Thanking Your Customers: How To Do It Correctly

Do you thank your customers for doing business with you? If not, you’re in good company. Most businesses don’t make an effort to thank the people who keep them in business. Yours doesn’t have to be one of them.

Don’t you want to stand out from the rest?  Of course you do!  I’m here to tell you how to do it for the ridiculously low price of just forty-nine cents!

Step back and think about the last time you received a hand-written card from someone you did business with.  Can’t remember?  It’s probably because you never received such a note. Still, think how good you would feel if you did. Your customers would feel just as good to receive a note of thanks from you. Making customers feel good equals stronger relationships with them, which translates into more referrals.  More referrals mean more business.  Get it?

How to Do It

The most effective way to thank your customers is to handwrite notes. So invest in a package of cards. Not standard ‘thank you’ cards, but a box of cards that resonate with you. I personally have several boxes. One has flowers while the other has beautiful landscapes.

With cards in hand, start sending them ASAP.  Every time you get a new customer, send a card thanking them for choosing to do business with your company. They could have gotten the product or service you provided from another company, but they chose to get it from you. You are obviously pleased by that decision – let the customer know.

I don’t know about you, but when I see a personal, handwritten card in my mail, I make sure to open it first. Handwritten cards sure beat bills any day of the week. They make me feel valued and special. Isn’t that a feeling you want your customers to experience after doing business with you? I think so.

Follow these quick tips to show some love to your customers or clients.  I promise they’ll love you back.

1. Be timely. Send a personal thank you note in the mail within a few days of receiving business from a customer or client.
2. Don’t send a cheesy corporate card. Instead, find something that represents you or your customer.
3. If all you’re going to write is “thanks for your business” and sign the card, don’t bother. You will be wasting a stamp. Instead, write a short note thanking them specifically for the product or service they bought or the referral they made.
4. Don’t skimp and send an e-mail. While it’s free and easy to do, it won’t stand out like a handwritten card Remember, the point is to stand out from the competition.

Notes for Potential Customers

Let’s close by going one step further to thank potential customers. It can be very productive to thank someone for contacting you about your products or services, even if it doesn’t result in an immediate sale. In some cases, the process of making a sale is a long one.  Let’s say a potential customer is thinking about making a purchase. How do you suppose he or she will respond to a personal note card from you? I’m willing to bet that your note could tip the scale in your favor.