Belongingby Bob Shaff I September 8, 2014
Remember when you were pledged by the sorority you wanted to join? Remember when the most popular girls in school asked you to join their group? Remember when your spouse asked you to marry him?
There is hardly a human need stronger than the need to belong. We were created this way. Every one of us came out of a womb screaming for warmth, companionship, and someone else’s heartbeat. We were rudely ripped out of that idyllic existence and thrust into a cold, impersonal, lonely world. (No wonder babies cry.) And the rest of our lives are spent trying to find that intimacy again. Everyone knows this feeling because everyone has had the same experience once – being so close that our mother’s heartbeat was a constant presence – and everyone knows that reuniting with others is somehow a part of our common purpose in life. No man is an island.
The application…..???
Your customers want to belong…..they seek relationships that are valuable.
See if there aren’t ways to convey a sense of BELONGING to your customers.
You might consider hosting a “thank you” celebration for your best customers. You might send your best customers a small gift, out of the blue, to show your
appreciation for their business.
How about starting a customer newsletter, or sending them a gift subscription totheir favorite magazine, or you might offer your customers a bonus for their loyalty….or maybe better yet…..
Just pick up the phone and give one of your customers a call…..thank them for their business, and tell them you appreciate them.
By doing any of these things, you create a bond of belonging with your customers. When your customers feel that they “belong”, they do more business with you, and they tell all their friends how great it is to be one of your customers.