How to show customer appreciation during the holidays

Customer appreciation ideally should be an all-year occurrence for any business, however the holidays are a time where an extra boost in acknowledgment and gratitude is a nice idea to spread good will. Without loyal customers a business will struggle to survive, never mind thrive. Making a focused effort to show customers much they are valued can go a long way.



Image credit: Geralt, via Pixabay

There are many ways businesses can demonstrate customer appreciation during the holidays. The gestures can be simple or complex, and what measures are taken generally depend on feasibility and/or budget, but, even with little to no budget leftover, any effort is a good idea.

Here are a few ways businesses can show their loyal customers their appreciation during the holiday season:

Special “member only” sales

Sales are an attractive option for consumers and especially to those who are loyal to a business. Businesses can send out special notices to customers personally inviting them to attend a special sales event.

There are a number of ways to go about this. The manager, or owner, can designate either a before or after hours sale to be held - special invitation only - or personalized coupons can be sent with the invitation for customers to use during specified shopping hours, days or weeks. Ideally, the window for customers to take advantage of the sale should be a wider one to give them time to come by.

Holiday events 

What better way to liven up the holidays than to throw a big event? There are many different themes or occasions that can serve as a great way to express customer appreciation. Consider offering entertainment, fundraisers, demonstrations, free samples, or other product/service giveaways and then invite special customers to attend the event and partake in the celebration; company swag is a great idea for a giveaway.

Party

Festivities are a natural part of the holiday season and businesses can hold meet and greets, or simply provide music, beverages and food to customers. How the party is held will depend upon the nature of the business, but if there is an area that can be sectioned off for customers and/or clients to enjoy the party, this is ideal.

Holiday cards and/or gifts

If budget is low and big events cannot be hosted, a simple personalized thank you with greetings for a happy holiday season is also another way to express appreciation to those who patron the business all year long. If financially doable, sending valued customers small tokens of appreciation are also a nice idea.

These are just a handful of ideas of ways businesses can show their appreciation to shoppers and clients. Ultimately, the type of appreciation chosen will obviously depend on the individual company, but the main thing to remember is the thoughtfulness behind the gesture and to make it personal.

Consumers will quickly see through any insincere efforts. While it is OK to use these appreciations to market the business, as this is a common practice, ideally, the main point is to share sentiments to consumers that their patronage is appreciated.

Appreciated customers are ones who are more likely return again and again.

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