I hate to admit this, but I’m not a huge candy fan. I have my favorites like Cadbury Mini-Eggs and Twizzlers, but for the most part I’d take a slice of day-old, cold Dominos Pizza over a Hershey bar any day.
So while going through the afternoon mail, I opened a box of product samples that were sent to me. Along with the sales sheets telling me about the riches I will achieve if I carry these new things, a bag of Skittles lay in the bottom of the box.
Instead of evaluating the merchandise, I ripped open the bag of the sugary, rainbow colored, calorie packed delights and chewed away. It was the perfect afternoon fix on a day I was wishing was Friday.
When the Skittles ran dry, I looked at the goods and placed an order.
When I was running our warehouse that fulfilled product for our 39 eCommerce stores, something always went into the customer’s order in addition to what was on the packing slip. We always had some sort of “thank you” for ordering from us. Whether it was a keychain, magnet, sticker, calendar, or some 39-cent trinket with our logo on it, the customer always got a little gift.
Customers appreciate and are often surprised to find something extra in their order and often remember that when it comes time to order again. Plus these little gifts give you the opportunity to showcase your brand on something they’re going to keep on their desk, their fridge, next to their computer and on their desk.
I do recall one promo item I did that went awry. I ordered a couple thousand plastic 12” rulers that we were tossing in with orders. After the first week, the calls and emails started coming in that these rulers were shifting during transit and were puncturing bags of pet food. Not a smart choice on my part, so learn from my mistake and choose your items wisely.
Loyal customers are something every business wants and needs in order to be successful. Take care of your customers, show them you appreciate their business and they’ll be a customer for life.
It doesn’t take much, sometimes all you need is a bag of Skittles.