Today’s business world involves a lot of automation and tools to help simplify the processes involved with acquiring and selling to customers. Businesses often use these tools to increase their marketing reach, extend their target audience, and increase revenue. However, building relationships throughout the prospecting and sales process is often more important than reaching a wide audience. Understanding how to thank a client for their business can put your company ahead of its competitors and help you achieve a more loyal and dedicated customer base. A business thank you note is a small gesture that can make a big difference in customers’ experience.
In this article, we’ll go over the best ways to create thank-you notes for your customers and even give you some sample thank you messages that will make your life infinitely easier. Let’s get started.
Good business practice includes simultaneously expressing appreciation for new and repeat customers. If you as a company do not express that appreciation, learning how to implement it is crucial to the longevity of your marketing strategy.
Here at Handwrytten, we see it time and time again – businesses are focused on making the next sale rather than communicating with the client involved in the sale that just closed. Long term, this mentality can cause businesses to miss out on a significant portion of their revenue – integrating what we discuss in this article can help you avoid this pitfall.
According to the co-founder and CEO of Retention Science, a company focused on retention marketing, 20% of a business’s customers are responsible for 80% of its future profits on average. By failing to focus on your current customers and express your gratitude for their business, you could be missing out on the potential profits they bring.
Further than that, it is most likely that your current customers are the ones already generating a massive amount of your profit. Why invest more and more into marketing to new customers when you can just develop better protocols for thanking current ones?
Even a simple thank-you email or video message can go a long way, but expressing your appreciation in more concrete, tangible ways can make each recurring customer feel important and valued, thus encouraging them to continue to come back to you for your products or services.
Not saying thank you is a risk that most businesses simply can’t afford to take in today’s climate. According to a study performed by NewVoiceMedia, a lack of appreciation is the top reason customers switch to other companies when making purchases. Your customers could walk away to find a company that they feel appreciates them more, leaving you at square one when it comes to acquiring clients and reaching prospects. So, rather than taking that risk, take the time to thank your clients for their business.
At this point, we hope you can see why it’s important to thank customers for their business. Let’s discuss how to actually do that.
Luckily, there are quite a few ways to send thank you messages to clients.
Email is the most popular and cost-effective way to thank your customers for their business. You can use automated email campaigns through programs like MailChimp to reach a large number of customers in one go. Keep in mind, though, that email marketing is nowhere near as effective of handwritten messages.
The personal touch of a handwritten message shows customers that you value their business on a deeply personal level. With the same exact message, you’d assume that a handwritten note would have the same effect as an automated email with the same message – but that is just not true. The effect a personalized handwritten letter can have is incalculable when compared to an email; it shows that you care to a much higher degree.
One final way to thank your customers is by giving out freebies. You can give them things like discounts, free shipping, or even exclusive offers. If you’re feeling especially generous, you can even send out gifts on special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries with your clients – obviously, the customers who do more for your brand should be ‘favored’ when it comes to giving customers a freebie.
Now that we’ve discussed a couple of miscellaneous methods to thank your customers, let’s illuminate the primary steps to follow when thanking a customer.
Whether it be an individual, a client, or a business with multiple people, identifying who you are thanking is the first step in expressing your appreciation. This will affect the type of grammar, tone, and style you use in your thank you card.
In general, the more rigid of a relationship you have with this specific customer, the more formal you should be. Or, if you’re looking at a group of customers in bulk, determining specific keyphrases you want to use is key.
The budget you set for thanking your customers depends on the type of gifts you plan on giving them. If you’re sending out a freebie, then creating and printing postcards will be very cost-effective. On the other hand, if you’re sending out more expensive gifts such as electronics or gift cards, then setting aside a larger budget may be more appropriate.
If you’ve developed a close bond with the customer over time or simply want to thank a recurring customer, then a handwritten note or a gift would be most appropriate.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to thank a large group of customers in bulk, then an automated email campaign would be the most cost-efficient solution. Either way, considering the medium you
Sending a follow up to your thank you message is essential to ensure that it resonates with the customer. If you sent out a gift or service, seeing how they felt out about it would be useful to determine if you should do it again in the future. Simultaneously, it will show that you’re really invested in their experience and that you care about the impact your thank you message had on them.
