Everyone has heard of the 80-20 rule. This common adage maintains that 80 percent of a company’s business comes from 20 percent of its customers. Whether or not this is precisely accurate can be debated, but it is fair to say that some consumers contribute a great deal more money than others. With that in mind, it is clear that regular customers and frequent visitors ought to be kept in the good graces of a business as much as possible.
One way to accomplish this is to offer free gifts. When a small business is able to identify its loyal customer base, it should respond accordingly. Surprising these customers with a valuable gift will not only catch them off guard and instantly gain their approval – it will also demonstrate to other consumers that there is value in bringing repeat business to an establishment.
Promotional products adds an even deeper layer of benefit to this strategy. A branded promotional item can pull double duty as a useful and meaningful customer gift and a marketing tool. Customers will proudly show off their reward for regular business and in doing so promote the name of the company with anyone they come into contact with. Such giveaways should be one of the first tactics that a small business uses when beginning a marketing or branding effort.