- Mary Foley
Turn Same-O-Lame-O Holiday Cards into Personal, Powerful Client Thank You’s
Want a simple, powerful way to create high-value conversations as you go into the holiday season...that may easily lead to more revenue?
Send out thank you cards, but not in a same-o-lame-o way. Here’s what I mean.
It’s Easier to Increase Revenue with Existing Clients than Find New Ones
It’s easier, cheaper and, frankly far more satisfying, to do repeat business with past and existing clients than to get new ones. Problem is, most entrepreneurs and business owners forget that and spend most of their marketing dollars on attracting newbies.
Hey, we all love new clients, but let’s not forget about the existing ones. Remember, YOU are an existing client to someone right now!
What every client wants is to be thanked and recognized.
Most people are so under appreciated that even a small, authentic gesture of gratefulness goes a long, LONG way. So much so that it may easily spark them to think about hiring you again or referring you to someone who would be “perfect for you.”
Leverage Your Thankfulness Without Being Same-O-Lame-O
I suggest sending all your clients a sincere card thanking them for trusting you to solve their problem, to take care of something important, or to simply be there.
But not in a same-o-lame-o way with everything pre-printed, including your signature. Those get ditched within 15 seconds.
I’m talking thank you cards on paper. In their postal box. Addressed personally to them.
These get opened, appreciated, and can lead to high-value conversations...that may easily lead to more revenue.
You don’t have to write them all by hand. But you do need a personal touch.
Here’s how to send thank you cards without taking a huge amount of time, but have the potential for huge impact:
Make a list of this year’s best clients. The ones who love you and you would like to clone. If you don’t have their postal address, look it up online or send them an email, text or online message asking for it. For example, “Quick question! What’s a good postal address for you? I have something special I want to send.”
Search online for a card with a graphic design (like Vistaprint, Shutterfly, Zazzle, or Staples) that truly matches your vibe and brand AND you can personalize with your photo. Make sure you’re smiling as if to say “Hey there!” Having your photo on the front or inside is a way of connecting person to person. If you have a team, do a group photo.
Include a heartfelt message about being thankful for THEM. “Thanks for being my client” is still all about you. Try something like “As I think about this year, I just wanted to thank YOU for trusting me/us to help you this year!” Yes, this is pre-printed, but it’s not all you will say so make sure your wording fits for everyone.
Add your business contact info on the BACK side (or insert your business card when sending), but leave the rest blank!
Once printed, take less than a minute to add an additional sentence about working with THEM this past year. Such as "I really enjoyed working in (fill in the blank" together this year!" or "Happy that helping you with (fill in the blank) made a real difference for you this year." Then personally sign and hand write the postal address on the envelope. This last part ensures your card will be opened with interest and anticipation!
Mail your cards BEFORE Thanksgiving, if possible, for maximum visibility and time for convos by year’s end. Make sure to respond to everyone who reaches out to you to thank. Consider asking them to hop on a call for a few minutes to ask them about how they see their year. Magic happens when you ask questions and show interest that few ever do.
Is all this worth it? Consider this: Let’s say you have 80 clients on your list. This process will take you about 2 – 3 hours total and cost less than $200 with postage. You could easily get 8 – 16 (10- 20%) response thanking you in return, which is an opportunity to reconnect and have a conversation about their current needs. And there’s revenue in them convos! That’s a small investment with a high potential reward.