Your Favorite Orange County Bookkeeper is here with a great idea on how to further build connections with your clients, customers, vendors, and employees. As we approach the holiday of Thanksgiving, it’s the perfect time to think about how we can use thank you notes in our businesses and lives to express our gratitude to others.
When to Say Thank You
Here are some of many opportunities in business to say thank you:
● When a client or associate sends you a referral that results in business
● When an employee goes out of their way to fix a problem or make a customer happy
● When a customer makes a large purchase
● When a vendor over-delivers
● When someone sends a gift
● After a speaking engagement or an event when someone has hosted you
● When someone provides advice that has been helpful, whether face to face or in a book
or article
● When someone does a favor or something nice that you’d like to reward
Keeping thank you notes top of mind will help you think of more opportunities to use them.
What to Say in Your Thank-You Note
You don’t have to be a professional writer to make your thank you note sound good. Just write from the heart and keep it simple with these three steps.
(1) Let the recipient know what you are thanking them for.
(2) Express a detail about the item or activity involved.
(3) And then thank them again.
Write a draft first that you can edit. Then transfer the version that you are happy with to your stationery. It adds a personal touch to hand-write your thank you note than to use a computer-generated one. Personalized stationery for thank you notes is recommended, if possible. This adds a formal and professional touch to your thank you note, enriching the experience for the recipient. Sending gift baskets can be a good idea, but sending a hand-written thank-you note
alone can be the most powerful action you can take, especially if it is not expected.
While many businesses send holiday cards each year, thank you notes can be far more powerful. Many businesses send out holiday cards and yours may get lost in the crowd. A thank you note establishes a more personal connection by acknowledging a specific event between you and the other party. If your budget is limited, you might want to replace your holiday mailing with thank- you notes throughout the year instead.
Something to be aware of: Do not make your thank you note into an advertising event for your company. If you want to send promotional items such as t-shirts, mugs, or other items, do NOT do it with your thank-you card. Sending thank you notes is not a marketing event; it’s a time for gratitude. Sending clients promotional items can be very welcome; just don’t do it at the same time.
Helping others feel gratitude is the fastest way to experience happiness. Sending thank you notes is not only good business, it’s good for our health and wellness, too.
Your Favorite Orange County Bookkeeper is wishing you wellness this holiday season!
