Do you want to appreciate a client for their patronage? If YES, here is a sample template on how to write a thank you letter to a client for their business.
Appreciating your clients is one of the golden rules of business. Cashiers thank customers for stopping by the store. Pilots thank customers for flying with them. And websites thank customers for their purchase. Aside business, saying thank you is an important part of any social exchange. Saying thank you is so ingrained in our society that any degree of positive action often warrants some sort of thanks.
Why Thank your Client?
The reason behind our social obsession with thanking each other is the same reason why thanking your customers pays off: the rule of reciprocation. This rule is very simple and direct. When someone does something nice for us, we are programmed to want to return the favor.
If someone invites us to a party, we feel obliged to invite them to ours. And if a company takes the time to thank and nurture its relationship with us, we feel compelled to return the favor in how we spend our money.
Although a simple “thank you for your purchase!” on your website is unlikely to inspire lifelong loyalty, writing your customer a thank you letter is just the kind of personalized, thoughtful, and time consuming action that will inspire reciprocation — hopefully in the form of repeat business and word-of-mouth advertising.
There is value especially in a handwritten thank you note. If someone does something for you or gives you a gift, traditionally a note of thanks is sent to the giver to express your gratitude. You may be thinking “well this is 2022 and the internet has changed things.”
Yes, times have changed, but the conveniences of technology are really no excuse for not handwriting a note to express your gratitude. It may seem like a small thing, but it carries a big message of appreciation and gratitude more than any text ever has.
There is something old-fashioned and especially heartfelt about writing it down by hand for both the writer and the recipient. It is also the right thing to do and it can make the difference in getting the client. It serves as a keepsake. No one typically saves an email or a text but a letter, definitely! It shows you to be a thoughtful and appreciative person.
How to Write a Thank You Letter to Clients
Nurturing customer relationships is a crucial element of a successful business. There are a lot of ways to go about doing this, but it’s important to remember that small gestures can go a long way. Customers like to feel valued, and a simple, handwritten thank you letter displays how much you care about each and every one of your customers. Below is a guide on how to write thank you letters.
- Know the best communication medium
Even before you start to write your thank you letter, you should consider the best medium to use for the occasion. As a rule of thumb, handwritten notes are always more effective than emails or text messages. That’s because these notes take time to write, and if you are running a busy company you may not have time to write every thank you note by hand.
In this case, it’s more efficient to use email automation tools to thank your customers for their business. This way, you can save handwritten notes for instances that require above-and-beyond customer service.
- Be Timely
Have it in mind that clients value timely action, which is why the sooner you send your thank you letter, the better. A quickly sent thank you letter says that even though you are a busy person, you can take time out of your day to make your customer a priority.
It also ensures that your customer will actually remember the conversation or action that you are thanking them for. Sending a timely thank you letter to your customer isn’t only beneficial to them as the recipient: it’s also helpful for you as the writer.
When you send a thank you note promptly after an interaction, details of the exchange will still be fresh in your mind. That means you can write a more personalized, valuable thank you letter than you could were you to do so a week or two later. By sending a timely thank you letter, you are also ensuring you don’t forget to send it completely.
- Start With Appropriate Greetings
Your letter should start with an appropriate greeting. If you have a prior relationship with this person, then this greeting should be warm and courteous. Use their first name to create an inviting, friendly tone that reinforces the bond you have developed with them.
If you’re less familiar with this person, then your greeting should set a professional tone to the conversation. Address the recipient by their appropriate title and use an opening that appropriately fits your relationship with them.
- Be Short and Clear
Note that an excellent business thank you letter should be relatively brief and straight to the point. You want to say thank you without overwhelming your customer with information, or unsightly blocks of text. Try to steer away from longer letters if the situation (or your writing style) calls for it — just do your best to make sure that your thoughts are well-defined, meaningful and organized!
Make sure you include a specific detail that’s unique to your relationship with this customer to show that you pay close attention to each and every person. Your attention to detail in the thank you letter sets expectations for the entire relationship you’re building with the customer. They see how committed your company is to paying attention to the little things.
- Say Why You’re Thankful and Be Sincere
When telling your customer why you are thankful, remember specificity is key. Being specific in your thank you letter will naturally make the letter more personalized. People are great at sniffing out insincerity. We can sense it a mile away (and even perceive insincerity where there is none).
One great way to convey sincerity is to avoid self-promotional material in your letter. Another way to convey sincerity is via your tone and word choice. Don’t write a thank you letter to your customer that is overly formal or stuffy. Avoid generic statements that make your letter sound like you copy and pasted it.
- Talk Human to Human and Convey Warmth
One thank you letter from a real person is worth more than a billion automated ones. Greet your customer by name — never with “dear valued customer.” Connect with them as an individual, not as a company (companies are, after all, made up of people). You can do this by using the personal “I” rather than a corporate “we.”
Don’t be afraid to show emotion in your thank you letter — using an earnest, human tone can help you win big sincerity points. A big part of what makes a thank you letter truly valuable will be the amount of warmth it conveys. Being warm is all about being compassionate, open, and approachable. This too, you can achieve with the right words.
- Sign your thank you letter
Once you’ve wrapped things up with a friendly sign-off, be sure to sign your work. If you have a long-standing relationship with the recipient, just use your first name. This creates a more casual tone that develops a closer relationship with your customers or peers.
If you’re communicating with a new customer or an employer, add formality to your signature by including your last name. If you’re hand-writing your letter, sign the document in cursive for a more professional aesthetic.
- Have an Open Line of Communication
Always ensure you leave an open line of communication for further collaboration in the future. Something along the lines of, “If you have any feedback or questions in the future, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me” works well, but it can be customized to your specific situation.
Context is always helpful. For example, if a customer is having difficulties with technology integrations with your SaaS product, mention how your team is always available to assist them with troubleshooting integration issues.
A Sample Thank You Letter to Clients
- Sample 1
Dear Austin,
We at Bluesey band sincerely appreciate your business and welcome you to our long list of satisfied, respected and much valued customers. All our success at Bluesey Band comes from our customers’ continuous support and faith in our products and services, something we are committed to and would never sacrifice.
We will always strive to grow the satisfaction of our clients. In line with this strategy, we ask you to share with us your feedback at any time, be it positive or negative. There is always room for improvement; so if we can serve you better in anyway, please do inform us.
Looking forward to seeing you again
Martins, From Bluesey Band
- Sample 2
Dear Sandra,
Thank you for making City Safest your preferred transport company! We really look forward to helping you reach your destination safe and on time, protecting your properties and ensuring a comfortable ride.
If you have any questions moving forward, please don’t hesitate to reach out at any time. We’re always just a quick phone call or email away.
All the best,
Fred at City Safest Transport