Fun, Easy Ways to Delight Your Customers

Oh, how I hate when my snark comes back to bite me — but here we are.

Remember the Peloton television ads that ran last year? The ads would show a beautiful person in an amazing condo with their incredible $2,500+ exercise equipment…

…while a voice over would define what a “Peloton person” did every day, for instance, enjoy a “hard 20 after a hard day.” 

(Here’s my snarky blog post if you want to read more.)

I may have mocked their commercials, but I had to commend their marketing savvy. Despite their gag-me-with-a-spoon ads, Peloton is laser-focused on their target audience.

They know exactly what buttons to push. They know what will make their customer get off the couch and buy an expensive treadmill. It’s brilliant.

At the same time, it’s not just about making the sale. Delighting your existing customers can turn them into evangelists for your brand — plus, increase the lifetime value of the people who buy from you.

And yet again, Peloton does this right.

How do I know?

Here’s where the confession comes in: I’ve been a paid subscriber to their streaming service for over three months. (I know, I know.) They were a great alternative while my gym was shut down, and I like having an instructor tell me what to do. 

Granted, I am in their “cheap” customer tier. I only spend $12.95 a month for streaming. Under the circumstances, I don’t expect much in terms of customer service.

But…

Last week, I received an email that surprised me. It congratulated me on my 200th workout, and offered me a free (Peloton-branded) t-shirt as a reward. No shipping charges. No hidden anything.

Just a free t-shirt in exchange for a lot of sweat.

Mind you, I have 1,000 other t-shirts. I don’t need a new one. But you can bet I filled out the form for my freebie.

The offer made my day. I was…delighted.

But more importantly for Peloton, it made me more loyal to their brand. I felt like I was part of their tribe (I know that sounds sad — but I work out at home by myself.) I told multiple friends that I was excited about my free t-shirt. 

Heck, I’m even writing about their strategy!

Considering the shirt + shipping probably costs them all of $3, that’s a pretty darn good word-of-mouth ROI.

I bring this up because I’m recommending “delight your customers after the sale” to ALL my clients. It’s amazing how a little recognition can go a long way — especially now. 

We all need a little recognition.

So, how can you delight your customers after the sale?

Easy!

Think about what you can offer your existing customers that’s high-value to them — and easy (and low-cost) for you.

For instance:

• An exclusive, customer-only webinar where you share your projections for the coming quarter.
• A customer-only Facebook group where people receive early notifications on new products or services.
• A special guide or e-book.
• A special mention on your site for reaching certain milestones.
• A special “just because” card that you mail and send. I once received a Postable thank you note and was thrilled. 

Another reason I love this idea is because it drives me nuts how companies will discount their products or service to get business in the door…

…but existing customers are never afforded the same benefits. Have you ever called your cable company and been told that only “new subscribers” can get a special rate? (I’m looking at you, Comcast.)

This makes zero sense to me. Especially when the odds of selling to a new customer are only 5-20%.

The odds of converting an existing customer? 60-70%.

In fact, according to Khalid Saleh from Invesp, “Existing customers are 50% more likely to try new products and spend 31% more, when compared to new customers.”

Wow. That’s pretty telling.

During a time when new customers may be afraid to commit, why not see how you can re-connect with your current customers?

After all, the grass is not always greener on the other side of the customer conversion fence. Taking care of and delighting your current customers may net you greater financial rewards — and even more evangelists for your brand. 

And if nothing else, a little unexpected delight will probably brighten someone’s day. Especially now.

What do you think?

What’s your favorite “just because” company gift? Leave a reply in the comments and let me know!