Customer Appreciation Day is nearly here — mark your calendar for 16th May.
Did you remember? Maybe. Maybe not. And maybe now you’re thinking, “What should we actually do to celebrate?”
Either way, it’s the perfect moment to show your customers a little extra love — and stand out while you’re at it. The key? Go beyond the usual flood of hashtags and generic emails.
Make it personal. Celebrate your customers individually. Tap into what they love, highlight the journey you’ve shared, or create exclusive communities and programmes that make them feel like VIPs. When customers feel genuinely valued, they don’t just stick around — they become your biggest fans.
Need some inspiration? We’ve pulled together some impactful ideas to help you make the most of the day (and beyond).
Why Strong Customer Relationships Matter
Appreciation isn’t just a warm, fuzzy feeling, it’s a smart business move. When customers feel genuinely valued, they’re more than happy clients. They become loyal fans, enthusiastic referrers, and active participants in your brand’s journey. That kind of connection doesn’t happen by accident, it’s built through consistent, meaningful relationship-building.
Strong relationships fuel momentum. They cut acquisition costs, open the door to richer insights, and create a level of trust that no discount ever could. It’s not about grand gestures—it’s about showing up consistently and proving you care.
You’re not building a database. You’re building loyalty. And appreciation is how you earn it.
10 Meaningful Ways to Show Appreciation This Customer Appreciation Day
Customer Appreciation Day is your moment to go beyond the transactional and get personal. Here are ten strategic and meaningful ways to show your customers they matter, while laying the groundwork for lasting loyalty:
Send a personalised Thank You note
In a digital world, a genuine, personalised message can be incredibly impactful. Go beyond the generic email and take the time to reference a specific moment or achievement in your partnership.
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What it could look like: A handwritten card, a video message from your team, or even a personal email from your CEO to a key client contact.
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Pro tip: Involve different departments to make the message truly personal. A note from the customer success team, for instance, will show your appreciation is shared company-wide.
Give a social media shout-out
This is a public, feel-good way to give your clients recognition. If done respectfully and with permission, social media can amplify appreciation and elevate your clients’ own brand visibility.
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What it could look like: A LinkedIn series called “Customer Champions” where you highlight one client per day leading up to May 16th.
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Pro tip: Tag their company, include a logo (if approved), and share a quote from them about your partnership.
Host an appreciation event
Events provide a unique chance to humanise your brand and strengthen customer relationships. Whether online or in person, your goal should be to create an engaging experience, not just another business update.
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What it could look like: A coffee catch-up with a subject matter expert, a “Thank You” webinar featuring surprise giveaways, or a casual lunch-and-learn with networking opportunities.
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Pro tip: Send out care packages or gift cards beforehand to make remote attendees feel extra appreciated.
Create a limited-time offer
A limited-time offer shows your customers they’re getting special treatment. This could be a product upgrade, early access to a new feature, or a value-add that saves them time or money.
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What it could look like: A free training session, priority support access, or exclusive pricing on an additional service.
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Pro tip: Frame the offer as a personal thank-you—“Because you’ve supported us, here’s something just for you”—to make the gesture feel meaningful and sincere.
Ask for feedback, and show you listened
Feedback is a two-way street. Asking for it on Customer Appreciation Day, then taking action, demonstrates that appreciation isn’t just a one-time thank-you; it’s an ongoing dialogue.
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What it could look like: A short, branded survey with a reward for responses, followed by a “You said, we did” summary email.
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Pro tip: Make it engaging—use humour, include team photos, or make it part of a game or challenge.
Send a thoughtful, relevant gift
A gift doesn’t have to be expensive, it just has to be relevant. The best gifts are the ones that reflect your understanding of the client’s business or personality.
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What it could look like: Branded office supplies, an industry experience, books related to their sector or a charitable donation in their name.
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Customisation tip: Segment your client list and tailor the gift based on industry, company size or the relationship stage.
Film a customer appreciation video
Video is a warm, personal medium perfect for showing that your team genuinely values the people behind the brands you work with.
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What it could look like: A short montage featuring your team saying thank you, sharing a round up exciting growth moments, or highlighting major wins.
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Creative twist: Include behind-the-scenes footage, team pets, or shoutouts to individual client contacts by name.
Create a private community
Give your clients a place to connect, collaborate, and grow together.
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What it could look like: An invite-only LinkedIn group or Slack channel where customers can ask questions, share wins, and engage in exclusive discussions with your team and other users.
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Pro tip: Appoint internal “community champions” to keep the space active, and offer early news drops or giveaways to encourage participation.
Build a resource hub
Be the brand that makes your customers smarter and more efficient. Equip them with tools they’ll keep coming back to.
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What it could look like: A gated client portal filled with industry insights, templates, checklists, video tutorials, and downloadable guides segmented by role or sector.
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Pro tip: This can form a key pillar of a broader loyalty programme, one that not only drives ongoing engagement but also ensures your customers are informed, empowered, and deeply connected to your brand.
Launch a Customer Loyalty Programme
This is more than a one-day gesture, it’s a long-term commitment. As we explore in our Snog, Marry, Swerve story, businesses must decide: are you here for a quick fling, or a lasting commitment? A customer loyalty programme is your way of saying, “We’re in it for the long haul.”
A well-designed points-based loyalty programme gives your customers something of lasting value. It rewards repeat purchases, contract renewals, advocacy, feedback, and ongoing engagement with your brand.
Why it works:
- It makes loyalty visible, valuable, and trackable.
- It drives the behaviours that grow your business.
- It transforms appreciation into a constant, not a one-off.
- It arms you with powerful data to spot opportunities and fix churn before it happens
When you back your customers, they’ll back you—and that’s how loyalty moves from a one-off snog to a long-term marriage.
Crucially, having a customer loyalty programme in place makes days like Customer Appreciation Day easier to recognise and celebrate authentically. Instead of scrambling for one-off campaigns, your programme gives you a ready-made platform to show appreciation meaningfully and consistently. Points bonuses, personalised rewards, gamified promotions and product training all become simple, powerful ways to celebrate your customers on special days and every day.
Ready to make loyalty last all year long?
We help B2B businesses create meaningful, measurable, and scalable customer loyalty programmes, so your appreciation doesn’t end with a gift basket.
Let’s build a loyalty programme your customers will love.
