Introduction to customer appreciation

What is customer appreciation?

Customer appreciation can be defined as a measure of a company’s efforts towards its customers. It’s a proactive approach to engage customers and show them that you care about them and you are grateful for their business. Thus, customer appreciation initiatives are mostly aimed at existing customers. Having a solid customer appreciation strategy in place is the foundation of increasing client satisfaction, building customer loyalty, and improving customer retention.

Why customer appreciation matters

Companies that don’t value their customers risk losing them to the competition. As customers that don’t feel appreciated and well-taken-care-of are more likely to switch brands. In fact, the Rockefeller Corporation study found that 68% of customers leave due to perceived indifference. This basically means they believe that companies don’t care about them – comparing to only 14% that leave because of product or service dissatisfaction.

On the other hand, developing and implementing an effective client appreciation strategy may become a critical success factor for a business. Companies that have more satisfied customers enjoy improved customer loyalty and retention. Considering that loyal customers buy 90% more often and spend 60% more per transaction, according to the Rosetta Consulting survey – it ultimately results in increased business profitability. A study by Andy Fred Wali and Bright C Opara also revealed that a customer appreciation strategy influences customer loyalty and advocacy, which leads to increased sales growth.

Customer appreciation phrases

The language, businesses use in their communication with customers makes a big difference in customers’ perception. There are many different ways to use language to express gratitude to clients. Here are some of the most fundamental phases and wordings to remember:

• A simple ‘Thank you’ and all its variations;
• Appreciation words (“We truly appreciate you choosing our business…” );
• Words of gratitude (“We are grateful for your many years as a loyal customer.”);
• Words of acknowledgment and recognition (“To recognize your loyalty, we’d love to invite you to join our loyalty program.”)

• 

Customer appreciation ideas

According to a ClickFox survey, 62% of consumers don’t believe that the brands they’re loyal to are rewarding them enough. There are many different ways, both simple and creative, a brand can make customers feel like it cares about them.

Investing the time and resources into customer appreciation initiatives and regularly expressing gratitude to customers has couple benefits. It can significantly deepen customer relationships, increase satisfaction, improve customer loyalty, and encourage brand advocacy. Whatever customer appreciation ideas a business chooses to implement, there are a couple of things to always remember. Every attempt at giving thanks to customers must be relevant, valuable, noticeable, sincere, and preferably personalized.

30 client appreciation ideas that businesses can use for thanking customers

• Offer random Discounts on your products/services.
• Send out Coupons or gift cards to loyal customers.
• Provide a free product or service upgrades.
• Include customer appreciation notes with every purchase.
• Offer personalized features to your products or services.
• Provide incentives to customers who gave recent five-start reviews.
• Send thank you emails following a purchase, re-purchase, or a testimonial.
• Share valuable content that helps customers make the most of your products or services.
• Create a thank you video and share it with customers.
• Send handwritten personalized thank you letters by snail mail.

• Feature loyal customers on your website, blog, or social media.
• Share customers’ case studies and success stories on your blog
• Offer specials to your social media advocates.
• Send business appreciation gifts that are relevant and valuable to customers.
• Provide customers with free consultation sessions.
• Offer free educational materials. For instance; webinars, whitepapers, tutorials, etc.
• Give special discounts or freebies for customers’ birthdays.
• Reward customers with a customer loyalty program.
• Create a customer VIP club with exclusive perks.
• Start a referral program and reward customers for referring their friends.

• If customers are business owners, refer their business to others.
• Offer customers special deals at other (non-competing) brands.
• Host a special client appreciation event.
• Hold a customer appreciation contest or giveaway.
• Surprise loyal customers from time to time with unexpected perks.
• Show that you’ve implemented changes in response to their feedback.
• Celebrate major company milestones and highlight the most loyal. customers.
• Have a specific day, week, or month dedicated to customer appreciation. 
• Donate to a local charity on your customer’s behalf.
• Offer to sponsor a customer for an event they participate in.

Customer appreciation quotes

These 5 client appreciation quotes demonstrate the importance of caring about customers and showing appreciation:

“A word of appreciation often can accomplish what nothing else could accomplish.”

B. C. Forbes

“Revolve your world around the customer and more customers will revolve around you.”

Heather Williams

“Customers don’t care how much you know unless they know how much you care.”

Damon Richards

“Customers are like teeth. If you don’t take care of them they go away one by one until there are none.”

Jerry Flanagan

“It’s easier to love a brand when the brand loves you back.”

Seth Godin

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