do you send your customers

ron p

Member
christmas cards? Do you use it as an advertisement? Do you give gifts?[fridge mag.,pen's,mug's,ect...]
Do you send a cupon for a % off on spring cleaning?
Has anyone tried to sell gift certificates for people to give as gift's?
 
We're doing holiday cards this year, with our cartoon characters on them. We hand out magnets to our customers. We have not tried gift certificates, although it is an interesting idea. I'm not sure how well it would go over, except maybe as a house warming gift or something.... We do have thank you cards we use.

Beth
 
Ron P.

Yes yes & yes,,,, I send thank you all year long and at Christmas time we send seasons greetings & happy new year cards to all customers along with a new calendar. Often this will be the second calendar they receive. We send the first one in about two weeks early November.

Keep in mind that Christmas can offend some. We decided long ago to say happy New Year instead of focus on X-mas.

Please let’s not get into the religion thing. I’m as religious as the next guy and don’t utilize my religious belief to further my business. I just wanted to point out some problems I had in the past.


In the past I have given gifts to certain customers. You really need to be careful because most corporations frown on giving anything other than a thank you. I have many groups that send letters around Christmas saying that it’s against there policies.


I will tell you what I have done for about ten years. I send to the corporate headquarters a basket of fruit cookie fudge and all other sorts of goodies. My contractors all get a basket so between the contractors and corp. headquarters we delivered 130 baskets last year. The girls in the office like it because they get to see the faces they talk with on the phone and the people in the offices remember and really appreciate the treat. OOOPPPS another one of my secrets out of the bAg!!!!!!!! Delivering the large basket for everyone is better. That way the guy making the decisions doesn’t feel uncomfortable and the group sees your thanking everyone and not singling out the decision maker.


Giving the baskets can be trouble also; we had a group not except them at the door. Fortunately we sent them and apology and informed them this was not a payoff that we just appreciate the business.

My sister that’s a pressure washing contractor also delivers about 40 sheet cheese cakes to her customers. She fleet washes in the Chicago area and northwest Indiana. She make these people homemade cheese cake. People really appreciate the home made stuff.

The dishes and the baskets that these goodies are in are usually something nice. People often fight over who is going to keep them, that been our only problem.


All year long we promote the business; every month is a theme for something we do. Set goals and try to accomplish things and be consistent. We give away note pads and customer actually when they see us say I’m glad you came by we were getting low. Our restaurants love the pens. I actually wish I did residential because we get there customers stealing the pens and then calling us. LOL

I have some personal relations with some customer after almost 19 years and I take care of these people myself.

My customer base is in the thousands so a mailer can cost me hundreds; we do it because it’s important to us and the customers. If you start sending them you should not stop…..
 
Following up on Ron's gift idea - most corps have a policy not to accept anything, or limit gifts to $25. In my mind that happens to be a figure that doesn't come across as "payoff" level. I do cards at XMas, and take certain customers to lunch/dinner. My market is builders, who don't expect much from their 'poor' subs.
 
Hey Ron M.,

I really hope you go to the PWNA Show. I would like to pick your brain about your 'system' for contact managment.

I have problems staying in contact with under a thousand residential customers two times a year and you are doing it for thousands - 12 times per year. On top of that you are hand delivering gifts - do you ever sleep?

What did you say the contact manager program you used was?
 
I send Christmas cards every year - Very powerful tool.

Some of my bigger customers - I send candy, donuts, etc.

My PaPa use to say:

"The road to someones heart is through their stomach."
 
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