Good relationships are the lifeblood of every good company. Relationships between a company and their clients/patients/ customers, employees, vendors, and referral sources are vital to sustained growth, stability and profit. One way to build relationships is to express appreciation.
So, why do so few companies invest any resources to express appreciation?
Many companies do not fully appreciate the potential profits associated with keeping existing customers happy versus constantly acquiring new ones.
Two-thirds of customers switch from one company to another because of a perceived indifference from the former company. If you want your customers to feel like you care about them and appreciate their business, you need to have a solid Appreciation Marketing System in place.
What is Appreciation Marketing? It is a specific activity that helps you express gratitude and appreciation daily.
Think about who YOU do business with and why. I bet you tend to continue doing business with those who appreciate your business. NOT saying thank you does more damage than actually saying thank you does good!
With well-planned Appreciation Marketing efforts, you will improve retention, which will highly impact your bottom line.
One of my favorite tools I discovered in 2009, for affordably and easily staying in touch is SendOutCards, which enables you to create a card and add a personal message using your own handwriting font. You can also create a group of people (let’s say “2011 customers”) in your Contact Manager. When you click the SEND button, that card goes to everyone in that group, and the salutation gets filled in with each recipient’s name…not an impersonal “Dear Customer” salutation.
Given that acquiring a new customer can cost five times more than retaining an existing one, it makes a lot of sense to appreciate the customers you already have. Those who feel appreciated and cared for will remain loyal to you when competitors call on them. They are also much more likely to make referrals.
Marketing with a high-touch automated tool like SendOutCards makes it so easy. You owe it to yourself, and to your business, to try it out today.
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