Shakespeare is famously quoted as saying “I can no other answer make, but, thanks, and ever thanks.”  Sebastian in Twelfth Night was certainly not speaking as a retailer showing appreciation to Antonio as his customer, of course. But we can take inspiration from The Bard in trying to  come up with ways to thank our customers and make them realize how important it is that they shop in our store.

Why? Because happy customers become return customers, and it costs considerably less to get a current customer to come back than to advertise for a new one. And yet stores are sometimes pay little attention to how shoppers feel by the time they leave the store.  As author Tara Taylor Quinn wrote in a blog posting, “So often these days, as a customer, I am made to feel as though I’m asking for a favor when I solicit help, rather than feeling like I’m an honored guest. When I’m spending my money, most particularly if I have several choices about where to spend it, I want to feel as though I’m an honored guest.”

An honored guest is of course greeted warmly upon arrival, and treated with respect while in the store. But you should also think about the last impression that customers when they leave.  Do you thank them coming in, even if they haven’t made a purchase?  Do you send them off feeling appreciated, and looking forward to their next visit?

Here are a few tips for ways to thank customers for coming into your store:

•A unexpected gift in their bag or package.  E-bay and Etsy vendors often do this with online purchases, adding a little item in their packages along with a thank you note.

•A followup card sent to their home address, thanking them for a major purchase and asking if it is working well.

•A coupon for a cup of coffee at a local bakery, or other special treat that you offer cooperatively with neighboring businesses.

•Points towards future purchases using your frequent shopping program.

•A cup of tea or a hand massage — both of which I experienced on a recent trip to an Aveda store, even though I didn’t buy anything.

•A note in their bag or box thanking them for supporting locally-owned businesses.  This becomes a real plus if the item is a gift, because it shows the recipient that the donor made a conscientious shopping decision.

•An unexpected thank you message. The picture with today’s posting was taken in the restroom at The Burlap Horse, Melissa Haberstroh’s award-wining shop in Boerne, Texas — a store that really knows how to make customers feel special.

•A special event or gift exclusively for your store’s top customers. A nearby grocery store once sent a surprise floral arrangement to its biggest spenders, and one of them said to me “Why would I ever shop anywhere else?”

If you have some creative ways to show your gratitude to your customers, I hope you’ll share it in the comments below.  And let me take this opportunity to let you know how much I appreciate your positive feedback to my blog each week — thank you!

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder