Customers and clients are at the backbone of any small business. No matter how worthy your products/services are, a business can’t succeed if no one’s buying your goods. But once you’ve established your customer base, the next question becomes how to retain them and get them to refer your business to friends. That’s why how you thank your customers is so important.
Taking the initiative to make your customers feel recognized and esteemed should play a large role in any business. Here are a few methods we use at Guidant to thank our customers and show them how much we truly value them:
- Shoutouts on social media. Everyone likes being recognized from among the crowd, and what better way to do that than on social media? Here at Guidant, whenever our client opens a new business or franchise, we personally congratulate them on social media and mention them in our weekly New Business Spotlight blog series to help give their new business a boost.
- Sending gift cards according to interests. Developing a relationship with your customers is what ultimately makes them feel valued. Go deeper than the typical “What did you do this weekend?” and inquire as to their interests and passions. Make a note of it in their customer profile, and after they’ve made their first purchase with you, send them a small gift card to a local business that suits their interests. Not only does this create goodwill between you and other local businesses, but your customers will appreciate the effort put into going above and beyond.
- Handwritten thank-you cards. In the age of digital technology, it’s much easier to shoot a quick email than it is to get out a pen and paper and write a note. That being said, making the effort to send a letter via snail mail to thank a customer goes a long way. It’s more personal and feels more genuine than a digital message.
- Client-of-the-Month. Once a month at Guidant, the team votes on an exemplary client who inspires us by pursuing their dreams in a unique way or has an amazing entrepreneurial success story. The Guidant staff then signs an oversized card to say “thanks for being great.” It’s a fun, creative way to show our appreciation, and our clients seem to enjoy it as well.
- Complimentary services. Guidant often surprises and delights our clients with discounts or complimentary services for turning documents in early, celebrating an important business anniversary or participating in customer surveys. Again, just another nice gesture to let our clients know we appreciate them and their business.