23 Ways How To Show A Customer You Love Them

Number 20 has always been my favorite. I’m on their mailing list and find a Valentine’s Day card refreshing after all the holidays cards which always look the same.

I (heart) the #20 idea!

These are all wonderful suggestions, but #22 really caught my attention. What a thoughtful gift to send a relevant magazine subscription, and a really great way of giving you customer an opportunity to think of you each month.

Speaking of wonderful – love your blog design!

I love #17. It’s not grand or huge yet it’s very impactful. Most people do not send thank you notes. In fact, the Greeting Cards Association states that 97% do not send thank you notes or cards at all. Talk about a quick, simple task you can do to rise to the top – head and shoulders above anyone else including your competition.

Number 11 if absolutly a most important step. Knowing someone’s name and using it is a great avenue into the customer’s heart and business world.

I love #22. I usually give magazine and museum/live theater subscriptions to my friends and younger nieces and nephews for Christmas and birthdays (and also it is a tax deductible gift that helps support the arts which I am all about). But I never thought of doing it for my clients.

@teenbizcoach

I like #7. It is a nice way to stay unique and in the customers mind. It shows some originality and is creative, will stand out from all the other mail, provides and action item, and in combination with any other of the more foody suggestions will help with actual repeat business.

I think #20 shows a lot of love…each employee took some time out of their day to think about their Customer, and it shows their marketing ingenuity, therefore marketing themselves in the process! If the card is good enough (they said they like to be different and/or funny), the Customer will probably hate to throw it away, therefore creating a more lasting impression as it hangs out in their Customer’s office!

I think # 22, a great functional gift. I work with a lot of small business owners and this would be a great ongoing gift.
Thanks for this post, I always believe in surprising my clients, welcome gifts, thank you gifts, cards etc…

I like number 18 – let your customers network togther to increase thier customer base. I love that thought.

#13 is the one. Everyone wants to be loved.

I love #13. Mostly because I am the recipent of some of those hugs! But I agree with her philosipy of once your in your in the family. This is a great way to show the love.

I always feel I can go the Jeanne without worrying that I am pestering her! I feel the love!

#21 has me intrigued!!

Love, KIM

I heart #17. It is simple, yet shows that you took the “time” to go to the trouble. I love being wired, but I still get a little excited to get a snail-mail card.

#13 is the best. Jeanne is a true friend who shares here love with family, friends and customers everyday. She is not concerned with signing her emails with Love.

Wow–lots of great ideas!

But lucky 13 is my fav.

Perhaps not everyone could carry it off, but Jeanne can, with darn-glad-to-meet-you sincerity. She loves the energy/IT business and the people in it–and she lets you know it. She is ALWAYS there to help out, connect colleagues, make things happen. Her huge network of friend-colleagues shows the love is strong and it works.

Who doesn’t like some chocolate?!?

Many of the above “love” ideas can be done for less cost
(in this cash is king economy)
by partnering with one or more businesses
that serve the same kind of customer.

Example that combines several of the above ideas:
give your top 10% biggest spending customers gift(s)
provided by your partnering businesses -
via cards they take to the other business to receive the gift.
Your partners reciprocate with a similar offer for same value.

That way all participating businesses get a warmed-up introduction
to the most valuable customers of their partners
– Kare, Moving From Me to We

Another good, insightful post.

I think #1 & #17 go hand-in-hand.

When I was in car sales, ten-plus years ago, I ALWAYS sent out a thank you card to my customers. They did just spend a too of money, and bought it from me no less. I was grateful for every one of them.

Which brings me to last year. We decided to buy a van from one of our neighbors. I felt it was the right thing to do. We wanted to help them out by means of sales commissions. Do you think we got a card? How about a follow up phone call? No! We literally live just a few houses from each other. In fact our kids attend the same schools. Do you think we’d ever buy from them again?…

That said, here’s a tip I learned all those many years ago. When you are in sales & you sell high-priced ticket items, congratulate your customer once they finalized the paperwork. Why? It’s second nature for them to now thank you! Think about it.

-K

Number 13 is my lucky-in-love choice. Love is the universal language. Wouldn’t it be great if we were all bilingual and proud?! Share that love!!!

#18 There’s nothing better to give a small business than referrals & opportunities!

What great suggestions! We integrate some of the ideas you mentioned above, but I found a few other ones I’d love to try out as well.

Hope everyone has a great customer-Valentine’s day!

