Client appreciation matters. The numbers speak for themselves: A whopping 70% of people who switch practices leave because they don’t feel appreciated. Here are our favorite easy-to-execute ideas for client appreciation day!

‍Did you know that [3rd Friday in May] is National Client Appreciation Day? Whether you choose this or another date, it’s important to mark a day in your calendar to show your clients how much you value them. 

Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to show pet owners how grateful you are for their loyalty. One way to do that is to have an annual client appreciation day at your veterinary practice.

Here are our favorite easy-to-execute ideas for client appreciation day:

1. Give Away Free Swag With Your Practice’s Branding

People love free stuff. Consumer studies show that 83% of customers are more likely to generate return business if you give them a gift, and 90% will remember your practice name and logo if you print them on free merch.

And you don’t have to go super crazy with an expensive gift. Sometimes just the thought of someone receiving an unexpected gift goes a long way.

With this in mind, consider having branded door prizes or swag giveaways, at least on your client appreciation day, if not year-round. 

Opt for functional items that will remind clients of your practice each time they use them, such as:

• Water or Treat Bowls

• Branded Dog or Cat Collars

• Branded Leashes

• Pens

• Notepads

• Calendars

• Coasters

• Keychains

• Tote bags

• Water bottles

By the same token, you want to stay away from non-functional items like stickers, silicone wristbands, or fridge magnets. Your clients probably won't hang on to these items for long. 

Another great marketing tip to consider for your client appreciation day is offering free healthy snacks and drinks before or after appointments. Think fresh or dried fruit, trail mix, herbal teas, or bottles of water.

2. Offer Free or Discounted Services

On your client appreciation day, consider offering free or heavily discounted services like annual checkups or nail trimmings. 

Alternatively, you could give clients coupons for future treatments, such as $25 off their next appointment. 

It’s also a good idea to award referrals on this day. 

Give discounts to anyone who brings a friend or relative for the first time. New clients should also get a free introductory service. That’s a fantastic way to not only show appreciation to current clients but also attract new ones — and make a great first impression.

3. Organize Educational Sessions on Veterinary Health

People appreciate free information just as much, if not more, than free swag. 

Your client appreciation day offers an excellent opportunity to educate your clientele on new treatments and technologies in veterinary medicine as well as general topics. 

Part of this could include giving demonstrations in your practice, hosting in-person or online webinars, inviting guest experts to give talks, or having a Get To Know the Staff Day, during which clients can ask questions and learn more about your practice and services. 

Bonus Tip: Develop a client Loyalty Program

You shouldn’t limit your client appreciation efforts to just one day of the year. If you want to see real revenue growth, go the extra mile and integrate our ideas for client appreciation day into a year-round program for loyal clients. 

Implementing a full-fledged loyalty program for clients may sound daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. 

At Chckup, we know that running your practice and caring for your clients takes up most of your time. You likely don’t have the bandwidth to brainstorm and develop a loyalty program on top of your other responsibilities. That’s why we are in the process of developing a turnkey client loyalty program that you can use off the shelf. 

Our proprietary solution enables you to reward clients automatically for things such as:

Confirming appointments

Showing up on timeFilling out their paperwork

Referring family and friends

Making payments on time

clients can then exchange their points for rewards such as free or discounted veterinary services, veterinary products like electronic toothbrushes, gift cards for Amazon or local businesses, and more. You are free to customize the rewards and incentivize virtually every positive action to encourage engagement and efficiency, delight clients, and increase retention.

We Know You Appreciate Your Clients. Make Sure They Know It Too

Studies show that it costs five times more to attract a new client than to keep an existing one. But that’s not all: Raising retention rates by just 5% can increase your profits by up to 95%.

At Chckup, we understand that client appreciation efforts are vital to increasing retention and generating return business. 

Consider implementing our ideas for client appreciation day. Then, contact us to schedule a free demo and learn how we can help boost your revenue through our multitude of software solutions for veterinary practices.