08 Jul

Reap The Rewards Of Rewarding Your Customers

Posted in Synergy Suggestions on 08.07.13 by John Meloche

RewardsHere, at Synergy Marketing, we talk a lot about rewarding your customers. Our promotional products are predominantly used as ways to let customers know that they are appreciated by the business owners who are giving them out. Promo gifts, you see, are excellent ways of communicating appreciation. For decades, they have proven to be the most cost-conscious and effective marketing tools available to entrepreneurs.

It should go without saying that people like being rewarded. Being recognized is something that gives people a sense of self-worth that they sometimes may not have discovered. This is not to say that promotional gifts have been known to change lives. They have, however, been known to change business relationships. And the key to growing your business can be found in the strengthening of those relationships.

Blogger Aaron Lee affirms this stance on his website when he writes that “it’s the small things that make a big difference”. He insists that small business owners don’t require big budgets in order to invest in the small things that can make that difference. In additional to promotional products, there is actually a list of great ideas on how business owners can reward their customers and build stronger bonds with them. Let’s take a look.

Don’t Forget Your Old Customers. Lee reminds us that your older customers “have a higher life time value”. Too often, business owners get so focused on attracting new buyers that they offer incentives only to new customers. But what about the customers who have been loyal to the business over the years? They certainly don’t deserve to be left out in the dark. Be sure to offer them your promo gifts and any other incentives you would give your new customers when promoting your brand.

Random Acts of Kindness. This can come in many different forms, of course. Lee notes that picking up the tab now and again is a start. This works wonders in service industries such as hotels or restaurants. Your kindness doesn’t always have to be money related though. You can bring your customers’ purchases to their cars for them if you see they may need assistance. You can offer to hold the last available item for someone who desperately wants it. Again, it’s the small things that count.

Listen and Act. We live in a social media world. It’s important that your Facebook and Twitter games are strong. Lee writes that you can use social media to reward customers who tweet or mention you online. You may even want to offer incentives to your clients. Small discounts, your promo gifts and other gestures to reward an online mention is a great way to drum up more business and please those that choose to do business with you.

Provide Upgrades. Lee suggests that you offer upgrades to your customers by way of customer statuses and memberships. If you haven’t established any kind of membership status at your business, you may want to start one up. They will greatly help for your customers to feel like they are part of something bigger than simply making purchases. Being part of a club, so to speak, will encourage them to be a lot more loyal to your brand.

Hand Written Notes. Yes, this sounds like a very old school idea, but who said “old” was bad? People appreciate kind gestures. And while a small note won’t cost you anything but a few moments of your time, the results could end up being lifetimes of support from the people who matter most to your business – your customers. In tomorrow’s blog, we’ll outline a few more ideas on how to reward your customers. Be sure to check it out!

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