#8 is definitely the best idea.

For me it’s # 11 that I vote for. If someone remembers me I feel important and that builds the relationship – I want to continue to work with/buy from/whatever this individual or company. I believe its the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok that has this one down to a fine art. They remember customers from previous visits and welcome them at the reception desk!

It’s a close tie between #12 and #13 for me, but even though most of the folks here like 13 I’m going to have to go with 12.

It flatters people when they realize you remembered the little details, and the little stuff can add up. Think about all of the minute details that you can remember about a client and put them to use to help to build up their trust.

Number 13 is the best. But all the tips are worth emulating.

#17 is it for me. I get so little “real” mail these days that even one piece stands out!

It is really a hard choice between #13 and #17, Gee Whiz, It’s still a hard choice. Coin flip – came up heads – #17 won.

I say #17.

Too often nowadays we do not say thank you enough. Usually the only time feedback is given is in the form of complaints, we all need to work on improving positive reinforcement.

I LOVE #13 (with a hug!)

Lots of good stuff here, but my fav is #18 – Help Your Customers Meet Your Other Customers.

LIfe stays exciting when you meet new people. (Well make new acquaintances, that is, although babies ARE fun to meet too.) When you have something in common with a person, such as a business or client connection, its much easier to connect. And each time you connect with a person, if you are open to it, you learn something new and become more energized. I happen to live alone and work alone so networking means a LOT to me, but I find it helps people in all types of life and work situations.

David Hooper’s suggestion provides a health benefit to his customers, provides fun, provides potential new business for his customers, and doesn’t cost too much to do. In fact, holding a networking even at an eatery helps the venue as well.

There are many great ideas here, several we use and encourage our clients to use as well. I vote for #3 because in reality it not only says Thank You but becomes another step in promoting our client’s success. Once they have landed on our home page, we simply move them over to an inside page where they get permanent placement and a continuing partnership is cemented. Gratitude should be a daily offering and this is one way we offer this. So – #3 please!

It’s 11 for me – never goes out of date…simple, makes everyone happy at every encounter.

I vote for No. 18, “Help Your Customers Meet Your Other Customers.” By being the facilitator, you’re lending your connections to the benefit of your clients and their future success! It’s a win-win!

love #9 — just that littla extra surprise that’s totally unexpected speaks volumes! Lots of great ideas here though…thanks to everyone for their tips

I vote for #7. I work at catching fireflies and I’ve watched reactions to the valentine postcard first hand. Our loyal customers are delighted with not only receiving a creative valentine in the mail but also with the surprise of receiving a small gift when they come into the store. One customer said that she was having a bad day and the postcard brought a big smile to her face when she opened her mailbox. It’s nice to make your customers feel special!A little surprise and delight goes a long way.

#9 – Chocolate wins every time for me…and what a pleasant surprise!

As much as I like free stuff, my vote goes to #18. The most valuable thing you can give your customers is more business, which translates into more revenue and more profits, and networking is a sure-fire way to do that. You never know who you’ll meet, the connections you’ll make and the positive result that will come from it. It’s a party with a purpose, and I believe these folks have the best idea.

I agree- the Fastest Way To The Heart Is Through The Stomach! Send me a food gift bag anytime!

I thought both #3 and #23 were really attention-getters. Online promotion of their business daily for a week– that’s huge.
For a very personal experience — if you are local enough, the box seats are definitely a treat for those who attend.

I vote for #12.

#17 is the best way to show the love in this techno-cold environment!

Definitely #14. Not sure if it’s love or just plain good sense. I work with one vendor, and because of the way they bill me, I have to go back and hand tally what I paid them for the year. Asking for a summary is like pulling teeth.

#17 -classic, simple and timeless…and it works

#17. Many of us don’t bother with handwritten notes anymore — just emails and typed notes. Besides, it delivers far more than it costs to do it. Sure, expensive stuff like tickets are nice — but not everyone has the luxury to do that.

It’s #18 for me. I used to run a trade association. The people who actually networked at our networking events always built better businesses. Even more, an amazing number of “good life” opportunities came from these events, from simple things like, “Oh, yes, I know a good doctor,” to life changing friendships. Giving people possibilities is a great way to show the love.

What creative and fun ideas – I love #4! What a great way to incorporate my travel business and saying thank you for my clients all while having fun! It is also a way to showcase new destinations too! Jenny

I like #5 – different, and personal.

