A little thank you goes a long way.

Today I got home, and like I do every day, I grabbed the mail on my way in.  But today was a little different.  There was a big white letter package, kind of like a FedEx document package, but just in the regular mail.  The return address said BMW, so I was definitely intrigued.

About a year ago, I bought my first BMW.  The BMW was my dream car for this point in my life.  It was a way to say, I've arrived, I've made it to where I want to be, and I'm successful.  Says something about what the brand means, doesn't it?  Anyway, I opened the package to see what was in it by pulling the strip on the back of the envelope (interesting side note...want a sure fire way to get someone to open something?  Send it in a FedEx envelope or similar type of packaging...).  Inside the package was a thick piece of cardboard to keep it from bending, and what looked like a white folder in a clear plastic wrapper.  On the outside was a wrapper wishing me a Happy Anniversary from BMW.  The message was simple, thank you for being a customer.  Inside the little folder is a sketch of my car.

I thought this whole thing was brilliant.  First, it was packaged in a way that was pretty much guaranteed to get me to open it, something that would immediately catch my eye.  Second, it is a fantastic customer loyalty/customer relationship approach.  They aren't asking me to buy anything, but simply thanking me, and providing me a gift.  Third, and most important, they are building a promoter and a brand steward.  I mean, I'm sitting here writing a blog about how much I like BMW (and I have yet to mention how much I enjoy driving my car).  I'll probably put the sketch in my cubicle so anyone that stops by will see it, and could strike up a discussion.

Too often companies focus all of their attention on recruiting new customers or trying to get current customers to spend more, and forget to do the little things like thanking their existing customers just for their business.  This little gesture will definitely go a long way in solidifying me as a BMW customer for longer than just the life of my current car.