Never pass up opportunities to send thank you letters or notes to your customers. Simply feeling appreciated can go a long way in developing customer loyalty. When was the last time you received a thank you from a business? It doesn't happen often, meaning it's an easy, inexpensive way to set your business apart.

• A "thank you" note is more personal than a "thank you" letter. For greatest impact, send a hand-written thank you note. If you don't have time or don't feel your handwriting is legible, a typed thank you letter is better than none at all.

• Always send a thank you note or letter to new customers. Set the groundwork for future relationships. Let them know they are valued and how to reach you
  for future business. Put a face on your company. Give them your name (or another contact person), phone, email and web site address.

• You can also send thank you's for a large purchase or to recognize loyalty. When you have a long-time customer or someone who buys from you often, surprise him or her on occasion with a "thank you."

• If you're sending thank you letters or notes following a customer contact, send them within a few days of the contact. Your "thank you" will have greater impact if the customer receives it right away.

• To position yourself as a sincere business, don't combine thank you letters with a sales pitch. There's nothing wrong with offering to be of future assistance and then following up later with an actual sales letter, but don't try to combine the two.

• As with all business letters, write your thank you letter in a conversational tone. Keep it simple and to the point. Don't go overboard with "corporate speak" or flowery language.

Write An Effective Thank You Letter

First Paragraph. Get right to the point thanking the customer. Don't say, "I am writing to thank you for. . ." The person knows you are writing. Just start with, "Thank you for. . ."

Thank you for being a new customer of Breathe Easy Duct Cleaning. We're glad you have chosen us to provide better air quality for you and your family.

Second Paragraph. Say why the customer, or the customer's action, is appreciated. Provide any special offers to encourage future business.

We know you have many options when choosing an air duct cleaning company. That's why we value the trust you have placed in us and will do all we can to maintain your confidence. As a special thank you, we have enclosed a 10% discount for future services.

Final Paragraph. Close by stating your hope to continue serving the customer in the future. Provide contact information.

We look forward to serving you in the future, with additional duct cleaning or other services listed in our enclosed brochure. When we can assist you, please call us at 555-345-7843 or email us at brcleaning@brcleaning.net.

Use These Samples to Get Started

More Helpful Tips

• Decide if you want generic thank you cards or some printed with your logo. Personally, I prefer everything a company sends out carry the company logo.

• An idea I have used is to print plain, white notecards with a one-color company logo on the front. With nothing pre-printed on the inside, you can use them for hand-written thank you's, congratulations or other relationship-building messages.

• You can print these on your personal printer, but more than likely your quantity will be too great. If so, get price quotes from a commercial printer. For the plain, white notecards with a company logo, I have seen prices from .15 to .40 a card.

• Check with a local printer, but don't forget the convenience (and often cost-savings) of working with someone online. Following are three companies you can check into. I have personally used Posty Cards and Vista Print with satisfaction.

  Posty Cards
  Vista Print
  My Print Shop Online