By: Brenna McGuire, Product Marketing Manager at Thnks
As a product marketing manager, I’ve seen firsthand how taking the extra step to show a client you appreciate them can make a night and day difference when it comes to client retention and encouraging loyalty to your product. Customer engagement should be a vital part of your strategy, since your brand won’t have the opportunity to grow without it. Clients can tell the difference between a relationship centered solely around business wins and one rooted in genuine care for the other party on a personal level.
The best way to create engaged, loyal customer relationships is through appreciation —which we think about all the time here at Thnks. Here are my favorite ways to instill stronger connections with your customers and turn them into company advocates who will evangelize your brand.
Account Management: Show your clients that you appreciate them
In account management, building relationships can be the deciding factor between a success or missed opportunity. In these scenarios, active listening can show valuable opportunities to share gratitude. At the time for quarterly reviews, show your clients how much you care by listening to the challenges they’re dealing with or the important moments taking place in their lives and responding with thoughtfulness.
- Make their move smooth: For the client who’s moving into a new space, send dinner for the family through Grubhub so they don’t have to unpack the kitchen immediately.
- Welcome a new bundle of joy: For the family that just got bigger, send a “Welcome Baby” box. Or when you notice the new parent is a bit exhausted during the workday, send them an encouraging cup of coffee to help them power through or a relaxing treat to help them wind down at the end of the day.
- Congratulate the happy couple: If a client is celebrating a wedding, send them a bottle of champagne and let them know they’re in your thoughts. Bonus points for making note of where they’re honeymooning and sending something themed for their destination!
- Sympathize over sports: If you know your client’s favorite team is about to go into the playoffs, you could send them a bit of team swag to get them fired up. Alternatively, if they’re coming off a devastating loss, you could send them a ‘Sorry a Latte’.
- Remember the milestones: On your client anniversaries, you could send them anything from a charcuterie board in a box to a one-of-a-kind experience like a kayaking trip — all depending on the preferences, interests, and hobbies you’ve picked up on over the last year!
Taking the time to share gratitude through personalized and thoughtful gestures of appreciation is one of the best ways to build strong business relationships, which can be a key component to maintaining lasting clients. For more on strengthening customer relationships, download our e-book for more ways to create and maintain loyalty.
Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo, or click here to learn more about expressing gratitude in business!
