You need to give your customers both!

 If your product or service provides lasting value, you have a happy client who will be thrilled with her purchase and will likely tell her friends and family about your great product. Keep in mind, value does not always mean the lowest price. Don’t let yourself get caught up in price wars or you will quickly put yourself out of business. What are you doing to ensure that your goods provide the value that your clients are looking for? How do you rate against the competition? 

 What are some add-on values that you can offer? Consider the usual suspects like:

• 2-for-1 pricing
• Free shipping
• Free pick-up/delivery
• Thank you cards

 If you endear yourself to your clients they become loyal and will likely tell their friends and family about how wonderful you are, and by extension, how wonderful your company is. Endearing leans a bit toward the warm and fuzzy side. Less tangible things like making someone feel special and appreciated. How are you conveying such feelings to your clients?

 What are some value-added offerings that leave clients with somewhat intangible, but still highly important feelings of well-being about purchasing your wares? Brainstorm some ideas to supplement the following list of ways to make your customers feel really good about patronizing your business:

• Client appreciation events (party, open-house, tickets to an event, etc.)
• Client appreciation sales
• Customer of the month/quarter award – maybe a photo-op?
• Greeting the person by name (pronounce it correctly, too!)
• Remembering the last purchase – follow up before they’re out with a reminder to refill or making a recommendation for a complementary item
• Remembering their special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, milestones). Send them a card “just because it’s your special day” and chances are you will be top of mind when it’s time to buy a gift for someone on their list or to recommend you
• Can you package your product in a tasteful, reusable container so that your name/logo is constantly busy?
• Of course you can always use the old favorite: under promise and over deliver

Why not think outside the box, like the restaurant with the tattoo promotion – tattoo our name on your body and get free tacos for life! Some people actually got such a tattoo, but in addition the promotion itself generated lots of publicity and got people to visit the restaurant.  How can you create some buzz about your business?

At Pink Passport Society, we always strive to provide ALEs – A Little Something Extra so those who attend our workshops or who become members will always get more than what they expect. You should always strive to exceed expectations.

 These are just some ideas to get you started. What else can you come up with to stand out in your customers’ eyes…for the right reasons? Add a comment below and share your thoughts along this vein.