blog, customer loyalty
Why Surprise and Delight Marketing is Essential for Customer Loyalty.
A gift randomly sent to your front door, a surprise ‘on the house moment’ from your favourite bar – it’s these out of the blue surprises that can put a smile on your face and turn your day around. And that’s exactly what ‘surprise and delight marketing’ encapsulates in the world of business. No buy-one-gets-free sales, no points reward systems, no discounts. Surprise and delight moments are times for companies to provide something valuable to their customers and ask for nothing in return.
Surprise and delight marketing aims to strengthen customer relations and provide a lasting impression, so your customers develop an emotional connection with your brand.
But if you’re constantly giving out free items or services, won’t your company end up losing more? The answer is, not at all.
That feeling of receiving an unexpected yet meaningful surprise is something that 67% of customers find important when working with a company. Surprise and delight moments are also the reason 1 out of 3 consumers gave more business to a brand. All of this to say, surprise and delight marketing make customers feel valued which strengthens their loyalty to you.
How to Surprise and Delight Consumers
1. Get creative – Think outside the box
If you’re hoping to surprise your customers, you’re going to have to think a bit outside of the box. You can’t simply do the same thing you’ve been doing and expect that to hit the bulls eye the same way.
2. Personalised Gifts - Make a meaningful connection
Knowing your customers on a personal level allows you to connect on what truly matters. We’re talking care packages, birthday cards and customized gifts on special occasions.
“Get to know them personally and celebrate their life wins. Know their kids’ names, where they graduated college, sports allegiances and pets and share milestones with them. Any agency can form client relationships, but the magic happens when you get to know them as people and have a genuine interest in them as humans. Send birthday cards and customized gifts; it goes a long way. ”
3. Overdeliver - Go the extra mile for your customers
The simple act of delivering more than promised strikes a chord with consumers. Consider providing a free sample with every purchase or offer thoughtful add-ons to your store. It’s all about putting your customers first.
Examples of Surprise and Delight Marketing
Looking for real-life examples? Here are 4 ways global brands have taken advantage of surprise and delight marketing.
Disney
During the promotion of Alice in Wonderland, Disney used an interactive billboard so customers could directly interact with the lead actor Johnny Depp. People were in complete awe when they found out they were interacting with a huge Hollywood Star.
Kleenex
In their ‘Feel Good’ campaign, Kleenex scoured Facebook to find anyone posting on feeling ill. Then, Kleenex reached out to the individual's family and friends to deliver a get well package known as the Kleenex Kit. As a result, they received 100 % buy-in.
Mastercard
With a new campaign called “Priceless Surprises”, Mastercard engaged with their customers online, via social media, surprising them with unexpected rewards. The rewards ranged from free concerts and getaways to meet and greets.
Orange
By partnering with Stampix, Orange won the Award for “Best Short Term Loyalty Initiative” at The Loyalty Magazine Awards. As a fixed partner in the Orange Thank You programme, Stampix delights thousands of Orange customers on a daily basis with personal photos - printed and shipped right to their doorstep.
View client case.
All in all, surprise and delight marketing strategies do numbers. At Stampix, we’ve worked with brands from every industry to deliver memorable surprises and deliver moments on special occasions. From birthdays to holidays, we help brands create a lasting and deeper connection with their consumers.
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