We all like it when we feel appreciated; when someone says ‘thank you’ for something we did or said. We like it even more when we are surprised by a hand-written note that a colleague drops on our desk or that arrives in our mailbox. ‘Thank you’ is a very powerful phrase that never fails to please.
Companies, business people and individual sales professionals have traditionally given a ‘thank you gift’ when a customer closes on a home, or buys a new car. Some do more than that – they send out birthday, Christmas and Hanukkah cards, for example. Some send small gifts as well as a card.
Just as an example, there are Realtors who send their customers a CD of Christmas music, line the roads in their farm area with flags on the 4th of July, and throw a ‘drop-in party’ on their ‘Customer Appreciation Day’. Retailers offer ‘store dollars’ for buying something during their Grand Sale that can be redeemed later. Coffee houses stamp your card every time you buy a coffee, knowing that the more often you buy coffee the sooner you get a free cup.
It’s part of their strategy to keep their customers loyal. Customer appreciation gifts can be a very powerful business strategy when you use them properly. Giving a gift once is nice; giving a series of gifts is good business. Let’s explore ways to do it properly – regardless of your line of business – so your gifts are welcome and help you grow your business.
The Give-a-Gift Grow-Your-Business Strategy
OK, that’s the theory behind the idea. Now let’s look at how to make it really work. Here are some ideas. Use the ideas to generate variations that work for you in your line of business.
Decide on Your Goals
You want your customers to:-
- Keep coming back to buy more of what they would buy anyway (another coffee, another sandwich)
- Buy something new when they make their usual purchase (get the coffee customer to buy a cookie or a sandwich, or to bring a guest, and buy two coffees)
- Buy more than usual (the spa customer could buy shampoo and skin cream when they visit for their regular manipedi)
- Refer someone so they become a customer
- Refer someone else, so you get two new customers
When you have decided on your goals:-
Decide on Your Numbers
How many coffees, how many jars of skin cream, how many referrals? You know the profit on those sales, so you can reward accordingly.
- Decide how to ramp up your results. 1 free coffee for every 8 coffees bought is common, so you can do better with 1 free coffee for 8 bought, then another free coffee on the 15th, then another on the 21st, another on the 26th, then a free Thank you for being a great customer! mug on the 30th.
- Your competition probably gives out a free coffee for every 8th, 12th or 14th coffee bought. If your competition gives out a free coffee for every 8th, their customers get 4 free coffees for every 32 bought, but your customers get 4 free coffees PLUS a special mug for just 30 purchases
- Display seasonal mugs, so your customers can choose a Valentine, Special Son/Daughter, Anniversary mug, etc. As they get nearer to each reward, they will come in more often – people like to win things.
Auto Dealership Example
Potential customers visit your auto dealership. Thank them by giving them a gourmet cookie – just for coming in, and another after the test drive. They say how tasty it is, so you thank them for saying so (never say “You’re welcome.” Tell them how nice they are for the compliment) then tell them you give out a free gift basket to every customer who buys a vehicle from you. People buy from people they like, so if they like the cookies and they like you, and they are going to buy a new car, you might just get an extra sale.
Then tell them that they will get a gift mug with cookies in it at their first service. Make sure they know that they get a gourmet gift basket at their next major service or major purchase (like new tires or a tow bar) because you want to be their sales person or their dealership for life.
Realtor Example
You are a Realtor showing properties to a family.
- You get them pre-approved for a mortgage – give them a small gift of cookies “To celebrate when they get home.”
- They find a home and their offer is accepted. Give them a mug each
- When they close on the home give them a nice gourmet gift basket. Now they have had three simple, low-cost gifts
- Tell them you will give them another gift basket if they are kind enough to refer someone to you
- If you have a customer appreciation day, tell them they and their guest will get a gift basket – but only if they bring a guest. This increases your database of prospects
Final Comment
Customers love to feel appreciated, so make them feel good while helping you to do more business. We have lots of ways you can show appreciation, so please click here to contact us. Thank you!
