Strong customer relationships are crucial, not just for growth, but for keeping your business afloat. Individual sales are valuable, but ultimately you should be focusing on building customer loyalty. We’ve discussed how e-mail marketing and in-person connections can grow your business, and now it’s time to focus on ways to maintain that growth through building customer relationships. You want to let your clients know how much you appreciate their business, and giving the right gift can be an effective way to do this.
Should you give gifts to your customers?
Yes. More often than not, clients are going to assume that their purchase will be the final communication they have with your business. They may expect a customer satisfaction survey or an occasional newsletter, but these are promotional materials. If you really want to go that extra mile for your customers, a post-sale gift can go a long way, but only if you do it right.
Make it personal.
Sure, most customers will appreciate a generic gift basket. However, a gift that is personalized to each client will show them that you really value their business and the relationship that you have formed throughout their customer experience. Gifting each customer something specific to their outside interests will show that you put some real thought into the gift and that you really do appreciate them. Business and technology writer Geoffrey James suggests, “the more (the gift) matches the customer, the more it will be appreciated.”
If you really want to personalize the gift, you can even deliver it in person. Use this final meeting as an opportunity to check in on the customer’s experience with their new appliance. Do they have any follow-up questions? Great, this gives them a convenient opportunity to get some answers. Take this as one last chance to remind your clients how you can help them in the future.
Avoid promotional gifts.
You may be tempted to send items featuring your company logo and name, but these aren’t gifts. In fact, growth expert Ian Altman refers to these simply as marketing pieces, and he’s right. No matter how nice the item may be, if it bears your logo, the customer may still view it as free marketing, and they will assume that you give the same gift to all of the other customers. Try something more thoughtful instead. Remember, you don’t have to break the bank to give effective gifts to customers. And you don’t have to wait until the end of the sales journey to deliver something special. A gift card to a local coffee shop can go a long way to ease the tension for a customer waiting on a back-ordered product.
Premium appliance shopping is a nuanced experience. Your customers have a lot to consider, and they could have chosen a number of other dealers besides yours. Show them how much their business really matters to you and that you’re invested in their satisfaction and loyalty. Offer them the right gift at the right time, and they may be a customer for life.