It’s the day before Thanksgiving, 2011 and I am working remotely today at my favorite place to work when away from the office – Paradise Bakery & Café in the Castleton mall area in Indianapolis, Indiana.
This morning I had their Veggie Omelet. That’s right, no meat. I need to lose a few pounds fer sure, well actually about 20 pounds. I told the guy behind the counter that it seems wrong to eat meat or for that matter even eat at all the day before Thanksgiving. He chuckled.
After I finished my omelet I intentionally went over to the gentleman who created it for me – I say “created” because it was a culinary masterpiece - and expressed to him how much I enjoyed it and thanked him for a job well done. My gratitude put a big ole’ smile on his face.
This time of year we as a nation take time out of our busy schedules to give “thanks”. Many of us will gather with family and feast upon anticipated foods with a heart of thanks for the abundance of blessings that has been our’s since we last met. We really are truly blessed.
As a small business it is right to communicate thankfulness to your customers. It is right to let them know how grateful that you are for their relationship. It is right to tell them at this time of year how much you value their choice to partner with you and the services that you offer. However, saying “thank you” all year-long is also a good thing to do.
I have listed 5 ways below that you can tell your customers “thank you” all year-long.
Send small gifts
Sending a small gift goes a long way. There could be many occasions when you can send gifts to your customers. You can send gifts on their birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, or better still you can send them the gift on the anniversary of when they hired your services or bought your product, reminding them of how their relationship with you began.
You can send them flowers, small gifts, decorative items, etc. You can also send a special discount coupon in the gift box, which can be used on next purchase. This will push your customers to take action. Tell them why you are offering them a special discount.
Send cake
You can also make your customer feel special by sending them cake on their birthday, or by sending them a jar of cookies from your local bakery. In the box, put a note mentioning that you love the cookies very much and you are sending the cookies with a belief that your customer will also like them. You can send candy or other fun food. I just happen to like cookies, in fact, in case you’re wondering oatmeal raisin is my favorite. Smile.
Send gift cards
This is another way to express gratitude for the business your clients gave you. Send them gift cards or discount coupons of the products or services they will enjoy. You can send them discount coupons of good restaurants in your city, or a resort in some tourist location. You can even send discount coupons for book stores, movie, theaters, music CDs, office supplies, or coffee shops. Everybody seems to have an iPod these days, so iTunes gift cards are very popular. For this, you can partner with businesses in your city. If you are in the similar business then you can offer each other’s discount coupons to your customers.
Consequently, I make it a point to send a personal note along with a gift card to clients or individuals who refer a new client to me. It’s the right thing to do. Places like Walmart, CostCo and Sam’s Club and other retail stores now sell gift cards in groups of three (i.e. 3 – $10 cards or even 3 – $20 gift cards) to major restaurants and coffee shops. My favorite gift card 3 pack to buy is to Starbucks. Starbucks even let’s you send a Starbuck Card eGift to someone to your Facebook friends. According to their eGift page this is how simple it is …
To Send A Starbucks Card eGift Just Follow These Simple Steps
- Choose an eGift design.
- Add your own personal message and the amount you’d like to give
- Enter an email address and hit send – that’s it! Now imagine the smiles it’ll bring.
Celebrate life
This is the most touching way to say thank you. If you know your client’s birthday or anniversary then send him a card and bouquet. The point is not what you are sending, but the point is to tell him or her that you care and hat you remembered their special milestone. You may also send a card with well wishing if your client is expecting a baby, or if he or she is getting promoted, or if his or her offspring is graduating.
You should make your client feel that he or she is part of a big family, and you care about his happiness. By being part of his celebration, you are saying a big thank you. This is a kind gesture, which never gets forgotten.
Do you have a hard time remembering people’s birthdays? Try using Birthday Alarm. I have used this service for almost 13 years now and I love it. They remind you of someone’s birthday and also allow you to send a digital card to the birthday boy or girl. And the digital cards they have are actually pretty good, not cheesy.
Host event
You can host an event and limit the entry to your clients. Call a respected dignitary and speaker whom your clients will like to listen to. Do not forget to arrange for food and drink at the end of the event. Your clients will appreciate this gesture. If your clients are not in the same city, or in the same country then you can think of hosting an online seminar (webinar) for your clients.
Do not try to promote or sell anything in that seminar. Make it content-packed. You can talk about your products or services in the seminar, but in nonchalant manner. It should not appear that you are trying to forcibly push your offering through your client’s throat.
There are lots of rewards hidden in getting personal with your clients. By doing little things for him you are saying you care for him, and this care goes far beyond the business they give you. Your client knows this, and he will appreciate this.
Action Plan
Be creative! Take 30 minutes this week to sit down and brainstorm ways you can say thank you. Think outside the box. Trust me, your customers will appreciate your gratitude and like the guy who made my omelet, telling them “thank you” will indeed bring a smile to their face.
What are some ways you have communicated “thank you” to your customers? I’d love to hear some outside-the-box creative ideas to use with my clients, so please share away.
About Greg Cross