Just like a friendship, maintaining a relationship with your customers requires thoughtful ways to keep in touch.

Returning customers are known to spend more than first-time customers and are crucial to a business’s growth. Here are some easy and effective ways to maintain a relationship with your customers that you can implement today:

Say thank you
Customers like to feel appreciated especially if they just spent money with you. There’s a variety of ways to say thank you. It’s easy if it’s in person at your location, sending them a personal thank you note, and if you can, include a coupon towards their next purchase.

Ask them for their feedback
Asking for feedback about a customer’s experience with you shows that you’re engaged in your business and valuing them to help you improve. Consider sending a satisfaction survey directly to your customer within a few days of completing your service. You will receive valuable feedback and will keep your business at the top of customers’ minds.

Send them a birthday card / greeting
This is as simple as brushing your teeth in the morning. Something so little can cause great long-term affects. Be sure to send a birthday card or email to your customers. And if you have the capacity, include an offer for them to redeem as a birthday “gift.”

In the email, always have the word “birthday” in the subject line. It’s an immediate attention grabber, and it makes the recipient feel special and want to open.

Share a quarterly email / newsletter
Reach out on a regular basis through a newsletter, coupon or an event invitation. It is easy to re-engage customers when you have information on new products, services, discounts or events.

BONUS: Include a customer quote from recent positive feedback. Highlighting a positive customer experience can evoke great engagement.