Giving thanks is always the right thing to do, but there are a couple of weeks in November when it’s suddenly and briefly in style. But for business owners, there’s a reason to keep the Thanksgiving spirit throughout the year. Let’s look at how giving thanks is profitable:

Marketing is really hard for a lot of small businesses. It takes time away from crucial operations tasks, has wildly varying options and pricing, and can feel like a lost cause if your competition has billion-dollar marketing machines. So you have to be smart about it, and the first step is knowing that the least expensive sale to make is to an existing customer.

Why? Because this target audience doesn’t need a dozen repeated impressions before they recognize your brand. They know you. At least, they think they know you. Reach out to them to let them know about your new offerings, new information to make the most of their already purchased products/services, or to find out how you can can serve them better. That last idea is routinely overlooked, but consider how asking about their ideas for new or improved offerings can both cement a lifelong relationship AND possibly better your products or services for all of your clients/customers.

Also, staying involved with a customer greatly increases the value of the product sold. It says you take pride in your brand and you stand behind your work. Even if you intended to do your job perfectly in the first place, things aren’t always perfect– staying in touch positions you to know about possible failures and to fix products and relationships. Recognizing the crossover between customer service and marketing is a turning point in developing a devoted customer base.

How do you market to these current customers? Email, mail, social media, and websites are all useful, as long as the messaging is correct. Support, educate, and remind customers that you are there for them and everyone wins.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! And if you haven’t already, embrace an attitude of gratitude. It’s good for everyone.