Customer appreciation gifts: unique ideas & examples
Appreciation can come in any form and can be given to anyone. As a method of care for employers everywhere, appreciation has become a tool for future success because it almost always leads to positive results.
One of the most beneficial forms of this type of recognition is when businesses utilize this tool to thank their customers and clients. Customer appreciation gifts can be the ultimate homage to your clients. Afterall, these are the individuals and businesses that make your company the success that it is today and showing them appreciation will further their loyalty.
What are customer appreciation gifts?
Customer appreciation gifts are tangible offerings for clients and customers that are given as a thank you for their continued business. This form of recognition is a wonderful way to give back to some of the most crucial players in your organization. Whether it is a big account or a small client, anyone who pays for services or goods contributes to the overall success of your business.
These gifts can strengthen relationships and retain clients for years to come. Celebrate a holiday that means something special to them with a specific memento or give them a year-end gift that will remind them of their value. No matter the form of appreciation, customer appreciation gifts will forge a bond between your business and the clients that can take it to the next level.
What are the benefits of customer appreciation gifts?
Custom appreciation gifts reap many benefits, all of which are important to sustain a business. The wonderful thing about these forms of appreciation is that there truly is no negative when spreading thanks and honoring your customers.
Increases Customer Satisfaction
Customer appreciation gifts can provide a definitive path to increasing customer satisfaction. When a company appreciates their clients, the customers themselves will enjoy a more positive experience when purchasing a good or a service. If your business is one that relies on word of mouth to gain brand awareness, this benefit is the most important to your organization and can be the very reason you initiate some form of customer appreciation moving forward.
Forges Positive Relationships
Positive experiences matter with customers. Negative reviews and painful experiences can cloud the judgement of returning customers and stave off new customers. Customer appreciation gifts can provide the perfect level of comfort to build positive relationships and ensure the client feels valued.
Retains Business
A thank you goes a long way. Not only does this type of recognition show customers they are valued, but it will generate more brand loyalty. Through careful consideration, appreciation gifts can allow customers a reason to come back and use your good or service. Whether it is a loyalty program or a handwritten note, this type of intentional thankfulness breathes life into the customer experience.
What gift can I give to my customer? Ideas & examples
If you are looking for customer appreciation gift inspiration, the possibilities are quite endless. No matter what form you decide to use in your appreciation program, know that a customer will enjoy any form of gifting in exchange for their dedication and brand loyalty.
Branded Gifts
When creating your customer appreciation program, it is important to stay on brand. This way, your goals and mission continue to flow through in all aspects of your organization. Additionally, your brand name or logo is reinforced in the minds of your customers, encouraging repeat customers.
Branded customer appreciation gifts can make a statement no matter the style. Whether you gift branded bookends and paperweights or give thanks with a branded cutting board, you cannot go wrong when each piece of appreciation has your company branding on it.
Loyalty Programs
Loyalty programs are one of the more prominent forms of customer appreciation that has stood the test of time. Oftentimes, we see this as a point-based system that offers rewards to repeat customers once they hit a particular quota.
This can take many shapes depending on your business model. If you have a warehouse of inventory, this can be seen as a yearly discounted rate for inventory management. If your clients purchase your subscription-based services, loyalty programs can come in the form of bulk purchases on an annual, prepaid basis.
Handwritten
Handwritten customer appreciation adds an individualized touch that cannot be matched. Whether it is a note when an item is purchased or a handwritten letter at the year-end, this type of appreciation shows a high touch and love to every customer you encounter.
Personalized Items
Like handwritten appreciation, personalized items give an element of high touch that every customer would be grateful for. Afterall, gifts are meant to for the individual and should emanate from a unique and distinguishable intention.
Personalized items are often bestowed on some of the more monumental clients, but no customer is undeserving. These can take shape as a custom award, personalized as the best customer of the year, or you can even play on a service award that highlights the number of years you have had a partnership for.
Inexpensive customer appreciation gifts
It is understandable that not every business has a large budget to use for customer appreciation gifts. Have no fear. When it comes to sending appreciation to your customers and clients, there is no gesture too small.
Company Swag
To save costs on customer appreciation gifts, utilize the resources you have on hand. Since many organizations already have an inventory of company swag items for any new hires that are brought on to the business, this is a terrific way to use an expense that has already been accounted for.
Discount Codes
Discount codes are a fantastic opportunity to bring in additional business while still rewarding your customers for their purchases. By encouraging a repeat purchase while also showing that you value a client’s business, your cost and inbound revenue tend to level each other out.
Thank You Cards
As previously mentioned, anything handwritten will bode well when it comes to appreciation. Similarly, thank you cards can go a long way. This form of customer appreciation gifts is the most authentic and obvious way to tell each client, “Thank you for your business.”
Holiday customer appreciation gifts
Holiday-Specific Gifts
Whether it is Diwali, Kwanza, Hannukah or Christmas, it is evident that not everyone celebrates the same holiday. In turn, holiday gifts for customer appreciation should be specific to the individual or company.
If you have a major client in China, you can share an appreciation with a gift that highlights the Chinese New Year. If your client base is generated in a large part from Mexico, it might bode well to share holiday gifts around some of their major holidays like Día de los Muertos or Diez y Seis.
Functional Gifts
Functional appreciation gifts put the “fun” back in giving thanks. Some of the more prominent ways to use functionality when gifting for customers can come in the form of champagne flutes, branded yetis, luggage tags, lapel pins, or even unique barware. There are options for everyone!
Care Packages
A trending form of customer appreciation is through care packages. This is a great method of holiday customer appreciation gifts because it can be as personalized as you want to make it, and there is no end to what you can include in each package. Whether it is holiday sweets, shelf stable food items, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, or even a comfort box with candles and self-care items, any customer would be happy to receive a thank-you care package.
Customer appreciation gifts: conclusion
No matter the individual, it feels nice to be appreciated. When it comes to taking care of the customers and clients that make your business go round, it is important to create an intentional recognition program that shows how much you care. From big gestures to small, cost-efficient thank you cards, customer appreciation gifts will help sustain your business for years to come.