Customer Appreciate
Do You Appreciate Your Customers? Then Show Them!
We’re going to just assume that you appreciate your customers, especially loyal ones. Without your customers, you wouldn’t even have a business, right? That’s why one of the best moves you can make as a business owner is to show your customers how much you appreciate them.
Customer appreciation doesn’t just make those loyal patrons feel good. It also increases the value of your business to those people. Maybe they patronized you occasionally because they like your product or service — but with a little bit of customer appreciation, they suddenly like you as a business owner. You’ve now retained them for a lifetime of patronage.
Plus, people talk. And those customers who feel appreciated will be more inclined to talk you up to all of their friends and family members. This increases the public’s awareness of your business and can increase your customer base even more.
The only problem is you’re not exactly sure how you’re supposed to show customer appreciation. That’s okay — here are 10 easy ideas you can try out:
1. Give your customers a shoutout.
People like to be recognized because it makes them feel special. If you have a customer who’s a frequent face at your business and you have a special relationship with them, don’t be afraid to post about the “customer of the day” on your social media pages. Tell your followers what you love about this customer, or let your customer tell people what they love about your business.
2. Offer some special treatment.
When you have a customer who’s really special, you’re willing to go above and beyond for that person. Maybe that means opening up by appointment only to serve them on a holiday or after hours. If your favorite customer really needs your product but they can’t be there before closing time, you can show your appreciation by staying open an extra half-hour.
3. Create a VIP program.
A VIP discount or freebie gift doesn’t have to be huge. If you offer a person a 10% discount for being a favorite customer, that’s only $1 off a $10 purchase — but the thought behind the gesture goes a long way in making people feel appreciated.
4. Create a referral incentive program.
Want to show your customers how much you appreciate them and encourage them to send more people your way? Offer them a discount or freebie when they refer new customers to you. All the newcomer has to do is mention who sent them, and your loyal customer then gets special pricing on their next purchase.
5. Bend the rules or offer an upgrade.
Even the best customers forget to bring a receipt when they need to make an exchange. If it’s a customer you know and appreciate, you might not mind bending the rules. You could also offer them a bigger or better version of something at the same rate if whatever they bought doesn’t meet their expectations.
6. Stay in touch.
Keep a mailing list of loyal customers to whom you can send birthday cards, holidays cards, or just sporadic hellos. The gesture of consideration speaks volumes, and it’s good for you because you stay visible to them.
7. Celebrate their accomplishments.
There will be big moments in your favorite customer’s life that just feel appropriate for you to celebrate with them — so go for it! If you have a frequent customer who just got engaged, had a baby, or finished their doctorate, reach out to them and extend your congratulations. They’ll be happy to hear from you.
8. Offer specialty advice.
In some professions, counsel is part of a service that people pay for. But in other fields, advice is something you can offer for free. If a customer is making a poor choice or if there’s a way they can improve their use of your product or service, give them an in-depth explanation. Not only will this be a kind gesture on your part, but it also means they’ll get more out of your product or service.
9. Surprise them with a gift.
And no, we’re not talking about a sample or a giveaway of your product — find a small token of your appreciation that you can give them as a present for a special occasion and let them know that you’re doing it to show customer appreciation.
10. Ask for feedback — and act on it.
Do you really value that customer? Ask them their honest opinion about their experience with your business. If there are any negative aspects to their experience, you will likely take those more seriously because you know they’re coming from somebody who appreciates what you do. Take that advice and make some changes to the way you operate so you can better serve all your customers going forward.