Attracting new customers is vital to growing your company, but it’s not always about the new. Maintaining your current customers is equally, if not more, important: The probability of selling to an existing customer is up to 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new customer.
Sometimes marketers are so focused on attracting new prospects that they forget to continue to delight the old ones. Your customer relationships are just that — relationships — and take time and effort to maintain.
Investing in customer loyalty is essential to your company’s success, but it can be difficult to know where to start. Sending gifts is one of the easiest ways to build strong, long-lasting customer relationships that lead to repeat business — but send the wrong gift (or miss sending one!) and your relationship may break. In fact, 57% of business professionals say gifts can impact their opinion of a business partner both positively and negatively.
Read on to learn how to cater your gifting strategy for both prospects and customers, and discover new gift ideas for your long-term clients.
Prospect vs. Customer gifts
Sending a gift may be the first touchpoint you have with a potential customer, and first impressions matter. Gifts stand out in a sea of cold emails and letters — especially since only 24% of sales emails are opened. Sending a gift is essential to building those initial connections, jump-starting the conversation between your team and the prospect before the sales process even begins.
On the other hand, customer gifts are more focused on appreciation, showing the client your value in your relationship. Your existing customers already know about your company business, so the goal is to delight them and keep them coming back for more.
When it comes to both prospect and customer gifts, personalization is key. It can help both your future relationships and your bottom line: 98% of marketers say personalization helps advance customer relationships, and 80% of customers say they are more likely to purchase from a brand who provides a personalized experience. Think about what type of gift will truly wow your client.
Gift ideas for long-term customers
It can be frustrating to find the perfect gift for a loved one after years of gifting – and salespeople with long-term customers understand the struggle. But the longer you’ve worked with a client, the more you understand their likes and dislikes — and can personalize your gift accordingly. Avoid sending the generic fruit basket and send a gift your prospects and customers will love:
- Desktop succulents: These plants can spruce up any workspace, are low maintenance, and last for months — keeping the thoughtful gift (and your relationship) top of mind for months to come.
- Branded tumblers: Instead of sending the boring old coffee mug, try a higher-end coffee tumbler that the prospects and customers can bring with them into the office.
- Non-food gifts: Nowadays, there’s a gift box for almost anything. If you know your client has a specific passion — like board games, wine or travel gear — consider a personalized box with a handwritten note.
- Themed kits: Are your customers working from home more now? Consider sending them a Work From Home Kit with items they need to make working from home easier, or a Happy Hour Kit so they can enjoy a happy hour at home.
At the end of the day, sending gifts is all about connecting with prospects and building customer loyalty. You express your appreciation to loved ones with gifts, and customers are no different.
Sending gifts with Ontrack
Ontrack allows you to sort prospects and customers and organize who will receive what gift. You can choose, customize and send gifts all within Ontrack’s workflow, and then track gifting strategies over time. Make sure to add that touch of personalization with handwritten notes and customized gifts. Reach out to Ontrack at [email protected] to learn how you level up your gifting strategies.
