It’s the time of year to show our thanks, and veterinary practices are no exception! After all, pet owners are the bedrock of your practice. Along with providing stellar veterinary services, showing gratitude to your clients is one of the best ways to encourage their loyalty.
So how can you communicate your appreciation? We’ve got you covered with six simple, yet creative ideas to show clients your thanks.
#1. Just say “thank you!”
Showing gratitude doesn’t have to mean planning elaborate gestures for every individual client. After all, that’s not exactly feasible. Start simple by literally saying “thank you” to pet owners during your interactions with them—whether in the practice, or outside.
If you missed the chance to say “thank you” in the practice, or just want to do something a little bit different, you can also try sending thank-you cards signed by your team in the mail. It’s sure to make pet owners smile!
Another good approach is to back up your thanks with a quick blog post on your website. For example, if you recently held a fundraiser and plenty of folks came out to help, putting up a post with a few photos from the event is a great way to showcase their efforts while showing your thanks.
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Kindness is the fastest way to build trust, and a trusting client translates to better compliance and patient outcomes.
#2. Design a welcoming office atmosphere.
As an extension of that kindness, do try to cultivate as welcoming an office environment as possible. Depending on circumstances, the clinic can be just as stressful for pet owners as it is for pets, so keeping the waiting room cozy goes a long way.
Consider offering free coffee, tea, or cold beverages—and of course, healthy treats for pets!
Bear in mind that certain pets can butt heads in the waiting room. To ease this stressor, try incorporating some “reserved” side tables in the seating area where pet owners can go to avoid these clashes.
#3. Stay in touch.
Want to take it a step further? Extend your thankfulness outside the office by checking in regularly with pet owners via email, postcard, and even text message communications.
This is a great way to create that extra personal touch, and when it’s all done automatically, you save heaps of time too!
#4. Share gratitude on social media.
Today’s pet owners want to be involved in the healthcare of their furry friends, so recognize their efforts by connecting with them on your veterinary social media. Encourage your clients to send you cute photos of their pets, and then post them—with permission—on your social media to boost engagement.
Social media is also the perfect place to organize fun giveaways for your clients, which is a great reward for them and an awesome marketing strategy for you! Just be sure to check that your giveaway follows all the rules; most platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, all have different requirements.
#5. Offer freebies.
There are plenty of creative ways to reward clients right at your practice. Make it a double play: give away branded items like pens and magnets, which are fun for clients and promotional for your practice!
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#6. Host a community event.
Nothing says “thanks” quite like an open house, so why not host one for your clients? Depending on your budget, you can plan fun local events annually or seasonally. Either way, you’ll get the chance to bond with pet owners and their pets with some quality extracurricular time!
Genuinely thanking pet owners is pretty easy—and it has a lasting impact on the strength of your client relationships.
Feeling grateful? See how the LifeLearn ECOsystem can help you thank pet owners, and improve client retention—book a demo today!
