Imagine you sold a course that was worth $2500 to a client.
Imagine you also sent a bar of chocolate, just as a thank you.
Six years later, what does the client remember?
Yes, you have the right answer: they remember the chocolate! Incredible as it may sound, the expense of the course is long forgotten, but the memory of the chocolate—a single bar of chocolate—lingers on. And you know what's even more incredible? Most of us don't send the chocolate!
So why is the chocolate so very important?
It's important because it was a “little thing”. In comparison to the product or service itself, it's pretty tiny, but it still takes up an inordinate space in the mind of the client. And at Psychotactics, we've been sending out chocolate for many years and for different reasons. And at times, for no reason at all. Like in May 2015, when we sent out 197 chocolates for clients who opted in–yes, for the chocolate!
But shipping chocolates can be expensive
A quick trip to the post-office may get your eyebrows raised, especially if you ship chocolates internationally. However, you also have other options. When I was a cartoonist (these are in the days before I got into marketing), I'd send a monthly calendar to my clients. Sure it's easier to send a yearly calendar, but month after month they got that tiny “little thing”.
And it was something to look forward to, and a lot more economical than sending huge slabs of chocolate. We also send out postcards to clients. Simple, yet elegant postcards that clients find it hard to throw away.
But why is all of this chocolate, calendars and postcards so important?
You've heard the saying, “It's the thought that counts”. Well, that's exactly the point. In today's world, when clients order something, they get that something and nothing else. When you send a little extra, and preferably something that's not related to the product or service, you're bringing a sense of wonderment that's hard to beat.
It's important to be personalised, however…
There are services online that will send out cards, chocolates and all sorts of goodies. If you can personalise the message, it's sensible to use these services, but it's smarter to send out small goodies from your own office or home.
For instance, we live in New Zealand. When we send out a chunky slab of chocolate, you know it's going to be a Whittaker's chocolate. If we send a postcard it's going to have a New Zealand stamp on the envelope. These are tiny elements, but they bring a ton of personality to the gift.
Your clients may be local, but you still want to create a bit of personality
Something that's sold in a tiny boutique store right next to your home will be far more thoughtful than something that's available in a mall. Your own handwriting on a postcard, beats any printing service, no matter how amazing the service. Even your handwriting on the envelope makes a huge difference to the recipient, so yes, do try writing.
In the world of marketing you're told how to write sales letters, how to write great headlines, etc.
And while all of those skills count, we know for a fact that what really counts is the connection. “Little things” can make a bigger and longer-lasting impression on the client. So much so that when they're faced with trying to remember which product or service they bought from you, their memories often fail.
All they can remember is the chocolate!
Send chocolate!
This was gorgeous advice, thank you so much!!! 🙂
You’re welcome.
I read this just as I was biting into a chocolate (Whittakers of course!) that arrived with some craft glue I bought online this week. An excellent idea – I hope it spreads far and wide, and then I never have to buy chocolate again!
Do you live in New Zealand? I didn’t know Whittaker’s was sold elsewhere.
Yes, I’m in Auckland and it was from a business in Nelson. Maybe they’re following your blog too!
Sean, this is a gorgeous idea, thank you. I’ll keep it in mind. Cheers from Oz, across the ocean.
It’s a simple idea. And it works.
Great article and a very nice idea as well.
I hope I get a chocolate for this 😉
Heh heh.
Sean,
I send out adorable pink headphones to all my clients. Since we meet remotely to learn about technology and having headphones makes for much clearer calls it is both pratical and unexpected. I do the card, envelope by hand.
And my monthly clients get a little package of tea so they can “have a cuppa” while we have our lessons online.
You are so right about the unexpected- I still remember a postcard I got from MailChimp support after my call. Talk about surprised! I wasn’t even a paying client.
I recently printed a whole bunch of postcards with cartoons on them. And clients have been delighted to receive them.
You’re doing a great job: tea, headphones, card—and handwritten envelope. Your clients must be delighted with you.
How funny, I was just discussing the idea of a chocolate giveaway for our UK personalised gift company with my wife last night and then I found this article by complete chance today!!
I don’t suppose you have any figures or data to support the success of any chocolate giveaway? In the example you give it is a bit of a “no-brainer”, but I have very low margins, which makes the decision less clear cut for me….
Cheers,
Rich.
Rich: No, we don’t have any hard figures or data to support the success of the chocolate giveaway. And that’s because the main goal is NOT to have data. The moment you get into the data, the giveaway becomes a sort of tool to get “results” that equate to money.
The goal has never been to achieve those kind of measured results.
When we sent out the 197 chocolates, each mailing + chocolate was over $25. As you can tell, that’s a ton of money (it’s close to $5000). Now, I’m not suggesting you do the same, but I’d still say that a small bit goes a long way.
But to answer your question, no, there’s no measurement, just goodwill. To have a client is a privilege, and so we send them a gift when we can. Not always, but often enough.
If you don’t want to do the chocolate bit, try a really nice postcard. That works well too!
Hi Sean,
This was such a charming article–and an excellent idea for business owners. The little personal touches are what people remember long after money has exchanged hands. In this digital age receiving physical mail, especially if it’s an unexpected gift, is an easy, thoughtful way to show your clients how much you care.
I do this as often as possible with my clients; it’s embedded in my branding. This past year I sent them pop-up Christmas cards. Almost everyone told me they liked the cards so much that they kept them as permanent souvenirs, instead of throwing them away after the holiday season.
Thank you for your article!
Taheerah
That’s great to hear, Taheerah. And it’s so cool to see how many people haven’t forgotten the important things in life.
That’s awesome. Thinking back to the brands, companies, and people that I remember, it IS the little things that stand out. Of course, if I had a horrible experience, a “little thing” like a chocolate would be like rubbing salt into the wound…but all other things equal, good service + chocolate WINS 🙂
Yes, but as a company you should know if the client is displeased, long before you send out the chocolate.
You know Sean, I still remember that chocolate bar you sent me 8 years ago. It was very good by the way. However, it almost cost me a divorce once my wife and I started to fight over it…LOL!
My point being, it worked, I have spent a bunch of money over the years with you, and that little chocolate bar created a sense you cared.
I have read this article many times before, however, today I am bringing it forward to my team to see how we can improve our customer touch.
Thank you, Sean, you and your wife are awesome!