I love #20 – remembering best customers on Valentines Day and Thanksgiving makes perfect sense – I’m glad I read it here. It’s definitely something I will suggest to others on our team.

I also think #12 is great – Knowing kids names and sports or events that they participate in goes a long way too.

#17 all the way. In a world full of digital communication, the hand written letter works wonders.

# 6 is so creative and I can see a Secret Agent twist with CoCo Cheznaynay®

I heart #17. I’m always thrilled when I order online and someone takes the time to handwrite a thank you and use pretty packaging. That absolutely guarantees I’ll purchase from that person again. And it also reminds me to make sure I’m equally as thoughtful when thanking others.

#9 definately. Who doesn’t love to get a little something extra with their purchase?

#12 is a nice, thoughtful idea!

My favorites are #1 and #16 but my vote has to go to #16 for orginality. Giving clients the gift of knowledge plus earning positive face time for your business – great!

Quick note on #1 though – I once sent a thank you note AFTER a client pulled their job from us. A few months later, they were back… coincidence? I think not…

#16 – Do The Hard Work For Them with a personalized learning experience for the top 10. That’s fantastic! For the rest, #9 – chocolate!

I really appreciated #4. I once got a mug for Christmas in the mail from a website company I was involved in with 1,000′s of subscribers. I might have been chosen at random, but it made me feel really good to know I was acknowledged! Post cards on vacation just really brings a great personal touch to customer service!

Thanks!
Katie

They are all very good ideas but #11 and #12 really stand out for me. That feeling of walking into a business and having them great you by name is so welcoming and comforting. It evokes a good,memorable emotion and when you have a feel good experience you want to tell people and go back to the place that brought about those feelings. But since I can only pick one I’ll pick #11.

I love #5: Music is a great connector, and if it can be done streaming, it would be a great, easy way to connect!

Chadd

I like #17. Receiving a hand-written note in these days of e-mails would be refreshing!

#17 is the winner (although #9 is a close second—chocolate IS one of the major food groups, right?). A personal gesture of thanks creates an emotional bond that persists and forgives a lot of mistakes.

#1 is #1 – and as the Smirnoff Tea commercial said, “in cursive”.

I love all the ideas, but a chocolate bar makes me smile as much as a little blue box — my vote goes to #9. The surprise factor and the economy of it are appealing.

I have to say #17, in our tech age it has more impact if we write a thank you by hand, I know it has meant a lot to those I have do it for…plus everyone can do it

A close 2nd if I may I love #21 I could have fun with that

I really LOVE the suggestion on #11. Remember the LOVE while your customer is there, interacting with you, instead of out of the blue later on!

#3 is great, but since it’s unlikely the majority of people have this outlet (high traffic site), I think the smaller things win.
Torn between #3 and #12. OK, OK, going with #3 — more tangible.
Excellent list overall.

I love number 5! You can say a lot through music and totally change someone’s mood. Make them remember you with a happy and uplifting song. Also, every time they hear that song they associate it with the great mix cd you sent over. That’s a fun, low-cost way to keep your clients loving you. Genius!

I vote for #8 – the personally written follow-up. It’s easy to send emails and other electronic notes / gifts. But taking the time to write is fast becoming a rarity, making it stand out above the crowd. Great tip!

#6 is a hoot!

I like #12 the best. Remembering the littlest details does make a big impression!

Really like #16 – knowledge is power and this in-person tutorial provides both the face-to-face that grows the relationship, and provides business value.

I agree that #11 is the best way to show a customer love. I practice this in my own store and find the customers are pleasantly surprised that I remembered their name or something they mentioned last time they were in the store. I often find customers will share pictures and personal items with me to include me in their lives. I think that speaks volumes.

Number 17 always works, shows caring and thoughtfulness and allows for unlimited creativity. In an age of virtual everything, I real hand-written note sent via mail is always a winner!

One of the things I strongly believe in is not to only give gifts at renewal time or just after a sale, or during some holiday, but to give a thoughtful gift at a random time. I believe those are the ones that are most remembered.

Also, I was thinking while reading all these about the utility of a great new business networking / CRM tool at dexapp.com that can helpful to remind people to hand out these gifts. I just started using it and it has some pretty good functionality. This is not a shameless plug… a couple people mentioned setting up ticklers to remind them to send something to customers. Dex has this type of functionality built in.

#11. When I’m doing business with a company, I don’ need junk coming back, or gifts that make me wonder how much of my purchase price went to buying a meaningless gift for me. I just want to know that my business is valued and taken care of properly.

