5 Ways to Thank Your Customers for Thanksgiving

, 5 Ways to Thank Your Customers for Thanksgiving
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5 Ways to Thank Your Customers for Thanksgiving

‘This is the season to give thanks. What better way to celebrate the season than this Thanksgiving by showing customers that you care.

Thanking your customers is more than just being polite. Your customers are the lifeblood of your business and thanking them lets them know that they are valuable and important to you. It also promotes customer retention. Usually, it is much harder and more expensive to acquire new customers than to retain the ones you already have (5 to 25 times more expensive). A simple review gesture will go a long way in retaining those customers, driving referrals, and making your business immune to the competition.

Too often, however, thanks are rarely extended beyond the point of sale. It’s time to change that. Take a moment this holiday to thank your customers for bringing you their business.

1. Segment your customers

Thanking all your customers equally is a surefire way to spend your budget. Instead, segment your high-value customers and find ways to use the holiday as an opportunity to further strengthen that relationship.

Most businesses have a small group of customers that represent the majority of their profits (also known as the 80/20 rule). The top 20% are likely to account for 80% of your profits, and that’s a group of customers that you should know well. Put yourself in their shoes and think about a gesture that is important to them.

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What about the other 80% of customers? Giving thanks to this group is equally important and can help further grow that business, hopefully placing them in the top 20% of your most profitable customers.

2. Thank you for your top 20%

Here are some ideas for thanking your most valued customers:

  • Send a personalized gift – Show that you listen, know, and appreciate your customers by sending something that reflects their tastes and preferences. Online services like Greetabl, Token.ai, and even Etsy are good places to start your search for unique and personalized gifts.

  • Send Gift Cards – If you are a retailer or food service business, a gift card to your store or restaurant is a good touch.

  • Host a Thank You Event – This is a great time of year to host a customer appreciation event or happy hour. Invite your top customers for some drinks and appetizers.

  • Offer an upgrade – Can you offer your top customers an upgrade? This is a great option for technology providers, or even B2C companies. For example, if you run a landscaping business, get an additional service this month at a discount like tree trimming or leaf blowing.

  • Refer Your Customers – If you’re in the B2B space, another way to demonstrate that you value your customers is to recommend what they do. Highlight their accomplishments, accomplishments, or charitable endeavors on your blog, in a case study, and on social media. Be sure to work with them directly to make sure you get the right permissions first.

3. Thank and nurture others 80%

Saying thank you to the other 80% of your customer base can be done at a reasonable cost and with in mind. Appreciation for this segment can be expressed in many ways. For example, handwritten and personalized thank-you notes are always appreciated, but rarely used. This won’t necessarily drive more business from these customers, but it shows you appreciate them.

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Another option is to create special seasonal offers. Combine your thank-you with a limited-time special offer or loyalty program (e.g. “Free 5th haircut” or “Renew now and save 15%”) to Give your customers a reason to come back now.

4. Giving School Gifts

Thanks across your entire customer base can also be expressed by sharing useful information. This can be as simple as sending an e-book or whitepaper to your customers in the mail with a seasonal thank you note.

Also, hold seminars on topics of interest and invite your clients. Present this as a dedicated opportunity to learn something new or gain insight that can help them make the right decision or drive a future purchase. But stay away from pure sales pitches, you want to be seen as giving something (thank you and knowledge) without asking for anything in return.

5. Donate to charity

Philanthropy is on the rise in small businesses. About 75% of small business owners have a charity plan and donate a portion of their profits annually. Giving back in season for giving can also make business sense. It can support your brand, boost employee morale and pride in their company, and of course, have tax-deductible benefits.

Donate money or services to a customer’s favorite charity or to one of your choice. Charitable contributions are also tax deductible (albeit with caveats) making them a sensible gesture for small businesses.

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