If you have a business, you have competition.  One of the best marketing ideas is simple.  Just say Thank You.

Thank yous have to be sincere but they don’t have to be expensive.  And they don’t always have to be gifts.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

1.  Call them and thank them for their business.  It can only take a few minutes but can be worth gold since you may be the only one who does.

2.  Send them a handwritten note.  It can be time consuming if you save them up and do them all at once.  But keep a pile of thank you note cards on your desk and write them as soon as you service their business.  If you don’t have lots of time to write, hire a student with good handwriting to do them for you.

3.  Keep your eyes peeled for articles that may be of interest to them.  If you see their name in the paper or an article about their industry, attach a short note to it, and send it on its way.  You could forward a blog post to them as well.

4.  Reward their referrals to you.  Don’t take those referrals for granted.  This is a great time to send a USEFUL gift with your company name on it — such as a mug imprinted with your company name and filled with an assortment of beverages or candies.  If you receive a lot of referrals, Maple Ridge Farms has some wonderful candy and cookie gifts that can be imprinted with your company name.

5.  Remember to say Thank You all Year.  Don’t wait until the holidays.  You’ll really be remembered if you send them a small gift occasionally throughout the year.  Everyone loves surprises so surprise them and they will remember you for remembering them.

6. Send Congratulations.  If a client or prospect is promoted, gets a new job, or even gets married or has a new baby, send them congratulations.  It can be as inexpensive as a card or a congratulations gift basket or cookie gift.

7.  Host an annual  “Customer Appreciation Day.” Host a party or special event  in honor of your best customers and let them know how much you appreciate working with them. Send out creative invitations using a promotional product. Make it a fun event that they will look forward to attending.

Speaking of showing appreciation, thank you for taking the time to read this post! I always appreciate your comments and would love to hear what you’re doing to appreciate your customers.