How Old-Fashioned Generosity Helps Win You Brand Clients

It might be true that clients simply want as much as they can get, for as cheaply as they can get it. Yet, underneath it all, they want to be valued as well, as evidenced by their love of anything personalized, custom or tailor-made to their preferences. Thus, while you might be spending thousands of dollars trying to whittle away at your price point or expand your digital marketing reach, those aims could be for naught if you’re neglecting one of the paramount tenants of brand leadership: good, old-fashioned generosity.

The kicker? This generosity isn’t always the monetary type. Sometimes, it comes in the form of promotions or giveaways. Or, it could mean giving freely of your time and resources to help a peer partner out. Regardless, when we shift our perspective away from our internal operations and onto what our client base needs and wants, we’re in a better position to reap the reward of their long-term brand loyalty. Here are a few ways it pays off in the end.

1. You attract, rather than convince, clients to come to you.

For a long-term customer to establish trust with your brand, you can’t rely on marketing gimmicks alone. Those flash-in-the-pan tactics might get them in the door, but if you want to keep them there, you’ve got to establish a company spirit of generosity that encourages them to stick around.

With advertising and traditional marketing, the aim is to track down your target audience and beg them, more or less, to give your company a chance. From flyers stuck under windshield wipers to social media outreach campaigns or even client thank you gifts (see more here on ideas for this category), the specific avenue might be different, but the end goal is the same. On the other hand, a campaign centered on generosity, such as offering a giveaway, promotion or coupon code, is more intentional. You’re not sending out a blanket, generic marketing message in hopes that someone, anyone will check it out. Rather, you’re attracting the audiences who are most interested in your message and most likely to respond to it.

2. It establishes thought leadership.

Over time, if people remain interested in and attracted to the products or services that you give away, you’ll help establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. How? Your clients will automatically check with you first before pursuing the competition, as they know you’ll likely offer them a greater deal for their money or time.

Eventually, your brand will become synonymous with not only your industry niche but also your giving spirit. Being recognized as being not stingy with your talents, gifts and resources goes a long way in converting on-the-fence prospects who might be considering your company alongside competitors. An association with generosity could be the factor that pushes your company over the edge.

3. It encourages referrals and positive feedback.

One of the greatest and easiest things you can do to grow your business quickly is to amass plenty of positive reviews and customer feedback. While you cannot (and should not) use generosity strictly to amp up your customer satisfaction ratings, it can go a long way in encouraging someone to leave you a great recommendation, especially if the generosity was unexpected or above and beyond.

Consider, for instance, a resort employee who learns one cabana has been overtaken by mosquitos. That employee could call an exterminator, ask the couple residing there to leave for a few hours, and then send them back into the space. Or, he could call the exterminator, ask the couple residing there to leave, and instead put them up in a luxurious honeymoon suite to help make up for all their troubles. The former scenario could have easily resulted in a negative customer review and, what’s worse, a chain of negative recommendations that travels via word-of-mouth and online feedback, persuading others to bypass the resort in favor of another locale.

Yet, when the latter situation occurs, the couple feels taken care of, special and appreciated. As a result, you’re far more likely to garner positive, glowing feedback, all for simply providing excellent customer service.

Ultimately, standing out in your competitive industry sphere starts with you providing a product or service that is superior to everyone else’s. Especially when you’re still finding your footing, you might not know what that is quite yet. In the meantime, become known for radical, transformative generosity. Be the company that sends out coupon codes, holds fun giveaways and treats your customers like loyal friends because they are.