Welp MagazineIt’s the festive season, and you’d like to wish your customers everything of the very best for it! You have a slight balancing act to navigate, however. You wouldn’t like your gifts and good wishes to seem like a “bribe” and you want to keep it meaningful – that bulk-mailed e-card just won’t do! Here are some ideas you can use to convey your thanks and best wishes without seeming insincere or, on the other end of the scale, as if you’re currying favor.
1. Post a Good, Old-Fashioned Holiday Card
The regular post rarely brings us good things these days. It’s all bills and statements and leaflets. Brighten up their bundles of post with special holiday cards. Be sure to include a personal, handwritten message to round off the good wishes. Since so few people send proper holiday cards these days, it will be something of an occasion to receive one, and the fact that you took the time to write a personal note makes it even more special.
2. Give Them a Call
The run-up to the festive season is a busy time, so if you decide to call to convey your festive wishes, keep it brief and to the point. Get the balance right and it will be a bright spot in their day. It doesn’t take you long or cost you much, but they’ll appreciate that you felt strongly enough about the relationship to place an in-person call.
3. Send a Small But Useful Gift
In most offices, there’s a bit of a buzz around simple festive keepsakes like calendars for the new year. Since they’ll be on people’s desks or against the walls of their offices all year, calendars are a favorite festive specialty that remind them of you all year long. Compact desk calendars, branded post-it notes, and branded pens or pencils are among the top picks.
4. Send an Email
Bulk mailings serve a purpose, but one-on-one mails say more about your working relationship than a generic one ever could. Ask staff in key contact positions to mail their best customers a personal message for the festive season. They can thank their customers for their support and share a festive wish that’s warm and personal. It may seem like a small thing, but it will be appreciated.
5. Invite Them for Coffee and Cake
If you’re serving a local clientele, nothing beats a little get-together. Keep the coffee coming and serve up cake all day long. Let your top customers know they’re invited, and surprise walk-in customers with some warm hospitality. It’s bound to be remembered! If you’re a B2B, find a bakery in some of your customers’ areas that’s willing to deliver tasty eats for the office. It’s your special way of sending thanks and sharing holiday goodwill.
The Personal Touch Says it All
Whatever you do for your customers this holiday season, add a personal touch. It sets you apart from the run-of-the-mill. It’s all too easy to fall into formulaic and less-than-meaningful gestures that do little more than give the nod to the season when all it takes to be different and memorable is a little thought and creativity. Happy holidays and new year wishes are better when they’re delivered in a personal way and with a touch of flair.
