Eight Ways To Thank Your Customers For Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine’s Day. There are several versions of the history behind this romantically themed commercial holiday. One of the more dramatic stories is that St. Valentine was a priest in ancient Roman times who was beheaded for helping couples marry in order to spare their husbands from war. Quite a gruesome tale for something that is representative of the most romantic day of the year. While the history behind Valentine’s Day might make for interesting conversation, more to the point, how can we make the holiday fit in with our customer service goals?

Valentine’s Day is the holiday when, out of obligation, we send our loved ones some type of greeting card or gift. I’ve often argued that sending a gift when we’re not obligated to do so is a much deeper expression of love and appreciation, which has been my go-to excuse when I’ve missed Valentine’s Day with my wife. But, I digress.

As this special day looms just around the corner, I thought about the concept of showing our customers a little bit of love. By the way, I’ve written about this before, almost two years ago in an article titled Show Your Customers A Little Love. This time I want to take a different angle. It’s about appreciation. Specifically, it’s about thanking your customers for doing business with you. In business, the last thing someone might expect is some sort of Valentine greeting. After all, with all the cards we received around the holidays, who is expecting something just six weeks later? Come to think of it, why do it on Valentine’s Day? Any day is a good day to show your customers that you are thinking of them. So, with that in mind, here are eight ways to say thank you to your beloved customers:

1. The Traditional Thank You Note: A handwritten note that expresses appreciation can go a long way and stand out. There are a few of these notes I’ve kept over the years, simply because they were so heartfelt I couldn’t just throw them away. Call me sentimental or old-fashioned, but a truly personalized note can go a long way.
2. An Email or Text Message: Really? After gushing about the traditional thank you note, including something as impersonal as an email or text message on this list? Well, why not? If the message is truly personal, it has some impact. True, it won’t have the same impact as that handwritten note, but at least it shows you care.
3. An Appreciation Video: Now we’re really hitting the modern age as we consider sending a video message. I personally use BombBomb, which is a very cool service that easily lets you send videos to your customers (and friends and loved ones).
4. Value-Added Content: We’re really heading down the corporate lane when we think that sending content is a good Valentine’s gift. But, the right content may be exactly what makes you stand out. A special report that ties in with the season might get you noticed. Or maybe it’s a fun piece of content, such as a family recipe from a company employee. Just makes sure it’s valuable and interesting to your customer and not about promoting your company.
5. An Anniversary Card: What was the first date your customer started doing business with you? How about a card with the reminder that it was “x” number of years ago when you first did business together?
6. A Charitable Donation: This is always nice. To take it to another level, find out which charity the customer cares about. That takes a nice gesture to a very personal level that will be greatly appreciated.
7. An Online Customer Appreciation Event: Holding a traditional customer appreciation event can be expensive. And, if you have a national or international customer base, it’s not very practical. But thanks to the Internet, all that has changed. Go digital and have a Facebook Live event to thank your customers. Every one of your customers can “attend” or watch the video later. And, the rest of the world gets a glimpse into how much you appreciate your customers.
8. A Thoughtful Gift: If you’ve been reading my columns, you know I’m a fan of John Ruhlin, the author of Giftology. He has taught us what it really means to give a thoughtful gift. This isn’t a gift with your corporate logo. This is a personal gift, and even without a logo, your customers will remember who gave it. As an example, I had to give Ruhlin, the world’s foremost gifting expert, a gift. What do I give that guy? I knew that he and his wife loved a certain movie, so I tracked down an autographed first edition of the book on which the movie was based. He loves it and it will forever be on his bookshelf. And, every time he looks at it, he’ll remember who gave it to him.

This isn’t meant to be the definitive work on how to say “thank you” to customers. There are plenty more. I just want to get you thinking about it. And, let me emphasize (again), that you don’t have to wait for Valentine’s Day – or any other holiday – to express appreciation to your customers. It can be anytime, especially when they least expect it. Still, I’d be remiss if I didn’t wish you, the reader, a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Shep Hyken is a customer service and customer experience, keynote speaker and NYT bestselling author. Check out Shep's latest book The Convenience Revolution.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com.