Remember your customers and suppliers this holiday season
Regardless of what holidays or religions your customers and vendors observe, the holiday season is a great time to thank them for your business and their contributions to its success. Here are some thoughtful and affordable ways to remember your customers this year:
1) Send personalized holiday cards between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. I choose a generic message like Happy Holidays or Happy Holidays to go all-in, but I always sign each card personally and include a note thanking the customer or vendor for working with me this year.
2) Send a thank you gift. I buy my existing and older clients a small gift at Christmas: a cute pen and pencil set, a box of chocolates, a Harry & David gift basket, or something else I know that client would enjoy. For example, I have a client who prefers natural and organic products, so my gift to her will reflect that preference. For those who are far away, I send gifts. If they are local, however, I deliver the gift personally.
3) Make a donation in your name. This year, because so many charities are struggling, I will be making a toy or food donation on behalf of some of my clients. I know my clients will appreciate the gesture, and with so many people in need, this is a way to stretch my donation money as well. To make the donation more personal, contact the customer by phone or email and ask for the name of their favorite non-profit organization and make a donation to that charity on the customer’s behalf. Follow up with a card indicating the donation.
4) Present a homemade gift of cookies, chocolates or other gourmet treats that you can share. This is particularly good if you do business with a group of people from a company.
5) Buy a gift card. If you know a particular customer loves Starbucks or a local coffee shop or espresso stand like Kelly Latte’s or Kona Kai (Kent, WA), buy a gift card for the amount you think is appropriate. This way, your customer will think of you the next time they buy their favorite latte or mocha!
6) Offer free products or services as a thank you. If you’re not in a position to buy gifts for your customers this year, consider offering them free products or services. Send them a gift certificate or coupon indicating the gift (valid for one hour of free marketing consultation to use as they wish before May 1, 2009) along with a thank you card for doing business with you.
7) Invite your client to lunch for an end-of-year wrap-up meeting, a complimentary consultation, or just to say thank you. If you space them out over the holiday season, this can be an inexpensive way to say thank you while also creating the opportunity for more business.
However you choose to remember your customers this holiday season, make sure the focus is on the customer, not you. Let them know that you appreciate their business and look forward to continuing the relationship in the New Year.
Copyright © 2008, Dana Blozis for Virtually Yourz.