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6
SPRING 2017
Customer appreciation builds
loyalty and grows businesses
Show
Customers
You Care
You probably know that retaining existing customers is less costly than attracting new ones. But
what are you doing to encourage them to stick around? Excellent customer service is a good start,
but you can gain even greater loyalty by adding tangible expressions of customer appreciation.
Here are a few ideas to consider:
Offer your expertise.
Be helpful by sharing your knowledge
in regular newsletters, on your website, or through social media.
Address customers’ changing needs in the information you pro-
vide. For example, a landscaping company might provide tips
for planting bulbs in the fall and how to nurture the flowers they
become in the spring.
Hold a customer appreciation event.
Whether it’s a party,
a presale, or an educational seminar, customers will feel valued
when you invite them to a special gathering.
Create customer categories.
Categorize customers who
spend a certain dollar amount, visit a certain number of times,
or refer your business to others. Then give these customers
category-specific rewards.
Give a true gift.
Honor long-time customers with a free gift
every year or so. Select items that convey thoughtfulness and
personal attention (such as unique, locally made items or a gift
card to your store) rather than items that seem more like market-
ing ploys (such as mass-produced pens with your logo or a gift
card that only works if the customer refers a friend).
Offer discounts.
Reward customers who sign up for your
email list with frequent discount codes that can be redeemed at
your store or website.
Partner with other businesses.
If you’re a dry cleaner,
partner with a tailor; if you’re a bookstore, partner with a card
store. Ask your partner business to give you coupons, discounts,
or freebies to include with your own.
Create a “wall of fame.”
Either at your physical location or
on your website, recognize and feature your best customers with
a photo and a brief description. If your customers are other busi-
nesses, this is a welcome promotional benefit.
Send a card.
There are many opportunities to recognize cus-
tomers by sending cards—including birthdays and holidays or
following a major purchase. The best cards include a handwritten
note about your specific experience with each customer.
Pick up the phone.
Take the time to check in with customers
and ask if there’s anything additional you can do to improve
your products or services.
Remember, customer loyalty is good for business; when you show
customers you appreciate them, they’re more likely to refer you
to others. And with so many social media sites available to share
information, spreading the word is easier, and more impactful,
than ever.