Creating a loyal customer base is vital to the life blood of any business. Unfortunately, misguided marketing can easily spiral out of control and feel more like ‘customer bribery campaigns’, rather than an engaging loyalty effort. That’s why it is important to remember your manners and say ‘thank you,’ and ‘we appreciate your business.’ Never underestimate the power of a simple, ‘thank you’ to help foster loyalty.
5 Ways to Say Thank You:
Highlight your customer as a success story with a profile on your website. Creating a ‘customer corner’ on your website to spotlight customers helps them know that: 1) You are paying attention and 2.) You value their business. Plus, the exposure will help promote their business, and by linking to their site you will be offering them SEO value as well.
If customer profiles are too in-depth a suggestion, a 140-character call out on Twitter is also a great way to make customers feel valued. A simple and sincere recognition of their business is a sure way to delight your customers and help foster brand loyalty.
Reach out to a select group of your most valued customers and rather than offering a discount, let them know you’d like to make a charitable contribution in their honor. Or, if your customer is already active with an existing cause, let them know you would like to make a matching donation.
It is also worth noting that some companies sponsor employee fundraisers as well as offering matching charitable donations sponsored by their children’s schools or through their athletic endeavors (such as Team in Training / Leukemia & Lymphoma Society). Offering to contribute to these programs can be a very meaningful statement. Acting in partnership for a good cause is a great story to share through social channels for both you and your customers.
Thank customers with a free upgrade to their next order, or by sending a note letting them know that you’ve taken $50 off their bill as a way of showing appreciation for their loyal and continued business. A small token of gratitude will cost very little in relation to the dividend it will yield in the long term.
An old school handwritten note can be a very effective way to convey the importance of your relationship to your best customers. Can you remember the last time you received a handwritten thank you card?
On a larger scale, this is about making your customer feel like they’re part of a big family. Recognizing important milestones like birthdays and anniversaries with a token of recognition helps encourage a sense of connection and community.
Every company hits major milestones thanks to its customers. Years in business, volume of sales, new levels of efficiency, etc… If it’s an important milestone for your business, celebrate it with the customers who’ve helped you achieve it. Whether it is lifetime entry for the one millionth finisher of this years NYC marathon, or a €10,000 gift card for downloading iTunes 25 billionth song, celebrating your success with the customers who make it possible it a great way to say ‘Thank You.’
Novocent helps you connect with customers by creating the building blocks of communication. We work to articulate the intangibles that differentiate your organization and can transform that messaging into actionable projects like:
Are we a ‘good fit’ for your team? Toss us a small project and let’s find out.
