Landing a sale, subscription, or sign-up is always a reason to celebrate—but it’s not the end of the story with your new customer.
Right after someone makes the decision to take the next step with your brand, you need to be ready to say these words:
Thank you.
Thanking your customers is more than just politeness. It’s the first step toward turning a first-time customer into a repeat customer and building your brand’s loyal fanbase.
Why Thank You Matters
Your business depends on your customers. You wouldn’t be here without their support and patronage. Thank your customers for allowing you to be a part of their lives, to be the helpful guide in their hero’s journey.
And this isn’t just a piece of advice for Thanksgiving—you should be thanking your customers all year round.
Because saying thank you isn’t just courteous. Thanking your customers is good for business!
Taking the time to say thank you helps your customers feel seen and valued. Nobody wants to be treated like a number. A simple, genuine thank you gives your customers the assurance that you care about them, and it helps your brand seem more human. And that kind, human touch can make all the difference for your customers.
According to HubSpot, 74% of customers say they are loyal to brands not necessarily because of the special offers they receive, but because they feel appreciated by that brand. And loyal customers means better retention, word-of-mouth recommendations, and repeat business.
When to Say Thank You
Thank your customers often, and thank them from the heart.
Perhaps the most important time to thank a customer is after their first purchase. Set up a first-purchase email flow that begins with a heartfelt thank you message. Depending on your ESP and the ecommerce platform you use, you might add this thank you to the automated order confirmation you send out, or it might be a totally separate email.
But post-purchase emails aren’t the only time to thank your customers. Here are some other occasions when you can and should say thank you:
- After a visit to your store
- After subscribing to emails or SMS
- After they comment on your social media posts
- After they create a social media post tagging or featuring your business
- After they’ve left a review
- After they’ve called attention to an issue with your product or website
Even if a customer is reporting a problem they have with your brand, you should still thank them for bringing it to your attention. Not only can that simple thank you help smooth over tensions if your customer is frustrated, you should value their feedback, negative or positive. Any time a customer takes time out of their day to engage with your brand, it warrants a thank you.
Ways to Make Your Thank Yous Go the Extra Mile
Ready to give your customers meaningful thank you messages? Here are 6 ways you can say thank you to nurture your customer relationships—and build a base of loyal repeat customers.
Personalize your thank you messages. Use personalized language like the customer’s name for more of that human touch.
Get creative with your automated thank you and order confirmation emails. Try to avoid just using the phrase “thank you for your purchase,” but come up with a unique way to get the message across. Not sure where to start? You can refer to this list of 44 ideas from Shopify.
Add a handwritten note in packages. When packaging an order, slip in a handwritten, personalized note. Little touches like this will stand out to your customers by showing them that you care.
Give customers a post-purchase discount. Nothing says thank you quite like a limited-time 10% off coupon code! (This works best for businesses where customers might make several purchases in a short time frame.)
Throw in a sample or freebie. Consider putting a little bonus product in a customer’s order along with a thank you note. Explain that this gift is your way of showing your appreciation for their purchase. If they like the sample enough, they may make another purchase soon.
Respond to social media comments and reviews personally. We’ve all seen when businesses use the same “canned” responses on social media. When someone engages with your brand on social media, try to craft a unique response that specifically addresses their comment.
Need help implementing personalized, automated emails so you can thank your customers after every purchase? Not sure where to begin with setting up email flows for new subscribers, purchasers, or visitors to your website? Schedule a call with Sigl Creative. We’d love to help you nurture your brand’s relationship with customers, so you can build retention, gain referrals, and focus on giving your customers the best experience possible.