Client appreciation events are a great way to show clients how much you appreciate their business and allow you and your staff to form a deeper relationship with them. This can lead to increased customer loyalty, higher lifetime revenue per customer, and a higher likelihood of word-of-mouth and user-generated content marketing. Here’s what to consider before planning a client appreciation event.
Who is your audience?
The beauty of client appreciation events is that you can make them as big or as small as you’d like. You can invite all past and current clients or just a select few. Small client appreciation events are great because you can tailor them to fit any budget and they can give a VIP feel, whereas large-scale events can be very cost-effective and require less of an ongoing time commitment.
What does your audience want?
A client appreciation event is only effective if you pick the right event for your particular audience. Generic client appreciation events like picnics, sporting events, or document shredding events are great if you have a really large and diverse audience, but they can also feel less personal. If you’ve got a smaller or more niche customer base, then it’s time to get creative. Having client appreciation events that are specifically tailored to your clients, not just your industry, can be the perfect way to create strong, lasting professional bonds.
What are you hoping to get out of the event?
It can be hard to put a number on the value of client appreciation events, but managers and business owners who are looking for a return on their investment can look for other ways to measure success. One of the biggest advantages of smaller, more intimate client appreciation events is the ability to network and learn more about your clients. This can not only help with short-term sales opportunities but can also help business and organizational leaders to better understand the client needs that are not currently being met. This type of deeper familiarity can also help to pave the way for future introductions and partnerships.
Planning a client appreciation event has many benefits, but you don’t have to go it alone. Tolbert Marketing and Events has the experience you need to plan and execute a client appreciation event on any scale. Contact us to make your next event a stress-free success.
