It's never too late to tell your customers that you love them

Valentines Day will have been and gone by the time you read this article – and you may have missed the opportunity to tell your customers or clients that you love them – or have you?

Why not a communication that starts: 

We wanted to tell you, our customer (or client), that we love you on Valentines Day but didn’t want to intrude on that special day with your loved one.  The truth is that we love our customers all year round just as the two of you do and to mark this special month we are sending you a special Valentines gift voucher (or offer) – just to say that we love you.”  And then go on to tell them about your offer.

Offers like that out of the blue, particularly if you can make it sound personal are very much appreciated – even if you customer doesn’t take it up.  The key thing is that you are telling them how much you appreciate them.

Australian marketing guru, Winston Marsh says that you should tell your key customers in some form or other at least six times a year that you love them.  Note the word “key.”  Those are you’re A customers – the top 20% who give you 80% of your business.  You need to constantly remind them that you are always thinking of them and that you value their business.

Another angle could be that you write to tell them that you are thinking of them all year around – not just on Valentines Day – or 

“Oops! – I forgot to send you a Valentines Day card to tell you how much I appreciate you as a customer.”

There are many variations, and I am sure that you could come up with something that suits your style of communication.  The key is to do it.  You are not going to sound stupid – but you will sound and look different from others in your field.  Because of those who read this article and agree with it, only about 5% of them will do anything about it.  

When I first went to a Winston Marsh seminar, he said something similar to the audience – that only 5% of us would do anything about the ideas he was giving us.  I left that room determined to be one of that 5%, and within six months I had doubled my accounting practice.  I’m not an accountant I hear you say?  Well believe me these ideas have also worked for my clients, past and present.

So, if you think it’s too late to do anything about Valentines Day, think about what you are going to do for those customers who are the cream of your business at Easter.  Because if you don’t do it, one of your competitors might – and they will feel more appreciated somewhere else..