The power of the simple “thank you” is overwhelming - yet in our hurried, busy days, this basic gesture often goes overlooked.  Or worse yet, businesses have so many clients (or not enough time) that they rush out a pre-formatted “thanks for your business from the whole Acme Team” - which is meaningless to the receiver.

Want your business to stand out from all your competitors?  Even if you don’t have a lot of time - or if you have a lot of clients - this is the simplest, fastest way to let your customers know that you really do care. Here’s how to write a thank you letter that gets noticed and gets you remembered over all the rest. 

1. Write it yourself - If you have poor handwriting, have a coworker write it.  Handwritten letters or cards make an outstanding impression on a client.  There are even computer fonts that resemble handwriting - but people are becoming more and more aware of these, so they’ll spot a “fake” quite easily as all the letters look the same.

2. Make sure the note is from a real person - It’s great that your company fosters a team spirit.  However in this case, a thank you note from an actual person - for example, the mechanic who fixed the car or the dentist who gave the checkup, will be much more well-received than a broad blanket “thanks from all of us!” statement.

3. Mention something specific or personal - It could be as simple as a discussion you had with the client before the service took place. Anything to let them know you remember something about their life or their day is incredibly valuable to them.

It could be something as simple as, “I’m glad to hear that your son Joey made captain of the football team this year. I’m sure you’re very proud!”  As you can see, a parent receiving this note would be impressed that you remembered the conversation - and these positive feelings will filter back into your company.

4. Finally, write the thank you note immediately after seeing or speaking with the person, if you can. This helps keep their conversation fresh in your mind. If you need to, write a few notes about your discussion in the margins or on a sticky note with the client’s name for follow-up as soon as you can do it.

Overall, thank you notes can be an inexpensive but high quality marketing technique to add to your business.  Let your personality and unique flair come through in your writing and your company is sure to be remembered time and time again for that “extra step” you took to win the client over.  All the best!