News
 7
Ways to Say “Thank You”
By Bob Martel
What has happened to the lost art and etiquette of
thanking customers in some appropriate way? The
words ‘thank you’ create a magical effect on people,
much like hearing their own name properly spoken (or
spelled correctly in a mailing).
How well are you “touching the customer” after the
sale? Are you making a memorable and timely
impression that moves them along that coveted
lifetime value continuum? Are you doing anything
whatsoever to help the customer realize they made
the right purchase decision, and fight off those
dreaded post-purchase blues? Too many marketers
focus only on programs designed to acquire new
customers and they take existing customers for
granted. The benefits of a personalized thank you
program should be obvious yet very few marketers
budget ‘thank you’ into their plans.
Thanking your customers is a powerful strategy for
turning the one-time buyer into a longer-term
customer and a fountain of referrals. Try these
proven methods:
1. Thank high value customers: All customers are not
created equal. An annual handwritten thank you note
to your “top twenty percent” from the CEO is a smart
strategy.
2. Thank lost customers with a private “win back”
offer: A handwritten note to welcome them back, with
an irresistible offer works well. Reactivating past
customers is one of those forgotten fundamentals.
3. Thank and sell: A handwritten note with a
customizable gift certificate is a proven winner and
can move inventory or get a plant to capacity!
4. Thank with a gift: Induce reciprocity and
stimulate a sale or referral! A thank you gift works
wonders. Think high perceived value.
5. Thank and save the sale: Beat the cognitive
dissonance demons by reassuring the customer. Great
for any high ticket item. Offer an add-on sale while
you are at it!
6. Thank and cross-sell: A handwritten note to tell
your best customers about a new product or service,
with an offer unavailable elsewhere.
7. Thank the non-buyer: A handwritten note to the
non-buying prospect of a high ticket item can
influence a sale when the prospect is ready to
purchase.
Make ‘thank you’ a strategic and conscious component
in your marketing program and invest in the lifetime
value of the relationships you have already
established. The challenge, of course, is to
implement a timely and sincere thank you program at
a reasonable marketing cost. At the end of the day,
it’s all about direct marketing mathematics but
aren’t your best customers worth a couple of bucks
for you to show your sincere appreciation?
Bob Martel is a
marketing consultant and direct response copywriter.
He can be reached at (508)481-8383 or
bob@thanksabillion.com.
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