In the hustle and bustle of running a business, it is easy to forget the simple things.  Then, when you stop and think about things, it is often those simple little things that are the most important to your business.

Telling your customers “Thank You!” tops the list.

You can, and should, thank them for their business when you send out invoices or give them receipts.  “Thank You!” should be automatic … and sincere.

Where you can stand out as a business, though, is by finding non-traditional special ways to say “Thank  You!” to your customers.  Give them a turkey at Thanksgiving or cater in a meal for their employees at this time of year.  Have pizza delivered when you know their team is working late or busting it to complete a project for you.  Gift them with a bottle or case of wine or their favorite alcoholic beverage, provided it’s appropriate.

If you think this is extravagant and something unnecessary or too expensive, take a minute to think that thought through a bit more thoroughly.  What would it cost you to replace those customers if you lost them?  Could you recover if they all went away?

Find a way to cover the expense of saying “Thank  You!” to the life blood of  your business.

Obviously, there are different ways and budgets to account for expressing gratitude to your customers.  Most appreciate a simple “Thank You!” when they pay their bill, but the more you say it – sincerely – the more likely they are to remain loyal to your company and your brand.  There is a nightmare scenario where your business is seen to be ungrateful for the work you get from clients.  Negative word of mouth can spread far more quickly than positive word of mouth.

Another tip:  Your method of saying “Thank You!” should reflect your brand … tastefully.

We once recommended to a specialty chair and barstool retailer that they find doll house chairs that they could put their logo on.  They wanted something they could leave with prospective business clients that the prospects would remember them for, so they found wooden doll chairs that could be branded and left as business card holders.  It was cute, appropriate, and reinforced the brand when they were used to say “Thank You!” to customers who bought their furniture.

Since it’s Thanksgiving 2013, we’d like to thank our clients for their business.  We appreciate the opportunity to work with each of you, and hope you find our counsel to be of value in growing your business.

To those who have yet to become clients, enjoy this Thanksgiving holiday and express your thanks to those who matter to you and your business!