Now that you know why expressing your appreciation is so important, you can start considering how to implement a thank-you campaign in your own business. The goal is to thank your clients in a clear, concise way that conveys your appreciation without being overly wordy or pushing your brand message too heavily.
Your messaging should always be positive and upbeat to make the customer feel appreciated. Consider using words like “valued” and “appreciated” to give a clear message. You should also make sure to greet each client with their name. This personalized touch can make a big difference, and it starts your message off on the right note.
While many businesses choose to send their thank you message over email, a study from TD Banks showed that an overwhelming 84% of respondents prefer to be thanked with an in-person thank you. If this isn’t possible for your business, a handwritten card could go a long way.
For some companies, the thought of handwriting a card for every customer who makes a purchase feels overwhelming. In this case, consider a partnership with Handwrytten. We utilize innovative technology to produce personalized handwritten notes at scale, allowing business owners and marketers to focus on other aspects of their companies. With a handwritten thank-you note, your customers will feel appreciated while your time is preserved for other tasks.
The TD Banks study also reported that 44% of people want their thank-you message to be personalized and 60% want to receive it directly rather than receiving a mass message. In this case, you could include the specific product or service purchased as a way to personalize the message. If possible, consider tying in some helpful content, such as a tip for using the product. Handwrytten can personalize the notes as much as you request, and every note will help you build a stronger relationship while creating a positive brand association among your clients.
When considering how to thank a customer, you may also want to think about how to finish the note and encourage them to come back in the future. For a customer who purchased something, you could include messaging that encourages them to reach out for support or assistance with the product or service. Some companies also provide a repeat customer discount code or another gift to encourage them to come back and shop again.
Alright. Now we know the different mediums through which we can thank customers, the most basic building blocks to create a card, and why you should thank your customers. But how do we take it to the next level?
It is important to thank customers who have been loyal to your business, but it is equally important to make new customers feel welcome. Having different letters for these different sects of customers is crucial; otherwise, you run the risk of making it appear like you don’t care about your customers.
If a customer has purchased from you before, consider a more personal message that acknowledges their loyalty and expresses gratitude for the continued support. For new customers, be sure to thank them warmly and clearly explain why their purchase is important to you.
Always personalize your thank you notes with the customer’s name and, if possible, reference the specific product or service they purchased. You could also consider referencing an upcoming holiday or season in your note as a way to show that you care about what matters most to them. Additionally, many businesses offer a discount or special bonus to thank loyal customers and incentivize future purchases.
Make sure your message is written with sincere enthusiasm. Your messaging should be positive and upbeat, expressing the joy that comes from their purchase. Showing gratitude in this way will help customers feel appreciated and thus more likely to continue shopping with you in the future.
Last but not least, mention who you are. This may seem like an odd suggestion, and frankly, it is – but we deal with an innumerable amount of clients who never think to mention who they are when creating their thank you letters. If you don’t, though, how exactly will your potential customers learn more about your business, even if they wanted to?
To make your lives even easier, we’ve drummed up 15 different ways to thank your customers. You’ll be able to tell – a lot of them are tailored toward e-commerce.
Expressing appreciation can have lasting positive effects on your business. Customers love feeling appreciated and are more willing to come back to a business that shows them that they care. With handwritten, meaningful notes, you can tell your customers just how much you value them. A partnership with Handwrytten can strengthen your customer appreciation strategy while providing personalized notes to your clients.
The best way to thank a customer for their business is to be sincere, personalize your message, and offer an incentive. A simple “thank you” can go a long way but adding in details like the person’s name, the item they purchased, or an exclusive discount will show them that you really value their purchase and took the time to acknowledge them.
Thanking your customers is important because it shows that you value their business and will likely strengthen the relationship. It can also encourage repeat purchases, which can help increase customer loyalty and create a positive experience for them. Lastly, expressing gratitude can help build your brand reputation as well.
A thank you note after a purchase should be personalized and include an incentive. Start by addressing the customer by name and thanking them for their purchase. Express your appreciation for their business, mention the product they purchased or why it matters to them, and offer an exclusive discount on their next purchase. This covers the main bases when it comes to acknowledging a customer post-purchase.
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