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How Do I Thank Thee? Here's a Whole Bunch of Ways!
You'll find no better way to foster good relationships with customers, suppliers, and even competitors than to say, "Thank you." This isn't Miss Manners talking; this is good business sense, plain and simple.
A key component to a successful marketing plan is a follow-up strategy, and saying thank you is crucial to follow-up. Follow-up not only shows your customers you care and want them to come back, but also encourages them to spread the word about your business through word-of-mouth advertising -- probably one of the most successful forms of advertising. So invest a little in saying thanks, and you'll get a lot in return!
Here's a bunch of ways to say thank you. If you know of others that have worked for your business, post them in Idea Cafe's CyberSchmooz so other Idea Cafe regulars can try them.
Your quickest solution is to email a THANK YOU AWARD. It's a great fun way to acknowledge someone, and so quick you'll have it sent in a fat nanosecond.You can do this right now. Go check out the options at Idea Cafe Awards, fill in the one you want to send, and within seconds from now your lucky recipient will get an email that he's received an award. He just clicks back to view it, plus he can print it out and put it up. All ASAP!
Or, You can print out a card from the Web right now to give or mail. Fire up your color DeskJet and print out "Thanks for Your Business," or "Thanks for Your Time." The minute or two you spend will go along way in showing somebody you appreciate their working with you.
Or go the traditional route and send a card or letter by snail mail. Fortunately today even Hallmark has business-oriented cards you can send. Or send EXECARDS®, the original business-to-business cards.
How about a follow-up phone call to say thanks. Getting on the phone with a customer or client can sometimes be scary, but if done right, it can secure a repeat customer, and get referrals to other customers. In addition to saying thanks, try asking how the customer liked the product after taking it home. Did it work as expected? Could you have done something to make ordering, paying for, or delivering the product easier? If you're in a service business, was the client pleased with the service? Would they recommend you to someone else? Do they know of anyone who could use a service like yours? If you're nervous about making phone calls, read networking maven Susan RoAne's Phone Savvy Secrets from Idea Cafe's Fridge for some pointers.
Offer a discount off the next purchase. This is a great way to keep customers coming back for more. Along with a thank-you card, send a coupon. Or you could send a classy invitation to your upcoming sale -- much more personal than letting your client read about it in the paper. If you provide a service, offer a 2-for-1 special that would encourage your customer to bring a friend -- who could become another regular customer!
Send a thank-you gift. A thank-you gift can be as simple as a pen with your name and logo on it, or as classy as a gift certificate to a restaurant, usually depending on how much business your client brings you. Maybe someday you'll be big enough to offer your biggest clients box seats to the Super Bowl, but for now you'll want to keep it small, and within your marketing budget. And that's where these thank-you items should go on your books -- a follow-up strategy is essential to your marketing plan.
For more tips on developing a follow-up plan, read A Follow-Up Policy Is Something to Count On from the Fridge. And, hey, thanks for reading this!
More resources for online greeting cards: eGreetings and Blue Mountain Arts
For traditional cards: EXECARDS® phone 800-228-2275 for a catalog and samples.
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