The Power Of Appreciation
Typically, we do business with people we know, like, and trust. As a business owner the one thing that we are constantly striving to achieve is the ever elusive, customer loyalty. Why, because we know that it is infinitely more expensive and much more difficult to find new customers than it is to keep the ones we already have. So, how do we get our customers to know, like, and trust us; how do we achieve customer loyalty?
According to American psychologist and philosopher, William James, the deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. It would then stand to reason that if we appreciate our customers or clients that they would like us and trust us. Don’t believe Mr. James’ opinion? How about another American icon, Oprah Winfrey? Oprah has said, be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more. Maya Angelou perhaps has said it the best, People will forget what you do, they will forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel. If we appreciate our customers and clients, we will make them feel good . . . now that’s customer loyalty. Taken to the next step, customer loyalty not only means that they will most likely be your customer for life, but they will tell their friends about you, and they will become your customers for life too.
How do we make our customers feel good; how do we show appreciation? Here are a couple of sure-fire suggestions:
Smile often.
Make it about them, not about you.
Make unexpected phone calls just to connect (1 to 3 per day).
Give small gifts (1 per week).
Send unexpected heart-felt greeting cards through the mail (3 to 5 per day).
Avoid sending notes of appreciation through e-mail. This might be a wonderful medium for quick informational business communications, but it is much too impersonal for heart-felt messages.
Mark Kay Ash built a 1.2 billion dollar cosmetic empire by instructing her associates to send three handwritten notes every night before going to bed. Try this technique your self for 30 days and tell us your results.
To Much Success with Your Appreciation Marketing.
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