Small Tokens of Appreciation for Your Clients Sticking With You During Tough Times
Showing customer appreciation goes beyond providing your clients and customers with exceptional customer service. Customer appreciation is a personal and important way to build customer loyalty and help make your customers feel special. Everyone likes to feel appreciated and loved, and with a few small tokens, you can have your customers feeling even more loyal and dedicated to your company and brand. By cultivating and building your company’s relationship with your customers, you are helping to ensure the longevity of their business and also possibly attracting more business your way. As the timeless adage goes, it never hurts to say thank you. Especially in turbulent years and through tough times, it’s even more important to offer your customers small tokens of appreciation that will leave a positive lasting impression. Regardless of your budget or what your overhead allows regarding tokens of gratitude, there are both inexpensive ways and ways that entail more investment to show your appreciation.
Handwritten Letters
In the digital age of emails and printers, handwriting a letter goes a long way. This rule doesn’t just pertain to lovers and romantic partners, as it also rings true in a professional setting. Handwriting letters of appreciation to your customers is an almost free way to genuinely say thank you for sticking with us. We recommend choosing a high-quality paper, ideally with a watermark or symbol of your company somewhere on the paper, and using a nice custom-printed pen to write an honest and personal thank you to your valued customer. Even this simple token of appreciation will go a long way in the minds of your customers and clients. Just in time for the holidays, you can also send your customers holiday greeting cards with your handwritten note of appreciation inside.
Holiday Emails and Greetings
Sending your customers a holiday greeting or email is a perfect way to wrap up a long year and express your gratitude and appreciation to your customers for staying loyal to you throughout the year. Even if a customer only used your services once or twice, it is a small but impactful way to say thank you and leave a positive lasting impression. Have holiday greeting cards sent to your list of customers or have a holiday greeting email sent out to your customer email list. Either way, be sure to thank them for sticking with you during the year to let them know how much you truly appreciate their business and your relationship. These methods of expressing appreciation are also relatively low cost, making them an easy way to simply say thank you.
Holiday Gifts
Go the extra mile and plan for holiday gifts for your customers and clients to wrap up the year. Even after a tough year financially, spending the little extra money on client gifts can still be a low-cost investment that goes a long way. If your company doesn’t have the budget this year, no problem, a holiday gift can be a simple token that just says thank you.
Some ideas for small holiday gifts are to gift clients small promotional products you may already have in stock such as shirts, pens, hats, water bottles, tote bags, or mugs. These are not only practical and useful for your customers, but they also leave a positive lasting impression and offer a sense of comradery and loyalty. The additional perk is that you get free marketing when your customer sports your gear.
Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are an investment, but they can have a big pay off if done well. Businesses ranging from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies all recognize that gift-giving to your clients and even prospective customers is a smart marketing strategy and a sincere expression of appreciation. Granted, giving gift baskets is an investment of time and money, but the return on your investment will always be magnified by the goodwill it generates and the long-term marketing return. Gift baskets are especially appropriate around the holiday season to close out the year on a positive and celebratory note. You can find gift basket services that specialize in designing and sending the perfect gift baskets for your clients. Choose from wine baskets, fine chocolates, desserts, and specialty foods. Extra tip: Be sure to check in with your clients to see if gift baskets are allowed or if there’s a cap on the monetary value so your investment doesn’t go to waste.
Alternatively, create your own company gift basket with promotional products and indulgent products such as wine, chocolate, and other consumables. Create your own gift basket with personalized coffee mugs, a fine selection of coffee and tea, and maybe even a few snacks to have alongside. Regardless of what you include in your gift basket or how much money you spend, your expression of appreciation will undoubtedly go a long way.
Hosting and Event or Party
Hosting an event or a party is a wonderful way to bring your customers and clients together for an experience that says, “thank you.” It’s also an effective and positive way to connect to your customers professionally and personally. Make the party or event extra special by having a party bag you give to your guests that includes a treat and a company promotional product. Alternatively, use company logo cups as drinkware for a marketing twist. In times of socially distancing, save this tip for another year!
Offering Private Discounts or Complimentary Services
Offering your customers private discounts or complimentary services is another cost-friendly way to give thanks. Get creative with this one to see how it fits best into your industry or overhead, but just remember that making people feel special and appreciated goes a long way, no matter the size or scale of your business.
Try some of these small tokens of appreciation this year to say thank you to your clients and customers for sticking with your business through a tough year. A little gesture goes a long way.