As a solopreneur or small business owner, you know that turning your passion into a business is hard work. There are a lot of moving parts that create your success and define your brand, not least of which is developing and maintaining positive and lasting relationships with your customers. This article will show you 3 simple ways to tell your customers that you appreciate them.

One simple way to create the relationships that your growing business needs is to show your customers that you appreciate them for choosing you over the competition. Social scientists tell us that expressing our gratitude deepens our relationships and increases the connection that we have with one another.

In other words, showing your customers that you feel good about them will make them feel good about you.

Not surprisingly, saying “thank you,” one of the first etiquette lessons that we learn as kids, has an important role in building and maintaining business relationships. Of course, it does! It is human nature – everyone appreciates being appreciated!

Here are 3 classic ways to tell your customers “I appreciate you”:

Be there when they need you.

Show your customers that they matter: answer the phone and return their emails. Listening to what someone has to say to you is a relationship building basic. Make sure your customers know that what they have to say is important to you.

Make time for the real face time.

When was the last time you had a face-to-face anything with your customers?

The Internet is an amazing tool that has changed how we do business, but people haven’t changed that much: we like doing business with people we can see, touch, and talk to.

A coffee meeting, a live webinar, a speaking engagement or a demo in your local community, are a few examples of how you can add the human experience to your customer’s experience. Share your brand up close and personal.

Just say it.

Sometimes the best way to show that you appreciate your customers is to just say it.

A simple handwritten note or a personalized thank you posted on social media are easy and effective ways to let your customers know that you can’t do it without them.

Of course, how you say thank you to your customers is up to you, the important part is that someway, somehow, you tell them “I appreciate you!”

How have you made an effort to show appreciation to your customers? Comment below with your ideas!