Appreciation Marketing – Be Thankful

Last week we discussed retention of current clients versus acquisition of new customers. We should all be thankful for those clients who remain loyal to us. Those clients should be happy if they remain loyal, and they should be the best source of referrals for our businesses. If they are not happy, what we doing to make them happy?

Clients are not mindless sheep and should never purchase anything that they do not need or want. There are items that clients need, and there are others that they want. It should be easy to market a product that a prospect needs; it is harder to market one that a prospect only wants.

An item that is needed will not have attached excuses to prevent the purchase. An item that is only wanted will have all sorts of excuses to prevent the purchase. Prospects that want your product or service may be reluctant to purchase from you if they do not perceive any benefits from your offering. That offering must be matched with the “feeling” that the prospect gets from the buying experience and from your marketing.

Clients that purchase what we offer should be appreciated and be told that we are thankful for their loyalty. If they never buy anything from us again, it may be because of a lack of need for what we have to offer. It may also be because they also don’t want what we have for them. It might be because that they do not believe that we were thankful for their business. We cannot let that happen, ever.

We must tell our clients that they are important to us. How could we allow them to believe that they are not? We must make them aware that they mean more to us than a quick sale. We must show our appreciation for them as clients but also as human beings. We must make them comfortable with the relationship, not just as a client, but also as networking partners. Clients should be more than customers.

Are you thankful when a client tells you something that you don’t care to hear, when they complain about something that your business did, or did not do? How do you react to a client complaint, whether it is mild or heated? Do you investigate the problem, determine what to do, if anything, and tell the client what you decided? Do you take action to make up any difference to the client, or do you even respond to them?

We must show our appreciation to our clients for their loyalty. We must also show our appreciation for their referrals of others to us. The referral may be a new prospect, it may be a “slam dunk” customer possibility, or it may be a referral of someone who provides something else for us. We must be thankful for these referrals of all sorts. If we ignore referrals from our clients, we will lose the possibility of getting any more.

Clients are important to us for so many reasons. They provide a source of income for our business directly from their purchases, and they provide referrals to us that also may put money into our pockets as those prospects become customers. Whatever the outcome of a client’s buying experience, make sure that the experience is a great one.

We must be thankful for our clients. Make the effort to turn your customers into clients through showing your thankfulness for their relation to our businesses. Whether it is a purchase, their referral, or their advice, be thankful for your clients. Please leave me your comments here on this posting, or call me at 360-314-8691, or email me at Jim@JimTeasley.com. I am always very thankful for your input at all times.