Despite all of the automation and hacks available in the modern business world, nothing builds a relationship quite the same way as saying “thank you.”
Too often, sales teams get caught up filling their pipelines with the next batch of leads or following up with prospects. There isn’t a lot of time to stop and thank customers for their loyalty.
The funny thing is, the most valuable part of your pipeline is the people whove already purchased something from you. On average, 20% of a companys customers are responsible for 80% of their future profits (theCLIKK 2020), so it makes sense to take care of existing customers.
Sure, saying “thank you” is a polite gesture. But if you say it the right way, it can cement your relationship with a customer (and help guarantee their future business).
Expressing gratitude to clients is an important part of building strong, lasting business relationships. Thanking clients makes them feel valued and reinforces positive associations with your brand. This article will provide tips and examples to help you effectively thank clients for their business.
Why Thanking Clients Matters
There are several reasons why it’s important to thank clients
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Shows appreciation and strengthens relationships Thanking clients reinforces positive feelings and makes them feel appreciated This fosters loyalty and trust.
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Encourages repeat business: Clients who feel valued are more likely to continue doing business with you and provide referrals. Thanking them reminds them of the positive experience.
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Boosts your reputation Grateful clients are more likely to leave positive reviews and recommend you to others. This builds your reputation.
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Improves customer satisfaction: Customers who feel appreciated tend to be more satisfied with your business. This improves customer retention.
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Reinforces branding: Consistent thanks across channels like email, social media and print materials reinforces your brand identity and business values.
Overall, taking the time to thank clients makes good business sense and should be an important part of your client relations strategy.
How to Thank Clients
There are many creative and meaningful ways to thank your clients for their business:
Send Thank You Emails
Email is a quick and easy way to thank clients right after a purchase or project completion. Some tips:
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Send thank you emails within 1-2 days of the transaction or project wrap-up. Timeliness adds meaning.
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Personalize the message with client names and specific details about the project. Generic emails seem insincere.
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Note specific things you appreciate about working with them like prompt payment, clear communications, etc.
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Use a sincere, enthusiastic tone and avoid formal or stiff language.
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Briefly mention you look forward to future business or referrals. Don’t make it solely about getting more business.
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Close politely with a simple “Thank you!” or “We appreciate your business!”
Send Handwritten Notes
Handwritten thank you notes can really wow clients and make them feel special. Some tips:
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Mail thank you notes within a week of a completed sale or project.
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Buy quality note cards or stationery to make a good impression.
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Hand address the envelopes for a personal touch.
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Start with a warm greeting like “Dear [Client Name]”.
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Keep messages brief, sincere and specific to the client.
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Close with “Thank you” or “We appreciate your business”.
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Don’t forget to sign your name!
Gift Small Tokens of Appreciation
Giving small gifts or treats is a tangible way to show thanks. Some ideas:
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Send a gift basket of food, wine or other treats relevant to your business.
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Give holiday gifts like fruit baskets, baked goods or gift cards.
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Surprise them with tickets to a sporting event or concert if appropriate.
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Send a book, mug, pen or other branded swag.
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Donate to a charity in their name and send a card notifying them.
Always pick appropriate, cost-effective gifts that align with your business relationship. Avoid gifts that could seem like bribes. Keep gifts modest rather than lavish.
Post on Social Media
Social media shoutouts are an excellent way to publicly thank great clients:
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Thank clients by name in Facebook and LinkedIn posts when appropriate.
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Tag client company pages when possible to increase visibility.
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Include photos from projects or events if you have them.
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Keep posts short, sincere and brand appropriate.
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Post on both your company pages as well as your personal accounts.
Be sure to secure permission first if tagging individual names. Gauge whether public thanks would be appreciated based on factors like company culture and client preferences.
Send Special Offers or Discounts
Providing exclusive deals and discounts shows clients you value their continued business:
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Create special discount codes or coupons for loyal repeat clients.
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Offer pricing discounts for future projects or purchases.
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Provide exclusive early access to new products or services.
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Offer extended free trials of products or services.
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Provide complimentary gifts or upgrades on future purchases.
Clearly communicate that offers are to thank them specifically for their loyalty and valued business. Avoid giving discounts that could set unrealistic expectations for standard pricing.
Plan Appreciation Events
Hosting special events for your best clients builds goodwill:
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Host an exclusive dinner or reception just for top-tier clients.
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Rent a hospitality suite or box seats at a sports event and invite select clients.
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Organize a client appreciation golf outing or other relevant activity.
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Hold a cocktail party or other networking event for clients.
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Coordinate a client appreciation day with food, gifts and deals.
Plan events that align with your brand identity and business relationships. Ensure you provide a quality experience worthy of your clients’ time. Follow up after events with additional thanks.
