My dry cleaner hasn’t forgotten that. When I brought in my shirts and pants today, the owner handed me a lint remover and thanked me for being a customer this year.

Every business should do something like this, because:

• It recognizes the relationship between the business and its clients, cementing that relationship with a gift
• It illustrates gratitude on the part of the business – clients like to feel that the business appreciates them spending money there
• It gives the business owner the opportunity to personally think the customer for their business

The gift is not an expensive one (that doesn’t matter). I bet it pays for itself multiple times over the next year in increased customer loyalty.

If you have a newsletter, as you reminding your clients that you have a gift waiting for them?

(I was also given a second gift – a clinical strength deodorant. Maybe that one wasn’t such a great idea.)