The holidays typically are a time for getting together with family and friends, sharing good food, making happy memories and kicking back to watch a football game or two. It’s a time when we set aside the concerns of everyday life that weigh heavily on our minds. While those gatherings may look a little different for many of us this year, the true spirit of the season remains the same.
This is a time for giving, counting our blessings and appreciating what we have. As we celebrate with loved ones—whether in person or via FaceTime—let’s also remember how important it is to feed and nurture our business relationships, too. You can start with two simple words – Thank You.
Simple but powerful. These two little words have the power to transform our health, happiness and success. Thanking clients for their business not only makes them feel appreciated, it also helps build your brand loyalty. It may surprise you to learn that ‘feeling unappreciated’ is the top reason customers switch companies according to a study by NewVoiceMedia. And, according to research by the Institute of HeartMath, a state of gratitude helps us to reduce stress, think more clearly under pressure and heal physically.
Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life. —Northrup Christiane
Flex Your Muscle
Alan Cohen once said, “Gratitude, like faith, is a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it grows…” Energize and engage your team and your clientele by letting them know you are grateful for their work and their business. Sometimes a simple thank you and a show of appreciation can make all the difference in keeping employees happy and clients loyal.
Spread some holiday cheer during the ‘season of giving’ with a gift as a token of your appreciation. Consider sending a gift basket that includes 1-2 items branded with your company logo. Appeal to the sweet tooth in (almost) everyone with a special treat from Marketing Direction’s favorite candy shop Toffee to Go. Or, if time permits, do some digging and find out about your clients’ interests.
“Give them a magazine subscription that reflects their hobbies,” suggests Traci Tucker, Marketing Direction’s VP of Client Service. “This type of gift illustrates the time you took to listen and learn more about them and because it’s a recurring gift, it serves as a monthly or quarterly reminder of you and your company.”
If gifting isn’t in your organization’s budget this year, consider mailing holiday cards with a personalized message and your signature. Handwritten letters have an 80 percent open rate, so sending a thank you via snail mail has a much higher chance of being read by a customer than if you were to use another method like email.
Make sure your note is genuine and sincere. Even the simplest of gestures can go a long way in letting others know you’re thinking about them. When internationally renowned business leader Doug Conant was the CEO of Campbell Soup he wrote approximately 30,000 thank you notes to his employees and energized the company in the process.
Thank You All Year Long
Showing goodwill shouldn’t just be limited to the holiday season. Be thankful every day and see what new wonders your ‘attitude of gratitude’ will open up for you. Any type of occasion that would be relevant to a client is a chance to show that you’re still thinking about them and that you care.
Consider sending a note acknowledging the New Year and how your business is ready to help … Or, send a note with a branded item at the halfway mark asking what your company can do to help them finish the year strong.
Almost no businesses take this action. Thinking beyond the obvious occasions will help you make a long-lasting impression. Your customers regularly sort through stacks of mass-produced junk mail. A handwritten note, with a personalized message, will most likely be the most memorable item in their daily mail.
Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.—Melody Beattie
With Heartfelt Thanks
Among the many things Traci and I—and everyone at Marketing Direction—are thankful for is the opportunity to work with clients like you! We are humbled by the trust you have placed in us to help market your business during these unprecedented times.
During what has been a trying year for many business leaders, we have been blessed to grow beyond what any of us had envisioned. Our record-setting pace is in no small part due to the support and dedication of our team and our clients. And for that we are truly grateful.
We are thankful to have had the opportunity to help you through these challenging times. We will continue to support you in any way we can as we face the new challenges of 2021 together. From all of us at Marketing Direction we wish you a Holiday Season filled with love, laughter and joy.
