There’s an Art to Customer Appreciation
Making customers feel appreciated can seem harder than it should be. We all want to express our thanks in ways that are unique and make clients feel special without busting our budgets. Surprisingly, it doesn’t take a big, flashy or expensive gift to show that you value loyal customers. As with any gift, the sincerity behind the effort is what matters most.
If you’re looking for a few good ways to say “Thank You” to your customers, here’s a quick list of 30 ways to show your gratitude.
(Helpful hint: These are great for employee appreciation, and to thank your partners and colleagues!)
- Simply say “Thank you.” Yes, it sounds easy, but how often do we forget these two little words of appreciation? You can’t use them enough.
- Recognize key customers on your website.
- Mention them in a newsletter. Try a “customer spotlight” column.
- Showcase your customer’s success in case study.
- Introduce them to someone they’ll appreciate meeting, even if it has nothing to do with business.
- Invite them to an important event.
- Send a card with a personal note of appreciation.
- Deliver breakfast for their office. Healthy or not, that’s up to you.
- Buy lunch, one-on-one, no interruptions.
- Host a free educational session for a group of clients on a topic of interest.
- Call just to see how things are going.
- Ask them to share their insights about your business and how you can serve them better.
- Support a cause your client believes in.
- Plant a tree in their honor.
- Treat them to an unforgettable experience. (A good one, of course!)
- Connect them with a new partner or prospect for their business.
- Listen. (Yep, just listen.)
- Invite them to come speak with your employees about their area of expertise.
- Offer to talk with their staff about a topic where you can add value (maybe even do a free lunch & learn).
- Recommend a customer to speak at a conference.
- Use your connections to open doors for their kids.
- Sponsor their children’s sports teams.
- Serve as a reference or provide a recommendation.
- Free goodies (anything from candy to coupons to swag is nice).
- Honor them with an award. Have fun and make it meaningful.
- Nominate them for an award.
- Suggest them for a board position.
- Volunteer on a project, working side-by-side.
- Follow, tweet, retweet and generally promote via social media.
- Be present (wholly present) in every interaction.
If you have more creative ideas, please share them in the comments, I’d love to see what you suggest.
I appreciate your blog; relationships are very important in building bonds and to have the “little things” like to “Thank You” is crucial both prospects and clients alike. Thank you for sharing. Happy holiday!