You love your clients. And while you might intend to show your gratitude for their business year round, if time has gotten away from you, the holiday season is an essential time to let them know.

There are plenty of creative ways to show your customer appreciation (even if you’re on a tight budget). The ideas below cost little to nothing for your small business but are guaranteed to having a lasting impact with your customers in 2017.

Spending a few extra hours planning your holiday outreach is sure to benefit your bottom line in the new year.

Offer a Free Consultation.

Send your favorite customers an offer for a free holiday consultation to thank them for their loyalty. This value-add could lead to longer, paid consultations or upgrades – a win-win for you and your clients.

Give Them the Scoop Early.

Let your loyal customers in on new and improved products and services your small business has in the pipeline. Faithful customers like to stay in the know about upgrades and new releases, and nothing makes them feel more valued than being given early access or asked their opinions before a new product hits the market.

Showcase Your Customers.

Write a blog post, include a shoutout in your email newsletter or highlight customer achievements on social media. You’ll expose more of your own customers to their services, make your customer feel valued AND potentially get in front of new audiences who could turn into potential customers.

Provide Private Access.

Set up a unique landing page (tools like Splash or Unbounce can make this super easy if your don’t know how) and send out the information to a select few clients. Invite your most frequent customers to visit the page during a limited window to receive holiday promos or a sneak peak of those new product offerings.

Break Out Your Fountain Pen.

Sending cards really stands out in a world of email and text messages. Send out holiday cards with a sincere, handwritten note to your best customers, thanking them for supporting your business. Consider sending a coupon with it, offering a holiday promo to show your appreciation (because who doesn’t like free stuff?).

client gifts

 

Teach Them Something New.

It’s exciting to learn a new skill. Give your best clients an opportunity to learn something they didn’t know before. Hosting a free webinar or creating a new ebook or resource is a thoughtful and useful holiday gift. Not confident teaching? Hire an outside pro for an hour, if your budget permits.

Send Over a Referral.

One of the best ways you can help B2B clients is to help them grow. Call your favorite customers, let them know how much they mean to you, and ask them if you can thank them for their support by making an introduction to other businesses you know who might need their services. A new business opportunity might be the best gift of all.

Give Them an Insider’s Tour.

Welcoming local customers into your digs is the easiest way to showcase your culture. Around the holidays when the office is more festive, invite loyal customers to a holiday open house or give them a virtual tour so they have the opportunity to meet the people behind the products they’re using.

Celebrate Them.

Make your customers feel special. Choose a customer of the week and highlight each of them during the holiday season. Ask your team members to reach out via email, phone or social to let them know just how much their loyalty means to your business. If you have the budget, sending them a gift certificate for lunch or coffee on you doesn’t hurt either.

Put On Your Apron.

Spend a few hours baking your favorite holiday treats and deliver them to local clients. If your holiday budget allows, use a cookie or cake delivery service (like Insomnia Cookies or SweetStreet) to send out of town clients holiday confections. Nothing says happy holidays like a sugar overload.

 

client gifts