To show your customers and clients that you really care about them, you need to do more than provide great customer service. Here are some ideas…

Providing customers with stellar service just isn’t enough. They spend money with you, they refer you to their friends, and they believe in you. Show them you appreciate the effort they put into your business by going above and beyond. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about customer appreciation, including why it’s important, what it looks like, and how you can master it in your business.

Why Is Customer Appreciation Important?

Great customer service is just expected these days. To show your customers and clients that you really care about them, you need to do more. Having a great customer appreciation strategy will increase your ROI and customer retention rates.

Sending “Thank You” emails to customers has evolved into loyalty programs, discounts, and exclusive perks. More than 70% of customers are more inclined to refer a business if they feel that it has a strong loyalty program that takes into account their preferences. It’s crucial to show your appreciation for your customers to keep them coming back for more.

Customers value their consumption experience. In fact, 68% of customers say they won’t buy from businesses that don’t value them. 

Customer Appreciation Ideas

Here are a few ideas that will help you show your customers that you really care about them:

• Write thank you cards.              
• Send out coupons or gift cards.              
• Do spotlights on some of your customers.              
• Launch a customer loyalty program.               
• Provide an upgrade.               
• Distribute your company’s swag.               
• Release pre-sale notifications.               
• Send personalized gifts.

Write thank you cards

Writing personalized thank-you cards (not an email) is an easy way to express your thanks to your consumers. It’s a heartfelt method to let your customers know how important they are to you and how much they have contributed to your success. Don’t use a thank-you card as an opportunity to make your newest sales pitch. Instead, seize the chance to make the consumer the center of attention and not your business.

Send out coupons or gift cards

Consider sending your customers coupons, gift cards, or discounts on goods and services as a way to show them you appreciate them. This gesture could go well with a thank you card. Giving your consumers a discount or gift cards demonstrates your dedication to them.

Do spotlights on some of your customers

Spotlighting a few of your clients and publishing them on your website, blog, or social media pages is a fun idea. Send out an email asking for customer stories and photos for the spotlight, and then put them on your website a few times every week. That not only provides you with engaging content for your digital platforms, but it also demonstrates to your clients that you value their business and care about their opinions.

Launch a customer loyalty program

A customer loyalty program is among the best ways to demonstrate to them your commitment to them. The average repeat customer spends 67% more in months 31-36 than they spend in months 0-6. By offering members of your loyalty program various benefits and exclusive deals, you can keep your customers loyal and encourage them to return.

Provide an upgrade

If you’re running a SaaS or subscription-based business, one way to show customers you care is to provide them with a free upgrade. Consider upgrading consumers who are utilizing out-of-date tools to your current versions and allowing them to test out your newest features. Even if it’s simply a trial, this demonstrates to customers your value and boosts ROI. 

Distribute your company’s swag

Everyone enjoys swag. Free caps, shirts, bottles, and even buttons are sufficient to excite clients and keep your business current in their eyes. Customers that receive promotional products from brands tend to remember them. People are twice as likely to have a favorable perception of this type of advertising as opposed to seeing an ad on the internet. As a result, swag not only increases brand recognition but also consumer satisfaction.

Release pre-sale notifications

Even though you want to satisfy everyone in your consumer base, you should start with your most devoted users. You want to make sure that these clients are happy with how they are treated because they frequent your store the most and spend the most money there. Release pre-sale alerts via your email newsletter is one approach to give them extra attention. This encourages new customers to sign up for your email list and goes above and above for your current, faithful customers.

Send personalized gifts

Free swag is always a lovely gift, but showing your customers you care by including special touches will ensure their continued support of your business. Additionally, it demonstrates to them that you care about their interests and activities outside of your company.

Host an Event

By inviting your most loyal customers to an event where you treat them to a few hours of hors d’oeuvres and entertainment, you make them feel special. This is a great way to get to know them on a personal level and spend a little time with each of them. An in-person event is great for super special clients whether your company is large or small. Even hosting a small gathering online can help you get to know your customers better and show them you appreciate their patronage.

Warm Fuzzies

Making your customers feel appreciated will help to keep your business afloat. You could boost your ROI, improve sales, and cultivate a larger base of devoted clients by implementing the ideal customer appreciation strategy. Your business will grow faster if you provide your customers with gifts, warm wishes, and recognition.

3 Ways to Provide Excellent Customer Service

By Leslie Radford