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…..