GPI 266 – Reward customer loyalty. Remember their anniversaries, an excuse to talk/sell to them!

Keep track of customer history; publish an annual anniversary listing (365 days in chronological order), showing all of your customers ‘first sale’ dates and remind the sales representatives one or two weeks ahead of those dates. Have the list prepared week by week by month listing the corresponding company names and how many years they have been doing business (regardless of the dollar amount).  Prepare cards, letters or other literature that can be personalized to honor these dates.

Remind customers how long you have been doing business.   Tell the customers you appreciate their business and give them something relevant to their years’ of purchases and loyalty.  In order for this to work well, assign one very detail-oriented person to track this customer calendar each day.  Instruct them to religiously notify all of the sales department personnel of these dates and to send out notices 1 to 2 weeks ahead of dates (reminders).  Make sure your sales person gives buyers any gifts, food, coupons or giveaways;  always make him or her the ‘good’ guy and the guy the customer can depend upon.

Consider doing one or more of these following things to celebrate customers’ anniversaries;

• Send or deliver a note ahead of their anniversary date thanking them for their patronage and loyalty. Include a packet of coupons their employees can use at your stores or facilities.
• Send or have delivered cookies, doughnuts or candy on that day to their purchasing department.
• Send all of the customers’ buyers coupons or credits for them to use on their next purchase from your store.