What do you do for your customers this time of year? My guess is that you send them a Christmas card and/or get them a Christmas Gift. While this might seem controversial, I recommend you DON’T do either for your customers. Here’s why…and it isn’t because I’m a Scrooge.
Step back and look at what’s going on this time of year. Businesses are trying to finish a strong year (especially after many challenges this year). Many leaders are faced with “closing the books” on the year to show they had a better year than last. Bonuses have to be figured out to keep employees motivated. Vacations increase, so there is more to do with fewer people available. And many other reasons this is the busiest time of the year.
Suffice it to say, there are tons of things going on this time of year in most businesses. The last thing you need to add to the list is what to do for your customers to show your appreciation for their business. And since your customers are equally inundated with activities, it’s not top of mind for them either.
They are stressed with gift buying, finishing things up for the year, going to parties, dealing with kids home for the holidays, and many other things that take up more time than they have and increase their stress levels. And when we are stressed, we don’t remember things like we usually do.
And what about the Christmas and Holiday cards? Again…DON’T SEND OUT ANY CARDS, EITHER!! More on that later…
So what do you do? What can you do to show your customers and clients how much you appreciate them without adding to their already high-stress levels? Let me share with you a new way of thinking about the holidays…one that will help demonstrate your business has GONE BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™ and doesn’t look like every other business in your market.
I want to stretch your thinking…FROM YOUR CUSTOMERS’ POINT OF VIEW.
The goal of going BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™ is to be SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT from your competitors. If you want to be viewed as DIFFERENT in your customer’s eyes, YOU CAN’T DO THE SAME THINGS YOUR COMPETITORS DO. If you do, you’ll look just like them…NO DIFFERENTIATION.
You will look like a COMMODITY to them, and they will lump you with all your competitors. In as short as a few days, weeks, or months, THEY WILL NEVER REMEMBER WHAT YOU GOT THEM (unless it is super expensive and exotic).
I’m pretty sure this isn’t what you want, and I’m also pretty sure you intend to be MEMORABLE in their eyes, so they think positively about you in the New Year. And I’m also pretty sure you want to look DIFFERENT than all your competitors, so you STAND OUT from others.
You want them to REMEMBER YOU and know how much you appreciate them because of the gift you gave them…that’s the goal.
If you do what everyone else does, THEY WON’T REMEMBER YOU! This is why I want you to stop sending out Holiday or Christmas gifts… they won’t be memorable, and you won’t be remembered.
Oh, and about those Christmas cards. How many hundreds of cards (personal and professional) do your customers get during the holiday season? What makes you think they will remember yours? That will not happen…unless there is a $1000 gift card enclosed, which probably isn’t going to happen either. Since cards are rarely memorable, stop sending them out.
THERE IS A BETTER WAY TO BE REMEMBERED BY YOUR CUSTOMERS...
Let me share a new way of thinking that will demonstrate that you are different from all your competitors. One that will make you MEMORABLE throughout the year, not just during December.
Think beyond Christmas…the busiest time of the year. What happens after Christmas and New Year’s Day? Not much. Everyone is recovering from the holidays and slowly getting back into the swing of things as they kick off the New Year. Things are quiet in January as everyone is getting ready to execute their new plans. I can’t think of a better time to stand up and get noticed…when things are calm, and no one is clamoring for their attention. NOW IS THE TIME TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS!
NO ONE IS DOING SOMETHING SPECIAL FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS IN JANUARY…NO ONE!
This is the perfect time to show your customers how much you appreciate them. It will be MEMORABLE because no one else is doing this in January. It will be unique because you can put your gift around a THEME for a particular day of the month. For example, there is a themed day every day in January. You can check it out by visiting THE SPRUCE and checking out Days to Celebrate in January. Here’s a picture of the calendar they post on their page…
Pick a day and build something fun around it. You can be incredibly creative and WOW your customers. This is an excellent time for marketing to step up and put their creative juices to work. I would pick January 18th, National Gourmet Coffee Day, if it were me. I love coffee, and I bet that many of your customers like it (or tea). What a great time to put together something special and exotic centered around coffee to thank them for making 2022 a great year! For example…
But most importantly, you are doing something DIFFERENT and MEMORABLE. You will definitely STAND OUT in the eyes of your customers. You no longer follow your competitors who inundated them with gifts and cards during their busy time of the year. And you are doing something that shows them how much they really mean to you…when NO ONE ELSE IS DOING THIS. This is the mindset businesses have when they go BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™.
And one final thing to keep in mind. When you break this mold of being like everyone else at Christmas, you have now set a NEW STANDARD by which all competitors will be measured. Even if your competitors try to copy what you created, they will be viewed as a “ME-TOO” and not original like your business. You will OWN THE SPOT OF CREATIVITY in the eyes of your customers.
Still think they want Christmas cards and gifts?
If you do, I can’t help you with that…join the pack. If you don’t, get ready for an exciting year ahead and one your customers talk about all year long. You will get a taste of what it’s like when your business decides to do everything differently and go BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™.
What To Do Next...
Stop your plans to do anything for Christmas with your customers. Get your leadership team and marketing together and GET CREATIVE. Use the calendar I shared with you, or find another one you like better. Brainstorm and facilitate a meeting to brainstorm fun and unique ways to honor and recognize your customers and clients. If you need some input, shoot me an email, or let’s grab a coffee, and I can help you brainstorm. JUST DO SOMETHING.
If you want to learn more about HOW you can go BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™, I have a ton of resources on my website (WOM10.com), you can read my latest book, and you can read my blog posts. These will give you an excellent foundation to start building a CUSTOMER OBSESSED CULTURE that will elevate and DIFFERENTIATE your business from your competitors…guaranteed!
If this is what you want for your business, you can get it! You start by creating this culture and incorporating the CORNERSTONES to go BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™. Solid knowledge of what it takes to GO BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™ is a great place to begin your journey.
As usual, if you have any questions or need assistance along the way, feel free to shoot me an email or give me a call, and I’ll be happy to answer your questions or give you some guidance…complimentary, of course. I want you to create massive LOYALTY and ADVOCACY in your own business and become the envy of your competitors…helping you GO BEYOND DIFFERENTIATION™.