When to Thank Clients
The most impactful times to thank clients include:
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Right after a purchase, project completion or other milestone
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Upon receipt of payment or prompt payment
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After a client refers someone or gives a testimonial
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Before requesting referrals or repeat business
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Holidays like Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day
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Client birthdays or company anniversaries
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Major promotions, new roles or company achievements
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After attending conferences, trade shows or events you invited them to
The goal is to make appreciation an ongoing habit, not just a one-off occurrence. Consistent, timely thanks when warranted strengthens relationships.
Thank You Message Templates
Here are some thank you message templates you can customize:
Thank You Email Template
Subject: Thank you for your business!
Dear [Client Name],
Thank you for choosing [Company] for your recent [project type/purchase]. It was a pleasure working with you on [brief project summary].
We really appreciate that you chose us and gave us the opportunity to serve you. [Insert 1-2 sentences about what you appreciated about working with them].
Please reach out anytime if you need anything else. We look forward to working with you again soon!
Best regards,
[Your Name]
Thank You Note Template
Dear [Client Name],
Thank you for being such a great client for [Company]! We really appreciate the opportunity to work with you on [project/purchase details].
[Add a sentence or two about why you appreciate them specifically].
We look forward to continuing our relationship for many years to come. Please let us know if there is ever anything else we can do for you.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Social Media Shoutout Template
We want to give a huge shoutout to our amazing client [company name]! It was an absolute pleasure working with them on [project/transaction].
Thank you for being such a great partner [tag company page if possible]. We look forward to many more projects together!
Thanking clients is a simple yet powerful way to strengthen your most important business relationships. Taking the time to show customers you appreciate them pays dividends in the form of increased loyalty, repeat sales and stellar word-of-mouth.
Implementing practices like sending thank you notes after transactions, giving small gifts, hosting events and recognizing clients on social media shows customers they matter to you. The more consistently and authentically you express gratitude, the deeper your client connections will become. Use the tips and templates in this article to get started showing more appreciation to the clients who make your business possible.
Say thanks with an email
Emails have changed a lot in the last decade. We’re automating them, optimizing them, and personalizing them to get higher engagement rates.
But if youre sending a thank you over email, its easy to slip into a trap of sounding robotic and impersonal. To avoid this, make sure you:
- Address the customer by their first name.
- Send the email from your company email address. A thank you sent from a generic email address (like “[email protected]”) loses its personal touch.
- Keep it casual. This isn’t a formal thank you letter, so have a bit of fun with it. Throw in an emoji or two and show your personality (unless your customer relationship is formal, then hold back on these).
- Don’t use it as a sales pitch. Just don’t do it. No mentions of offers or upselling allowed.
Even if a customer is brand new, it still pays dividends to thank them at the beginning of your relationship, like this:
Pro-tip: If your CRM syncs with Gmail or another email provider, you can personalize and automate your thank you emails. For instance, using Copper, you can quickly create a template for thank you emails:
In the example above, if youre sending a thank you email to customers who recently hit their one-year anniversary with you, use merge tags (the blue and green fields above) to automatically fill out certain details, like the customers name and company name. This is one of the multiple use cases of mail merging, so this feature will definitely come in handy more than once!
Automated, yet personalized. Magic.
How to write the perfect thank you note
Now that we know why customer thank you’s are so important, how can your biz actually make it happen? Writing the perfect thank you note usually comes down to the medium you’re using. Depending on the reason for saying thanks to your customer, there are a couple of different ways you can deliver it:
- By note: If its for a relatively minor thing, like thanking your customer for their feedback on your product.
- By letter: If it’s for a high-ticket client, or you need to make it a bit more serious.
- By email: If you want to keep it informal and fun.
Follow these quick tips to write better customer notes, full-on letters and thank you emails that get results.
Customer Appreciation Ideas for Your Business | The Journey
Why should you thank your clients for their business?
Taking the time to thank clients for their business can play a vital part in a company’s overall customer experience. Showing gratitude to your clients can help an organization build its brand, foster customer loyalty, earn referrals and ultimately optimize profitability.
How do you write a thank you note to a client?
If you have a history with a client, refer to past interactions. For example, a fitness trainer whose client just bought their friend a month of classes as a gift might write a thank you note mentioning how great their relationship has been. Share your experience. You likely have experience with the product a client has purchased.
How do you say thank you to a customer?
31. Thank you for your commitment to our company. You’re a valued customer to us. 32. It’s our pleasure to serve customers like you. Thank you for your recent business. 33. We’re honored to have customers like you. Thank you for your order. 34. Thank you for your purchase and your trust in [Company Name]. We are dedicated to serving you. 35.
How to send thank you messages to clients?
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.
