Customers give you their business throughout the year — and, yes, you probably thank them during transactions. But recognizing their loyalty in a special way will help you build goodwill for the coming year.
These ideas can deepen your relationships, improve the next customer experience or just put smiles on their faces in a generally stressful time of year.
Try one. Try many. Just do something special.
1. Teach them
Many of your customers would like the gift of knowledge. Give them opportunities to learn. Offer white papers and blogs with useful information — not promotional material — that fits their interests. For instance, a recreational sports retailer might post an article on the Top 10 Winter Hikes.
Another example: A coffee shop invites customers to hear an expert talk on coffee growing and gives them samples to taste.
2. Give books
Many great business philosophies and values are based on powerful books. Which book has a history in your company?
Get the book in bulk, write up a short explanation of why it’s important to your company and what customers can learn from it, and then pass copies onto your best customers.
3. Invite them for coffee
This might sound impossible to most companies today. After all, your customers are probably scattered all over the country or even the world. But representatives of your company probably travel near customers periodically.
When they do, arrange a coffee meeting for customers in that area. Invite customers within an hour radius to a central location to enjoy coffee, breakfast, lunch and idea-sharing with like-minded customers.
4. Feature them
Call out customers who are active on social media on your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. accounts. Then, periodically, tell your other customers how much you appreciate those contributing on your social media pages — how long they’ve been with you, why they’re savvy and what they do that makes them special.
You can do the same kind of “features” on your website and in company newsletters.
5. Create a reason to celebrate
Add alerts to your database so customers’ purchase anniversaries are recognized. Perhaps the system can send an automatic anniversary email thank-you note and discount. Or, on a more personal scale, have the system alert a sales or service pro to make a call to customers, thank them for their purchases and offer a discount.
6. Give in their honor
You might want to pick out your very best, most loyal customers for this. Tell them you’d like to make a contribution to their favorite charity in their honor.
7. Recognize them when they least expect it
While it’s a good idea to remind customers how much you appreciate them now, it’s an even better idea to do it when they least expect it. That way, your appreciation and gift will stand out.
Example: Try sending a thank-you card and gourmet popcorn on Groundhog Day.
8. Get personal
Here’s a quirky idea if you have the creativity on hand — especially if you’re a B2B company. Photoshop your client and some of his or her team members onto a famous movie poster. Rename it something appropriate (for instance, Star Power or The Success Games), and email it to them with a note that says, “Thanks for your business!”
