People like to know where they stand. And if you love and appreciate your customers, let them know. Tell them. And if you can do something to show them, that’s even better.
Examples
- There’s a health food store nearby that I visit from time to time. Every so often they host a “customer appreciation” day and will offer 10% off of everything in the store.
- Back in my corporate days, we would often have some of our vendors we worked with regularly come and take a group of us to lunch. It was their way of showing us they appreciated our business.
Suggestions
- Use events or special occasions as a means to let your customers know how you feel. For instance, you could create your own annual or semi-annual customer appreciation event, and make a big to-do about it
- Don’t be afraid to be spontaneous. A simple note at the end of an email that says something like “I appreciate you” can go a long way to brightening your customer’s day, as well as strengthening your relationship.
Application for your business
- Brainstorm 5 ways you can let your customers know how you feel about them.
- Write down the frequency with which you want to do an activity that’s sole purpose is to let your customers know you care.
Previous tips
- Act like you want your customers to stick around
- See your customers as individuals
- Use the sweetest sound in any language
- Remember your customers’ names
- Pay attention to your customers
- Engage your customers
- Get to know your customers
- Listen to your customers
- Don’t let your customers hear the sound of crickets
- Get feedback from your customers
- Remember their love for peanut butter
- Understand your customers’ needs
- Remember special occasions
- Be personable
- Trust your customers
- Fix it when you mess up
- Fix it when you’re customer thinks you messed up (but you really didn’t)