5 Things to Give Customers for Free

[TheHogRing]

You didn't open an auto trim shop to give your services away for free. But there are five things that you can offer your customers - free of charge - that would improve your customer service and encourage them to keep coming back. Best of all, it'll cost you next to nothing.

Check out the list: http://tinyurl.com/3uz8clf

And feel free to add your additions!

[Mike8560]

F someone comes to me with a smal simple restitch like a straight shot fee feet I'll sew it and hand it to them.  No charge. There thankful some forslce a tip somtimes but most all co
e back later with a real job. 
I used to xo alot of enclosures and I vice theem a free first bottle can of cleaner. And they would return to buy more

[fragged8]

I used to give mugs away like the one Mike got but now
give pens with a light in one end, only because they are
far cheaper.

Usually if i write the canopy measurements etc up with the nice snuggtopz pen
and then hand it to them,  they love the pen so much they give me the job
without too much work on my part. :-)

rich

[Mojo]

This year I am going to start sending out Christmas cards thanking them for their business and simply wishing them a great holiday season.

This is something I used to do when I was still working in marketing. Sometimes for real good clients I would also include a nice gift delivered to their office. Tickets to an event or whatever. Obviously I cannot do that with this business because of the costs but I do want to recognize them.

I have two customers who have given me tons of referrals and subsequent business. I will probably give them a gift subscription to an RV magazine. They are very important customers and I sure do not mind spending the $ 20 a piece for them. They have sent me thousands of dollars in referrals not to mention their own work and are heavy hitters in the RV business.

I have read studies which said personal communication is far more effective then handing out pens and such. A personalized thank you card one month after the sale or a Christmas card during the holidays is an effective personal touch. I have a huge coffee mug filled with pens that were gifts and for the life of me I cannot tell you the name of any company on them.  In regards to Christmas cards, I do suggest you do not mention anything about future work or anything else that has to do with your business. Just make it a personalized note or card wishing them happiness throughout the holidays. The thank you cards you can simply mention " thank you for your trust and allowing me to serve you. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have ".

These are just my suggestions. The pens and such are fine but I like to take it to a personal level myself.

One other thing I do that I should mention. I call my customers who placed big orders with me 30 days after they get their awnings or solar screens and check to see how their install went. I have never had a complaint but they have really appreciated that extra personal touch. It also gives me an idea as to the work dealerships are doing in the event I need to make a referral to one of my customers for installs.
My goal is to make my customer know that I am always there for them and am concerned with their happiness of their product. I also want them to refer more customers to me and by giving that extra personal touch I think it helps.

Speaking of dealers I will be making my rounds this Christmas to the dealers who have supported me. I will be taking some homemade Christmas cookies with me and a card to their entire staff for their card wall that many have. I have on dealer / manager who I will be giving a gift certificate to Ruby Tuesdays because he has sent me a ton of referrals. :)

Chris

[Peppy]

Like Mike, give a little stitching or a snap or two. Give the guy with the new Convertible top a bottle of 303 for his old travel cover. Replace his little swim ladder strap do-ies. Vinyl cleaner.

[Mike8560]

N the past I've had pens , ball caps with mt logo always good to have extra on a bost , and thoose footing key holders.  With logo.  Last tear I gave my favorite. Dealer   A gift  bottle set  booze   
Ice thought about sending cards to past customers just never had time to sit down and make them all out. 

[TheHogRing]

Wow, the feedback here is great! All your years of experience shows!

I have to say, I totally agree with Mike and Peppy's approach of doing simple 2-minute jobs for free to bring in larger, more valuable, jobs in the future. That's forward thinking!

Mojo - you're a case study in great customer service. All that personal contact - cards, follow up calls, holiday visits, gifts as investments - that's the type of attitude and approach every small business owner should have. I applaud your hustle!

These comments were so good, I summarized them (and attributed to them to you all) in the comments section of the blog post. I hope you all don't mind.

It's an honor to be exchanging ideas with an en experienced group of pros like yourselves!

[Mojo]

Thanks for the kind words. I credit my hustle and customer awareness to the people I mentored under back in my early days of my marketing career. They beat it into my head for years that nothing hits the note like personal customer service does.

Chris

[kodydog]

You could nickle and dime a customer to death if you charged for all the little extra things you do while reupholstering their piece of furniture. If its something major, then yes, you do have to call them and explain whats going on. But for something small like gluing a loose joint or adding a little extra webbing to the back I usually don't add on to the bill. The problem is repairs like this won't be noticed by the costumer so on delivery I point out all the extra things I did. And they honestly appreciate it.

Touching-up and cleaning finished wood is preformed at the end of each job and adds a nice touch to a job well done.

[needles eye]

Hi, being from the link in your first post above -  

"Mike8560 - If someone comes to me with a smal simple restitch...I'll sew it and hand it to them. ...Most all comee back later with a real job."

omnia mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis, "all things change, and we change with them
;D

errata
perhaps you might adjust the spelling ta
mike uses small iphone keypad with large upholster's hands
i sometimes use a crossword dictionary

[TheHogRing]

perhaps you might adjust the spelling ta
mike uses small iphone keypad with large upholster's hands
i sometimes use a crossword dictionary

Just did. Thanks for looking out!

[jojo]

mike uses small iphone keypad with large upholster's hands

is that what's going on? I always thought he was drunk. :P

[needles eye]

Cheers,

&

well it's been perceived that he's not averse to the odd Corona..

bottoms up.

[Darren Henry]

A cheaper alternative is pens, magnets or key chains. In fact, if you buy them in bulk, they only cost pennies on the dollar.

My father was an electrician and did the whole promo thing like that. The most coveted "freebie" he ever invested in was a screwdriver. It was a flat tipped little screw driver about 5" overall with a handle the diameter of a pen and a pocket clip.Gerald Henry electric , ph. 105 was emblazoned into the handle and for years after dad  ran out of them people were phoning to see if they could just get another screwdriver LOL.

[byhammerandhand]

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghi t pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!