have ten cards send what you have because there is no, right or wrong way to participate in this challenge.

As bloggers, we spend so much time trying to get noticed online. We work on our websites, write articles, share posts, learn about search engines, and try to reach new readers. But our businesses are built around people and even direct sellers businesses are built online so lets help everyone else out.

A blogger in Texas may have something valuable to offer someone in California. A small business in another state may provide a service that a family in your community needs. A handmade business might be exactly what somebody is looking for when shopping for a birthday or Christmas gift.

We cannot promise that every business card will lead to a customer. That’s not the goal. The goal is to create opportunities for people to discover one another. Imagine ten people each sharing ten business cards. That’s ten opportunities for each participant to introduce another business to somebody new.

If those people pass the information along to others who are genuinely interested, the connections can continue. And it doesn’t have to stop with business cards. You might discover a new blog to read, a small business to support, or someone who becomes a friend.

Let’s Bring Back the Lost Art of Sending Cards and Letters Remember when getting a letter or a card in the mailbox was something special? Today, so much of our communication happens through email, text messages, and social media. Those tools are wonderful, and I use them every day.

But there is something personal about receiving a piece of mail that someone took the time to prepare and send. A business introduction doesn’t have to be complicated. A short paragraph explaining what you do, a few business cards, and a friendly note can be enough to begin a relationship.

And if mailing something isn’t possible for you right now, don’t worry. You can still participate by exchanging business information online and sharing cards with people you already know. The important thing isn’t how much money you spend. It’s the effort you make to help somebody else.

I know when I first began to work online David and I both thought supporting a small business meant purchasing something. And, of course, buying from a small business can make a real difference. But there are other ways to show support that business and this is where this challenge has come into play.

You can share a business card. You can introduce a friend to a blogger. You can tell somebody about a local business you appreciate. You can recommend a service to someone who is looking for it. You can do all of these things without buying anything yourself.

You don’t have to promise that a business is right for everybody. You simply share the information and let people decide whether it meets their needs. Sometimes the smallest gesture can open a door that somebody has been trying to find for a long time and that is what can help us all grow while remaining grateful, thankful and blessed.

That is what I want this challenge to be about: people helping people, businesses helping businesses, and all of us remembering that we don’t have to compete all the time. We can encourage one another, too. Bloggers and Small Business Owners & Authors Let’s Connect!

If you are a blogger, content creator, or small-business owner, or a Author I would love for you to join me. Tell us about your business in the comments. Share your business name, website, general location, and what you offer. If you are looking for a business partner for the challenge, say so!

Please share only business contact information you are comfortable making public. Never post your home address or private information in the comments. You can also download and print the World Post Day Small-Business Challenge worksheet below. Use it to write your introduction, keep track of your partner’s information, and check off each of the cards you share.

Let’s make this something we can continue beyond one day. World Post Day can be our reminder to reach out, but we can keep helping one another throughout the year. I’ll do my part here in Texas. Maybe you’ll do yours in California. Somebody else might join us from another country entirely.

Our businesses may be worldwide, but growing them can begin with one introduction, ten business cards, and a willingness to help each other. And remember, you don’t have to leave home, spend money on gas, or buy something to participate. Sometimes all it takes is a little kindness.

Who’s ready to accept the World Post Day Small-Business Challenge?

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

Glenda Cates
GreatfulMoments.com