17. Write A Thank You The Old Fashion Way – By Hand
Now more than ever this “old fashioned” gesture gets noticed!!

This is a good list of things to do for your customers. Happy customers result in more referrals.

My vote is for #1… I enjoy sending my customers and even my business partners a THANK YOU or I APPRECIATE YOU cards.

I had a networking friend always sign the end of a letter… I appreciate you, that says alot.

- I also enjoy giving them Gift certificates for future products, just to say thanks for being a great customer!

These are all great and I just will have to start using some of them for my own business.

Thanks for sharing -

#1 – a thank you goes a long way but I would add to that to also say something nice to someone. I like that dress. Beautiful earrings. Nice tie! Just something to let them know you really are seeing them.
Diana

I like #17 – in the days before the internet, handwritten notes were an essential tool which has now been forgotten (which just makes it that much more effective and personal).

#17 is an absolute classic. With all of the different ways we communicate these days, nothing beats a hand-written note to your customers, partners, and especially your investors to show them that you took time out of your day to think of them.

#22 was my favorite: a magazine subscription is both something I would enjoy as a customer, and a great idea I will use for my clients

Okay…so if I had to vote…#17. I’m an old fashioned girl caught up in a bunch of technology.

I’m a big fan of #17, because there is nothing that says “we took the time” than a handwritten note. These are all great tips!

Without a doubt #17. Its easy these days to click your mouse and send some chocolate or a virtual this and that. But to take some time out of a busy and often hectic schedule is thoughtful and speaks volumes about you and the business you are associated with. There is a level of sincerity that comes with a personal note that is missed in commercial forms of gift giving.

I vote for 17. Anyone can pull out a credit card and buy a gift, but it takes time to craft a personal, handwritten thank you note. Recipients have expressed such surprise and gratitude over a simple thank you note – it’s just so unexpected in this day and age!

I love #4 – the surprise of getting a postcard from your supplier! It would be even more special if the address was hand-written too and they wrote interesting tales about the destination. Plus, you’d stick it on your fridge or pinboard, just like you would for one from a friend or relative.

Okay, I’m trying again after making two awful mistakes the first time.

Moderator,

Could you delete response 175 and post this one instead? Thanks! Here’s what I meant to write:

I vote for #11. It seems to be an honest and non-self-serving way of showing you care to have a friendly relationship with your customer.

It’s tough, but I have to vote the music mix (#5) and the singing telegram (#21) – But I love them all and will be trying some of them myself. I was already thinking of sending chocolates and valentines – I’ve done that before.

Maybe a love letter?

My vote is #11. Success in business is based upon building relationships…and this tip shows love and respect!

Oh. #9 chocolate! Great ideas overall!

I vote for 17. Write A Thank You The Old Fashion Way – By Hand. It is great to receive a handwritten note on a nice card / letterhead.

Personally, I use a video email message program called Talk Fusion when I want to send a special greeting to a friend, customer, business contact, etc. You could use ready made template for special occasions, holidays, industries, etc. and add your own written greeting, your logotype and graphical profile. It is very simple to use and you get a confirmation that the receiver has got and read the message. This type of message could easily be forwarded to others, so you have great opportunity to create a viral marketing campaign and buzz for your good work and customer service.

Lots a great ideas here! Hard to choose, but one of the best, easiest, and cheapest (for these days and times we are experiencing) is #13!

I love #11. Great Idea – Thanks.

My vote is for #7. The customer receives a unique, stand-out item in the mail that has required some time and effort to put together. It shows a sincere thank you saying your loyalty is worth that time and effort. On top of that, the customer is also rewarded with another gift on their next visit to the store.

I have used many of these techniques myself, though my personal experience is number 18 is invaluable. Through the ways in which I have connected my clients with other clients, I have been lucky enough to have a community of clients develop and form bonds that are some of the best of friends. So many people seem to be looking for ways to connect to other people in this electronic age, especially people with similar interests, so your ability to be a connector can often assist in this. Highly effective technique

I vote for lucky #13. Jeanne Perdue is the doyen of how to show the love to clients! RB.

@EVERYONE – Thanks so much for participating in this love. You have showed me the love by being so active! This post has 200 comments and got thousands of views. What a huge success!!!!! Thanks for all the love.

- Mike

Hi
Your 23 tips are really helpful for me. Thank you so much.