5 Ways to Thank Your Customers
A thank you is a small gesture that goes a long way and it can really improve a customer’s perception of your business. One of the main reasons customers churn is that they feel under-appreciated. Most successful businesses do value their customers, so it can never hurt to show them some gratitude. Below we offer five ways you can say thank you to your customers and show them a little appreciation.
1. Include a thank you note with online orders
When customers make an online purchase it usually lacks any sort of personal touch. The customer experience is based entirely on the ease of using your website and its aesthetic characteristics, but rarely will they interact with staff to complete the purchase as they would in-store. Adding a personalised thank you note alongside orders is a nice touch to remind your customers that you appreciate their business. Just as one of your employees might say “thank you” as a customer leaves the store, this interaction will be your final chance to engage with the customer unless they decide to return what they ordered or until you send them a survey. It’s an easy and effective way inject a bit of memorable character or charm into an otherwise impersonal experience. It will also set you apart from businesses that only include an invoice and some bubblewrap alongside the product.
2. Offer celebratory discounts
Whether it’s a customer’s birthday, the anniversary of them making their first purchase, a special holiday or the anniversary of your business starting, there are many opportunities to celebrate your customers and invite them to celebrate with you by offering a special discount. A 15% off coupon might inspire a customer to make a purchase they weren’t previously in the market for and get them excited about doing business with your brand again. Make sure you thank the customer by name and use messaging to display how and why you’re grateful to them or want to celebrate with them. This is also a great opportunity to introduce more personalisation to customer interactions by addressing them by name or for particular occasions.
3. Include freebies with purchase
Everyone loves when something comes free, so when your customers make a purchase, include a little gift with their purchase. This could be a sample-sized version of a product they might enjoy, a little pack of candies or mints, or branded stickers or postcards they can decorate with. Inserting these into their bags at checkout or alongside online orders can be a lovely treat or surprise for your customers. It’s like the cherry on top of a good customer experience. Freebies can be opportunities to make your brand more memorable to customers, and inspire them to return if they like the gift. And even if they don’t use the sample or gift, they are likely to appreciate the gesture.
4. Shine a light on real customers
We’ve talked about consumer-generated content before, and we still think it’s a phenomenal way to make your customers feel appreciated and recognised. Encourage customers to engage with your brand on social media, tagging and sharing posts of them using your products or services and then share their images on your brand’s social media account. Not only will it make your customers feel like they are a part of your brand, but it also will inspire trust and engagement from potential customers who will be more convinced by seeing real people using your products on your pages rather than professional pictures of airbrushed models or products.
5. Host a customer appreciation event
Invite customers to your brick and mortar store or office for a face-to-face celebratory event. This could be marketed as a meet and greet, a holiday party, or simply with a “we love our customers” theme. An event can be really simple – just serving refreshments and potentially offering a discount or goodie bag to those who attend and spend. Customers will love to feel like they are getting something special and exclusive for being loyal to your brand. It can also build a community amongst customers and provides ample opportunity for social media promotion for you and the customers who attend.
