Every single business leader spends a lot of time building up relationships and connections with clients. They spend time wining, dining, in meetings and attending events. There is a lot of work that goes into turning a business idea into a real money-maker, and yet it’s not getting the clients that’s the problem. It’s keeping them. It’s ensuring that they know that they are valued and you are the one to value them.
It’s important, therefore, that you learn what you can do to show your clients the appreciation that you have for their continued business. Any learned person will tell you that it’s far cheaper to keep a client than it is to find new ones, and that means you’re going to be saving money not buying tons of new dinners and heading to cocktail bars. There are plenty of ways that you can spend your time showing your clients your appreciation for their loyalty and their business, and we’ve put together ten ways you can do exactly that.
- Host An Event
Does anyone like the idea of saying no to attending a party? Absolutely not. One of the first ways that you can truly show your clients your appreciation is to put on the Ritz for them! This is one of the best ways that you can get your clients in one place and host an event. It doesn’t have to be every client together at once, but you can take groups out for wine tasting, head to an escape room or head out to the golf course. The sky is truly the limit here!
- Send Gifts
If you get to know your clients in a little more depth, you’re going to be able to personalize the gifts that you send for your clients. For example, if you know that one of them loves a good brandy or cigars, you can locate those and personalize the packaging for them. You can give sports events, crafts – anything. Gifts show that you are thinking of them at a specific time and it gives you a chance to get creative about it, too.
- Celebrate With Them
As you get to know your clients, you’ll get to know more about their long-term and their short-term goals for their business. Once you know what the goals are, keep watch. They will hit that goal and you can then celebrate that milestone with them. You don’t have to tell them; it could be a total surprise for them if you turned up and gave them something in congratulations. If you can show that your clients are paid attention, you’re going to be able to show them that you really do care about their wellbeing.
- Be Extravagant
If you have the budget and your clients have earned you enough money, perhaps a larger, sweeping gift. A vacation or a weekend away could be the extravagant surprise that they could really benefit from. It’ll knock their socks off and it will show that you are paying attention. It’s thoughtful and surprising, and it’ll cement their loyalty to you.
- Be Personal
There are so many thoughtful and personalized cards out there that you could send to your clients. Make sure that it’s handwritten so that you can show that you are considerate of your clients. Snail mail is more personal than email, and you will delight your customers because of it. Personal is better at all times: the more personal you are, the more people will be drawn to you.
- Go For Lunch
It’s simple and it’s a big part of connecting with your clients. Take them out to lunch from time to time – get that personal touch that we keep referring to. People will respond to you with face to face interaction as it shows that you are willing to get away from the computer screen and show up for them. It’s a great way to relax in each other’s company, too.
- Be Cultured
If there is a book or a film or a documentary that you have watched/read recently, send it to a client who you believe may be interested. Add a personal note in the cover to confirm that it’s from you and you will dazzle your clients. It’s a great way to launch a future discussion and it’s nice for them to know that you are thinking of them. By sharing interests, you can truly cement that client relationship.
- Rockstar Treatment
Create a personalized rewards system for your clients. Everyone loves to be treated well and you can go above and beyond for them if you have a tiered gifting system. You could offer discounts, branding opportunities, showing that you value your clients. There are so many things that you could do to keep your clients on board and happy.
- Blog Features
Rotate your clients on your blog every month. Feature a new client each time and tap into your ability to brag about how they have helped you and what they do. It’s so important that you do this anyway, as it keeps your clients confident in you – that you haven’t forgotten them! You can link to their website via your own blog and you can show that you are thinking of them.
- Display Generosity
Charities can always use your support, but to link this to your clients, ask them to nominate a chosen charity every year for you to fundraise for them. You can then honor their commitments and pay it forward to the charity, and you can continue the cycle of feeling grateful for their business while also helping a charity at the same time.
You would not have a successful business without the help of your clients, which is why you should try out some of these tips to show them your appreciation for their service. You should do what you can to show your clients that there is a reason that they should want to work with you. When you do that, you will be remembered well!
