Showing Customer Appreciation

Say it with flowers, gift baskets or tickets to a game
By Linda Formichelli, Freelance Writer Many businesses take their customers for granted: They supply them with a product or service and get paid in return. The end. But our customers are doing us a favor — after all, they could easily buy that product or service from someone else. So thank them for your business.

Showing appreciation to your customers:

1. Gives them positive feelings about you, your business and your products.
2. Is an inexpensive way to foster strong customer relationships.
3. Generates positive word-of-mouth.
4. Makes everyone feel good (and hey, who doesn't like feeling good?).

Send a thank-you note

The basic, inexpensive thank-you note makes a big impact — because so few people use it these days. Nix impersonal e-mailed thank-yous and mail a nice paper notecard.
Try:  Classic Communication, Hallmark Business Expressions and CardsDirect sell personalized thank-you notes. At iPrint.com, you can design note cards that include your logo or match your business cards and letterhead. Want a good look on a small budget? Order funky cards in bulk from Target.

Give gift cards

Gift cards are small and easy to mail, customers can use them to buy what they like (no guessing on your part!), and you can order them in just about any denomination.
Try:  These days, almost every retail store offers gift cards, but if you don't feel like searching, you can buy them from hundreds of merchants at GiftCertificates.com. With today's high gas prices, one gift that's sure to please (especially if your customers have to travel to buy from you) is a gas station gift card; you can purchase cards for various gas stations at SVM. Or how about creating gift cards for your own products and services at SignatureCard.net?

Get to their hearts through their stomachs

Everybody loves edible thank-you's. Just be as sure as you can that you're not sending steaks to a vegan or candy to a diabetic.
Try:  Ciao Bella Gelato ships pints of gourmet ice cream and sorbet. Fairytale Brownies offer brownie gift packs for business gift-giving. Got a gourmet on your hands? Flying Noodle sells pasta gift baskets, wine and beer. And for a traditional, healthy thank-you gift, try fruit baskets from Harry & David.

Use your logo

Get double the bang for your buck by giving thank-you gifts that incorporate your business name, slogan or logo.
Try:  Your customers will be awed when they open a package of your custom-printed M&Ms. Logo cookies (including logo Oreos) from CorporateGiftpros will remind your customers of your business every time they dunk them. Or get corporate thank-you gifts — like clocks, pens and leather CD cases — printed with your logo at e-CorporateGifts.com.

Take them away

Take your best clients to a sporting event or other fun to-do — or, if you're pinching pennies, give them movie tickets.
Try:  Get tickets for sporting events, concerts and other events at TicketMaster. If movie tickets are more in line with your budget, you can get corporate discount movie tickets from Regal and Showcase cinemas for $7 per ticket (minimum purchase of 50 tickets). (Regal offers tickets for as low as $6 apiece, but these restrict the conditions under which the moviegoer can use them.)

• A great thank-you gift is one that's related to your business; you already know that your customers like your offerings. If you own a DVD rental store, give your best customers gift baskets with, say, a popular tear-jerker DVD, a packet of tissues, microwave popcorn and a six-pack of soda. If you're a fitness trainer, an exercise ball fits the bill.
• You can find cards, gifts and other ideas in every price range to match your budget.
• To write a good thank-you note, be real (no corp-speak), be personal (handwritten trumps computer-generated) and be specific (tell the customer what you're thanking her for).
• Don't save thank-you's for special occasions. Make your customers feel appreciated all the time by training your employees to smile, serve them quickly and courteously, listen to their needs and say "thank you."