Every business depends on its customers to thrive. In an increasingly competitive social media driven market environment, SMBs have an obligation to develop strategies to grow their businesses. In the spirit of thanksgiving, here are three ways SMBs can show their appreciation to their customers and keep them comi
ng and patronizing their goods and services:
1. Send Thank You Notes
When is the last time you received a hand-written note or letter from any of your favorite big box stores? Probably never. This is an area where small businesses can differentiate themselves. The next time you open a new account or provide a service to new client or repeat client, ask one of your team members to write a couple of paragraphs of hand-written note thanking the customer for shopping with you. Your customers will love you for being thoughtful and thankful.
2. Make a Phone Call
The old fashion customer service where sales associates actually picked up the phone to call a customer about their goods or service is no more. This has now been replaced by impersonal, often-irritating and unemotional auto-responder system who have nothing to do with the company you do business with. Why not ask a real manager or associate, to pick up the phone and talk to customers about their shopping experience with your business? Your customer loyalty will sky rocket and so will your sales and bottom line.
3. Pay a Surprise Visit
Under certain conditions, it may be ideal to visit your key customers to interact with them, thank them for their business and offer to help with how to improve your product or service offering. If this is practically impossible, take advantage or trade shows, conferences, and industry meeting to connect face-to-face with your clients on a regular basis. It will help build trust, provide a human touch to your operations and get a firsthand experience about how the business relationship is going.
As a small business, if you want to distinguish yourself in the marketplace and capture a niche for your industry, don’t forget to send handwritten thank you card, make personal phone calls and pay surprise visits to your customers. It will help your business grow and expand more profitably in today world of digital media frenzy.
Happy thanksgiving to you all.
