There’s nothing like the holiday season to spread a little cheer by delighting your customers and building upon their loyalty to your business. As you are aware, the delight stage of the buyer’s journey helps turn loyal customers into promoters, so taking the time to show your appreciation can provide greater returns over a longer period than a typical holiday sale. Consider these ideas to build customer loyalty during the holiday season and prepare to be busier than ever in the new year!

Give a Little, Gain a Lot

A holiday sale may bring in an influx of quick cash, but it also draws in people who are confirmed deal-hunters. The bulk of the traffic you attract when you have deep discounts for a short period of time will be off and running to your competitors as soon as prices start to level again after the sale. While there’s nothing wrong with having holiday sales and doing your best to please customers to work on building loyalty, this is not enough to delight your customers who have already made purchases. Consider giving your existing customers a gift card or email coupon that gives them a specified dollar amount towards their next purchase. It doesn’t have to be a large amount, but by offering an actual cash value, your customers feel that you have given them something tangible. Since they will have money towards their next purchase, chances are very good that not only will they “cash in” on the deal so you realize increased sales, they will tell people about their surprise gift. Win-win!

Get Personal

If your business isn’t one that lends well to offering a gift card, depending on the size of customer base, greeting cards are a great way to thank people for their business. Rather than ordering the “corporate special” that is pre-printed with a standard message, take the time to create a personal note, complete with your real signature. Since this is uncommon in today’s business practices and shows that you care, people will remember your effort and of course, they won’t be shy to tell friends that they received an actual hand-written greeting card. If you’re worried about the type of greeting due to sensitivities surrounding the holidays, send a card that gives best wishes for the new year.

Everyone Loves a Great Party

While it may not be feasible to host a party to celebrate all of your customers in the physical realm, you can certainly throw an online party on social media with minimal cost and maximum exposure. Be sure to promote the date and time for your party and encourage people to bring friends along. For the duration of the party, be live so you can interact with your guests. Offer exclusive discounts or giveaways for attendance, perhaps a gift for a certain number of participants people bring to the conversation or even a raffle for a highly-desired item. This is an easy way to show your appreciation to your customers, attract new customers and show that there are humans behind your business!

These are just three ways that you can delight your customers and build customer loyalty. As you can see, the ideas all have some common underlying elements- acknowledgment, personalization, and giving. We hope you enjoy a bustling holiday season with many great returns in 2017!