Early in my freelance career I started sending Christmas cards to my most regular clients to thank them for working with me. Then I wondered if, in the hub of all the holiday mail, they even saw them. I envisioned some editorial assistant opening my card, putting it in a stack of a hundred other cards and then taking the entire stack to the office wall and taping it up. My card, never read by the person to whom I sent it.
Maybe that’s not how it actually played out, but in my imagination it hurt. So I devised other ways to reach out to my clients to let them know I care.
4 Ways to Show Your Clients You Care
Send a Note
You don’t have to send a Christmas card. There are plenty of other opportunities all year long to show your clients you care. Monday, October 16 is Bosses Day in the US this year. National Customer Service Week is October 2-6. National Get to Know Your Customer Day is April 20. If you want to know more, check out the National Day Calendar. Or you could go with a traditional opportunity like Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving.
Will an email work? Maybe. But before you go with the every day, remember the last time you got a hand written note in your mailbox. Didn’t you feel loved?
Make a Call
In this day of emails and texts, how often do we actually chat on the phone? How would you feel if someone called you just to say how much they appreciated working with you? Nervous? How about the following script:
Hey. I know you’re busy and I don’t want to keep you. I was just thinking of how valuable you’ve been to my business and I wanted to say that I appreciate you.
Do Something
How about going the extra mile? Remember, writing is a service profession. Next time you turn in a story, include an extra sidebar with a note that says something like:
Since you are one of my favorite clients, I’ve included the sidebar no charge. Hope you can use it.
Or, if you have a copywriting client that gives you a lot of business, throw in a brochure or email series for a discount—just because.
Send a Token
In the sales industry, sales reps are always giving away little trinkets and tokens of appreciation to entice their clients to buy more. I’m not advocating a bribe, but a pen or magnet with your company name is something that says you appreciate them and keeps your name in front of their eyes all year long.
What about you. What are some ways that you’ve used to show your clients you care? I would love to hear them in the comments.