“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” - Maya Angelou

Although Maya Angelou didn’t have customers in mind when she said this, the sentiment is still relevant.

The essence of love is showing that you care. Being thoughtful and considerate of another’s needs means you treat them right. 

It’s no different for your customers. 

If you want to show customers love, you need to understand what they want, and then deliver.

The benefits of showing your customers love

The best way to receive love is to make sure you give it yourself. If your business goes out of its way to show customers love, your brand will be that much more lovable. And having a lovable business comes with a whole load of benefits, such as:

• Referrals
• Loyalty
• Advocacy
• Positive reviews
• User-generated content

Here are a few ways to make your customers feel good this Valentine’s Day.

Launch a personalized campaign

Celebrate the unique nature of every one of your customers. Create gifts or loyalty schemes based on your knowledge of their preferences from previous interactions. Sending a personalized gift feels so much more caring than a blanket policy gift voucher. 

Also, a small but important touch: when corresponding with customers, regardless of channel (email, live chat etc.) use their first name. And, make sure you keep information about them from your past communications at hand so you don’t have to cover old ground every time you speak to them. 

UK drinks brand Innocent allowed customers to create their own personalized love labels for their loved ones, giving the opportunity to create personalized messages, or customize existing graphics. Labels could even be printed and attached to products, and shared through social media.

Image source: campaignmonitor

Listen to what customers really want

There is no better way to show you care than by really listening to what someone has to say. This is particularly true when it comes to customer feedback. Use it to improve your business and make it more suited to what customers want. 

Whether it’s sales or support, listening is important throughout the customer cycle. Always pay full attention to what customers are saying. Acknowledge people on social media and maintain a variety of touchpoints for customers to contact you through. It means you can listen to them more frequently and more extensively. 

Luxury gift finder Reebonz gave a voice to their customers by allowing shoppers to choose their favorite brand, color, and product category and then revealing present recommendations, available to buy on its website, based on those choices.

Image source: Shortstack

Show a human touch

Love is a very human emotion. In order to show customers love, you need to show the human side of your business. Encourage your employees to speak to customers on the phone whenever needed so that your business maintains a human face. Offer video calls or voice calls as customer support. 

Having a product delivered can seem very impersonal, so why not add in a handwritten note to make the experience that much more human? Once they’ve received it, call up just to ask how things are going and if they need anything else. It helps to show you care.  

Little romantic touches on Valentine’s Day remind us of our humanity, and fast-food retailer KFC really captured that in 2012. Customers were allowed to request a song if they were going on a date in one of its outlets, going online to choose a day, time, and location.

Image source: Awario

Showcase your customers

It’s important to make sure your customers feel part of something. Share with them, and share their content, too. Showcasing customer experiences and case studies helps attract other customers. Plan events and invite your customers along to get involved. Offer behind the scenes access and exclusive content so things feel extra special. 

Social media is a fantastic way to keep people informed and give them the chance to comment on what is going on at your business. It also provides an opportunity to demonstrate the personality of your company. 

For example, MeUndies used Instagram to ask couples to share photos of themselves wearing matching underwear alongside the hashtag #MatchMeUndies. The resulting photos made for a highly entertaining and adorable user-generated campaign. 

Image source: yotpo

Give out gifts and offers

Customers love it when you offer something out of the ordinary. Giving out discounts gives them the extra impetus needed to buy and do things they wouldn’t normally get the chance to do, making Valentine’s Day even more special. As a time for couples, Valentine’s Day is perfect for 2-for-1 offers, whether that’s two for one on romantic getaways, two fragrances for the price of one, or even two months for the price of one on a subscription plan. 

But Valentine’s is there for singles to indulge themselves too. Select Burger King locations in the US have taken full advantage of this by offering a free Whopper in exchange for a printed photo of an ex-partner!

Image source: CBS

Send heartfelt thanks

If you feel it, you can show it. Acknowledging the positive contributions made by customers helps foster a sense of gratitude. Implement a 5 good things weekly strategy – where staff list 5 things they are grateful for in weekly meetings, and write thank you notes to customers. 

A few tips on writing thank-yous: 

• Greet customers by their name
• Express your gratitude to them
• Be specific about the details
• Repeat your thanks
• Sign-off appropriately

Always remember to say thank you to customers – they are the reason a business exists in the first place. Giving back to the world or community makes sense too, because it is thanks to them the company is there. Get involved with local issues, sponsor good causes, and make it clear you wish to be a force for good.

A relationship that lasts

There are a lot of similarities to be drawn between strong personal relationships and strong customer relationships. Everyone needs to feel loved, customers included. If you want to cement long-lasting relationships based on trust, then use the methods mentioned in this post and show your customers some love – not just on Valentine’s day, but every day.