Marketing Commentary from interlinkONE
Marketing. Web-to-Print. Warehouse Management.
How To Say Thank You To Your Customers All Year Long
Posted by 
on Friday, December 16, 2011 
at 7:19 AM 
in 
Yes, it’s certainly the gift-giving season.
Companies across the world are putting forth the effort to send cards, cookie & candy baskets, flowers, and other items to express thanks and appreciation to their customers.
But to truly develop deeper relationships with people that we do business with, we must look beyond just special seasons to express our gratitude.
A loyal customer base is the lifeline of any company. If you want to show your appreciation for your customers all year round, think about implementing one or all of the following three ideas:
- Saying thank you to your customers throughout the year. And when you do, consider dropping a hand-written note into the mail. Nothing says “We value your business” more than a heartfelt sentiment.
- Gifts are a great way to communicate your thanks, especially to your most loyal customers. Candies, company-branded tokens, and gift cards are excellent gift choices. But to truly make an impact, send gifts when people aren’t expecting them!
- Yes, we are saying “Thank you” because we mean it. But at the same time, we are also hoping that it helps to keep our company in front of the customer’s mind. Coupons and incentives can keep loyal customers coming back while showing them you value their business.
These are just a few ideas to say Thank You throughout the year. If you have other ideas, I’d love to hear about them in the Comments section.
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Tags cards, coupons, customers, discounts, gifts, ideas, Incentive, inspiration, relationships, Sales, Thank you White Paper: Tips on Mobile Marketing
I’m happy to announce the release of our latest White Paper, “Mobile Marketing: Grabbing Consumers on the Go!”
If you are looking for ways to incorporate mobile into your marketing efforts, please download your free copy today.
How It Helps
We live in a mobile culture. Whether your customers are businesses or consumers, devices such as smartphones and tablets are changing when, why, and how they are searching, finding, and consuming information.
In this White Paper, we provide an overview of technologies that you can use to market effectively to the ever-growing mobile audience. The White Paper covers items such as:
- QR Codes
- Mobile Websites
- SMS/Text-Messaging
- Mobile Social Media
- Mobile SEO
- And more…
How Can You Get It? And How Much Does it Cost?
Those questions are easy to answer.
First of all, it’s free! Simply head over to our registration page to receive your copy.
Incorporating QR Codes into Packaging
I wanted to share a recent example of how HP used QR Codes to make packaging interactive.
HP hosted a Lunch & Learn event on a golf course in Washington (Our CEO John Foley, Jr. was one of the speakers that day). To help provide a memorable takeaway to attendees that also fit the show’s theme, HP produced and gave away a box of golf balls.
On the outside of the package, they also included a QR Code.
The QR Code directed the attendees, which were primarily print service providers, to a mobile website where they could answer a survey regarding Digital Press equipment. HP sales reps were notified via email whenever someone completed the survey and requested additional information.
If you would like to see more, we recorded a brief video that demonstrates how people were able to interact with this box. Enjoy!
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Tags example, golf, HP, inspiration, interactive, labels, Packaging, print, QR Codes, Video The Magic Solution to Marketing Success
DMNews recently published a quote from Michael Eisner that should help widen the horizons of marketers everywhere. Here is the quote:
“The greatest success, as always, will be achieved by those who can connect with consumers across multiple platforms.”
In his presentation, Mr. Eisner was speaking about the rise of digital marketing. But he clearly made his point here that businesses must still include more traditional channels to truly deliver effective marketing efforts.
I think that quote was a reminder that could benefit businesses of all sizes and types. The next time that you sit down to plan your next marketing effort, perhaps this quote from the former Disney legend might help you pick the right mix of channels.
The Right Message at the Right Time
I promise, I will not use this post to remind you of how much snow we received in Wilmington, Massachusetts yesterday (okay, 24 inches!). I will not talk about how sore I am from shoveling, or how long the line was at the gas station today of people buying windshield washer fluid.
But rather, this post is all about delivering the right message at the right time.
In the middle of the snowstorm yesterday, I received the following email from Barnes & Noble:
It absolutely captured my attention. While I did not buy a book yesterday, the email did compel me to click the link and browse for items to purchases in the near future.
If you are looking for ways to create buzz for your company, or to drive more leads to your sales team, this Barnes & Noble email may provide inspiration in three areas:
- Data Segmentation: They certainly did not deliver this message to everyone in their database. I’m taking a guess that they only sent it to customers that reside in the Northeastern part of the U.S.
- Timing: I did not receive this email early in the morning before the snow really started. I did not receive it at night (which by that point, I absolutely hated snow simply due to all of the shoveling involved). I received it mid-afternoon, which for me was the perfect time to notice and take action on their offer.
- Preparation: Perhaps there’s a chance that one of the marketers at Barnes & Noble woke up yesterday morning and said, “let’s send an email related to the snowstorm!” But I’m willing to bet that they thought of this idea in advance.
Devising the proper marketing strategy for our business, and then executing and measuring it absolutely takes time and effort. We may need to research new trends, analyze & segment our data, and work long hours.
But in the end, those are the things that may lead to successful marketing efforts.
