Looks like this is the week of talking about client referrals and rewards. I had come up with my blog idea over the holidays and then was so surprised to see that our good friend Henry Clifford had a very similar idea last Thursday! The great news is that I think our pieces go hand in hand.
Over the holidays I was thinking about how to reward our best clients. Then I got to thinking about what “best clients” means. Are they the ones with the largest projects? The easiest to work with? The most understanding when things occasionally go sideways? I concluded that the best clients are those that help us grow our business. They are so happy with our work, our interactions, and the finished product that they rave to the friends and colleagues and generate referrals and additional work. I also wanted to have something to give to clients who allow us to come back with a professional photographer after all of the interior design is complete. Just like we do with the architects and designers we work closely with, we want show our appreciation, particularly around the holidays. So the big question then became, “How do we reward those clients?”
Like Henry, I wanted something tangible that the clients would appreciate. I also realize that a token of our appreciation is not what is going to keep the referrals flowing, but is instead just that – a token of our appreciation. As such, I have tried to make the gift/reward more personalized and relevant to their home.
I like to provide them something that adds value to them, and often I am able to provide something that adds value to us, too. For legacy clients who may not have the hardware to allow remote support, I will often come for an annual sit visit and bring an OvrC hub or Wattbox. While the client doesn’t necessarily know what these are, when I explain that we can now often reboot and fix issues remotely, they are thrilled. For other clients, I will add in a lamp dimmer, particularly if they do not already have smart lighting, giving them a taste of home automation. Still others I help expand their whole home audio with a Sonos sub for a secondary TV or a Sonos One for the bathroom.
Not only are the clients happy and we’ve added great value, but it also gets us back in the home and — more than once — it has led to additional work.
