6 Ways To Express Love To Your Customers On Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is coming soon. It’s a day to express love and appreciation to spouses, partners and friends. You can also do the same for your customers. After all, they are the people who keep you in business. So, show them a little love and recognize them on the day that is a symbol of love and devotion.

If your organization sends out holiday cards or gifts, then you recognize the power of appreciating your customers during these times. However, most companies send cards and gifts around Christmastime and the New Year. The idea behind doing something for Valentine’s Day is to surprise your customers with something they might not expect.

Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day you can surprise your customers with some type of acknowledgment. You can send anniversary cards based on the date the customer first started doing business with you, or there are many other holidays to consider. However, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so with that in mind, here are six ways to show some customer love, and most of them don’t cost anything but a little bit of time and effort.

1. Send a Valentine’s Day Greeting Card with a Personal, Handwritten Message of Appreciation. (Hallmark will love this idea!) If you have too many customers, consider dividing the effort among all employees, not just those who are in customer-facing jobs. Some people may need a little help crafting a personalized message, so be prepared for managers and leaders to offer a little coaching. As an alternative, you may consider a digital card, which could make it easier to personalize (thanks to AI and the data you have on your customers). The digital experience isn’t quite as powerful as the old-fashioned “snail-mail” card, but at least it shows you’re thinking about your customers.
2. Create a Valentine’s Day Video. This can be a fun project that features different team members. Make it fun and heartfelt. And when it comes to the production (video recording and editing), do it right and let a professional handle it. Or, if you happen to have an employee or two who are good with video production, you can let them manage the project. That may add to the authenticity.
3. Call Your Customers and Leave a Recorded Message. Many people don’t answer their work phone numbers. Take advantage of voicemail and leave a recorded message to let your customers know you’re thinking about them. If they happen to answer, that’s a bonus. By the way, when you leave a message, don’t mention anything other than how much you appreciate them. Otherwise, it turns into a sales or marketing call.
4. Donate to a Charity or Social Cause in Honor of Your Customers. There are many types of charities and causes. What would resonate most with your customers? Charities can be localized to the community or have an international impact. Get creative and find some unique and impactful causes that resonate or tie in with your brand.
5. Have a Valentine’s Day Customer Appreciation Event. This idea costs, but depending on your business, it may be worth the investment. If you are in the type of business that typically has a customer holiday event in December, waiting until February may differentiate your event from the competitors’ traditional holiday parties.
6. Give Your Employees Some Valentine’s Day Love. This is also the perfect time to show some appreciation for your employees. I’ve always preached that you should treat employees the way you want your customers to be treated. The five ideas above work for employees as well.

Anytime my clients hold a customer or employee appreciation event, be it during the holidays, a special event, during Customer Service Week or any other appropriate time to show recognition and appreciation, I always remind them that this is just an event. Recognition and appreciation should happen throughout the entire year.