Christmas is a time for giving and a time for giving thanks. As a business, you should use this period to show gratitude to your customer base – not only because of the season, but also the measurable benefits it can provide to your company.
For starters, by communicating more personally with your clients, you are encouraging repeat customers. Word of mouth is vital, so even something as small as a card will reflect well on you as a business beyond your clients. So how best to thank your customers this Christmas?
A Christmas gift
Consider purchasing a small token of gratitude for each of your clients. This doesn’t have to be expensive, but something to show your thanks for their loyalty. Consider a bottle of wine or some branded, personalized festive flyers and leaflets on which you can write a thank you note to send out alongside your Christmas gifts.
A branded email
If your business is small, or expense money is tight, even the simplest of indications that you are grateful for your clients will be enough to show your thanks. Set up a Christmas mailing list of your client base and draft a festive thank you email to send out. If you use a popular mailout service, you can tailor your email with bespoke images, and using mail merge enables you to personalize each one.
Christmas cards
If you want to create even more of a personal touch but still stick to a budget, you can turn your Christmas wishes into physical correspondence in the form of Christmas cards. You could use an online greetings card service to send out cards to your whole client list or buy blank Christmas cards in bulk and sign them by hand, with personal messages for your larger clients.
Seasonal discounts
Your Christmas thanks can also extend beyond messaging; for retail consumers, you could offer a seasonal discount. This discount would incentivize your customers to continue making use of your services, while potentially encouraging new customers to become repeat customers – and immediate negative effects on your profits would be marginal in comparison to the potential gains in the future. Ensure all discounts are worded within the parameters of the Trading Standards so that discounts are only applied in the context you intended.
Charitable donations
A unique option that will increase your business profile and standing would be a charitable donation. Send a message to your clients to inform them that a donation to a charity has been made in their name, as thanks for their patronage. It’s a thoughtful way to show gratitude and an excellent way for your business to do a little extra good in a time of giving. Just make sure to keep a record of donations for tax and gifting purposes, as Gift Aid works a little differently for companies.