12 Ways to Thank Your Customers - Client Appreciation Strategies You Can Use Year-Round

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12 Ways to Thank Your Customers - Client Appreciation Strategies You Can Use Year-Round
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Chandler]Stephanie Chandler

One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is investing the majority of marketing efforts in attracting new customers and forgetting about past customers. Your current and past clients are the foundation of your business because without them, your business would not exist. It also costs far more to acquire a new client than it costs to generate business from an existing client.

Showing appreciation for your clients can set you apart from your competitors, increase loyalty, improve retention, inspire sales and even build relationships that last a lifetime. Reaching out to your clients is also an opportunity to remind them that your business exists. Effective marketing relies on repeat exposure and showing appreciation is an affordable and effective way to keep your marketing wheels in motion.

One note of caution: some companies and industries have strict guidelines about accepting gifts. This is especially true of media professionals and government workers. Gifts can be construed as bribes so when in doubt, ask your clients if such policies exist or stick to sending items with no monetary value.

Following are client appreciation strategies that can help you cultivate client retention.

1. Greeting Cards

The Guinness Book of World Records lists Joe Girard, a car salesman from Detroit, as the world's best salesman. Girard earned the honor by selling 18 cars in a single day. One of his secrets to success is sending 12 cards per year to every single customer and prospect. There are dozens of major and minor holidays throughout the year and each provides a great reason to send a card.

2. Personal Notes

Thoughtful and unexpected thank you notes can be sent after client appointments, following a purchase or whenever a client has done anything deserving some appreciation. While sending an e-mail may be quick and easy, you will make a better impression by sending a note in the mail.

3. Invitations

Though it is important to recognize all of your clients, it is just as important to pay extra attention to your top clients. Spending time together outside of the office gives you a chance to cultivate the relationship by getting to know each other better (in the sales world, this is called "face time"). Consider inviting your top contacts to lunch, dinner, sporting events, charity functions or other events where you can spend time together.

4. Small Gifts

Flowers, books, a mug full of candy and other token items can make thoughtful gifts for clients. These can be sent on special occasions such as birthdays, holidays or anniversaries, or can be sent for no reason other than to show your gratitude.

5. Food

Everyone loves food. Consider sending cupcakes from your local bakery, providing a catered lunch at your client's office or dropping off a tray of cookies.

6. Gift Cards

Sending gift cards for items or places your clients will enjoy can have an added benefit: they will think of you when it comes time to redeem the gift! Options include coffee shops, restaurants, movies, bookstores, office supplies or anything else your clients would appreciate. For even more mileage, consider partnering with another business and send each other's gift cards.

7. Referral Rewards

The highest compliment you can receive is a referral to your business. This gesture deserves recognition in the form of a thank you note, discount on services or small gift card. Always acknowledge when a customer sends business your way.

8. Reverse Referrals

If your clients are business owners, look for ways to refer business to them. This is an unexpected gesture that is sure to set you apart.

9. Customer Appreciation Days

Designate one or more days each year to celebrate your clients. You could offer a customer-only secret promotional sale, give away lunch if you have a physical location or provide a special bonus to those on your mailing list.

10. The Gift of Information

Ebooks, reports, workbooks, videos and other types of information products can make great gifts. For example, compile a list of useful tips that your customers will appreciate and either deliver it via e-mail in a PDF document or publish it in booklet format to mail or hand out.

11. Host Events

Host a party or an open house at your office or a restaurant. If your clients are geographically dispersed, you can hold a virtual event by inviting them to participate in complimentary online seminars.

12. Life Events

If you know that your client is getting married, having a baby, being promoted or enjoying another major life event, send an acknowledgement--even if it is a simple card. Your gesture will not be forgotten.

Stephanie Chandler is the author of several business and marketing books including FROM ENTREPRENEUR TO INFOPRENEUR: MAKE MONEY WITH BOOKS, E-BOOKS AND INFORMATION PRODUCTS. Discover hundreds of resources for entrepreneurs at http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com

For author and speaker details visit http://www.StephanieChandler.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephanie_Chandler http://EzineArticles.com/?12-Ways-to-Thank-Your-Customers---Client-Appreciation-Strategies-You-Can-Use-Year-Round&id=1700218

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Economic Downturn Increases Virtual Interest

I received this press release
from Busiants founder Ramona Tullis
and felt it was such a timely service
that it needed to be published in this blog.

Services of Idaho virtual assistant company,
Busiants Business Assistants,

meet a growing local demand for economic business solutions.

Boise, Idaho-February 16, 2009- Staff reduction is a growing trend in American companies faced with the effects of present downturn markets, and attention is beginning to focus on the virtual assistant in efforts to increase profit margins. Smaller business owners and CEO’s alike are avoiding the high costs of in-house employees and are consulting with hourly, need-based virtual workers to do everything from basic administrative tasks to detailed bookkeeping.

In the Boise Metro area, sights have been focused on Busiants Business Assistants as one such virtual assistant provider. Started in 2008, by Ramona Tullis, Busiants has been meeting the increasing demand by the local business community with the variety of services that their assistants provide. When asked about Busiants’ services, Ms. Tullis replies,” Our trained assistants help business owners with whatever they need help with, any business task they don’t really want (or have time) to do themselves.” Ms. Tullis adds,” Our goal is to help businesses make it through the recession, by offering affordable options that refocus the owner’s attention back to increasing their client base, and in the meantime we create business relationships that will continue after the economy stabilizes.”

As Businesses analyze specialized projects in which they need assistance for short or sporadic time periods, and question the current advantages of hiring employees, virtual assistants become an acceptable, preferred alternative. Busiants virtual assistants’ professionalism, affordability, and practicality is being praised and relayed at many of the small business networking meetings around the Treasure Valley.

Busiants Business Assistants is a Boise, Idaho, company offering virtual assistant services for small to medium businesses owners. Some of Busiants services include: Administrative, Clerical, Bookkeeping, Marketing, Website Design/ Maintenance, Courier Service, and Catering. More information about their services can be found on their website www.busiants.com.

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For more information about Busiants Business Assistants or to schedule an interview with Ramona Tullis, Please call 208/870-3105, visit the Busiants website at www.busiants.com, or email directly at Ramona@busiants.com

Customer Service Possibilities in a Slow Economy

"When you make room for the possibility, the possibilities are endless."
- Linda V. Riggs

Many business owners are looking at the economy with a negative viewpoint. There are many companies cutting costs, laying off employees, and doing everything they believe is possible to minimize the financial damage that they are certain is heading their way.
Yet even in the darkest of times, having a negative mindset can scare customers away, and actually increase the amount of damage the economy can do. For example, if your business switches to lower quality products in an effort to save money, your customers will feel cheated and unappreciated.

In this economic climate, many business owners shy away from adding additional products and services to increase the quality of their customer service. They do not know where the additional money would come from to justify these added costs. The key to boosting business in a slow economy is to consider all of the possibilities that can keep new and existing customers flocking to your business.

Make a list of all of the things your business could do to improve the quality of your service. Note the cost in the margin, but don't let that number dissuade you from doing what is necessary to thrive. Some examples could be to send out cards as a personal form of advertisement, add additional services to your existing product, or offer to help answer questions at any point during or after a sale.

Some of your choices will be free to implement, while others may be relatively inexpensive. However, any step that you take to improve the quality of your customer service will be invaluable, and can result in increased sales and customer loyalty.

If you are still nervous, start with the smaller steps and build up to more extravagant techniques. Just do not rule anything out because it has not been done before. When you are open to all of the positive benefits that increased customer service can bring you, your business is sure to succeed.

This guest post was written by Kimberlee Ferrell of Freedom
Writing http://freedomwriting.com

Customer Service or Customer Helping?

“Biggest question: Isn’t it really ‘customer helping’ rather than customer service? And wouldn’t you deliver better service if you thought of it that way?” – Jeffery Gitomer

A business’ primary goal should not simply be to sell products. It should be to help customers. If your product or service does not help customers in some capacity, you will find success much harder to come by. Customers have needs to be met, and your job is to meet their needs quickly and with compassion.

There are many ways to help your customers. When they visit your business for the first time, welcome them warmly. Offer to help them find what they are looking for. Answer their questions knowledgably, with consideration for their specific situation. If they only truly need your basic service, selling your premium service with extra features that don’t meet their needs will make them feel pressured and misunderstood.

You can help your customers in other ways as well. Make sure your business is easily accessible to all of your customers, no matter what their physical abilities may be. Help them reach products on high shelves, and carry heavy products to their cars if necessary. Make complicated products and services easy to understand. If your business offers various products with different features, explain them easily to your customers, so they can choose the right one for their situation.

After the sale, send your customers a warm thank you card for their business with you. Let them know that you are still available to help them with their purchase. Offer to help with the correct use of their product, and also let them know if you have a money back guarantee on their purchase, to help them if they change their minds.

If you strive to help your customers at each level of the sales purchase, they will feel comfortable and welcomed at your business. The word of mouth your business will receive will be worth the extra efforts you put forth to help your customers.

This guest post was written by Kimberlee Ferrell of Freedom
Writing http://freedomwriting.com

Greeting Cards to Help You Identify With Your Customers

There is far more involved in the relationship with customers than just providing good products and services. It is a question of personal identification. - Mark Moody-Stuart

Large corporations have a hard time identifying with their customers. Customers see such a large organization, and associate it with bureaucracy and red tape. They don’t have a personal connection with these businesses, and therefore have little brand loyalty when a better deal catches their eye.

Small businesses have greater opportunities to make these personal connections with their customers. While larger businesses have to focus on board meetings and shareholders, small business owners can set their goals to their customers’ advantage.
For example, a large business may sell their product cheaply, and be making just a few cents of profit per item sold. There is no wiggle room for added services to meet the customers’ needs, without raising prices. They depend on selling large amounts of their product to reach their goals.

Small business owners may not have thousands of chain stores across the globe to sell thousands of their products daily. They do, however, have the ability to identify with their customers in a positive, caring way through one-on-one interactions. Customers will be able to identify with you personally, because you are one of them, growing your business in their community.
You can take the time to get to know them as individuals. You know the local community, and can celebrate in their successes, and help them through the rough patches. You can send out greeting cards when there is a new baby in the family, or when their daughter graduates high school. All of these are unique ways to identify with your customers that larger businesses have difficulty in reproducing.

When you take the time to identify with your customers, your business becomes more than the bottom line. It forms a unique bond with you and your customers. You become an integral part of your community, more important than any bargain basement department store. You have earned your spot in your customers’ hearts, and that can make all the difference as you watch your business flourish.

Valentine Cards for Your Customers

Valentine’s Day presents the business owner with a unique opportunity
to communicate with customers in a novel way. – Homer Smith

We have been writing about using cards to show customer appreciation and to build customer loyalty, so how about Valentine’s Day?

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas.

Valentine’s day presents you with another opportunity to communicate with your customers with a custom card that says you appreciate them.

Sending a Valentine, either custom valentine or one “off the shelf”, tells your customers that you value them as individuals and think of them a “people”, not just “dollar signs”.

You could send a Valentine that just lets your customers know you appreciate them, or you could include a special promotion limited to your “special valentine” customers.

Click Here to Send a FREE Valentine