It’s the easiest, cheaper, most time-effective way to build loyalty in your consignors, sellers, donors and customers. Write thank-you notes. Several a day. Every day. Nothing beats a handwritten personalized note from a merchant for advertising, and for building loyalty, repeat visits and astounding word of mouth.
But it’s also the most widely-ignored advice I have ever had the pleasure of offering.
I finally figured out why.
12 tips for writing sweet notes
Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, thank yous – so many occasions call for writing a nice note. Read the tips below and spread sweetness and light through pen and paper.
- Refer to something special about the person or your relationship
-
In any type of writing, specific works better than general. If you want to tell your teacher, “Your English class rocked,” then be sure to add, “Who knew I could identify with both Chaucer and Alice Walker?”
- Be honest
-
Say what you mean. If you’re at a loss for what to say, take a moment to think about what you really feel. Sincerity basically writes its own material. Here’s an example: “You always find a way to make me laugh. Thank you for being you.”
- Make joyful reference to the future
-
I usually like to express some hope about the future, or say that I am looking forward to something. For example, I might write, “Hope to see you again soon,” or “Looking forward to our next visit.” It’s nice to imagine something delightful in the near future.
- Mention any gift
-
If the note accompanies a [coupon], you may want to mention why you think the recipient will enjoy it. Again, this shows that you are thinking about this person, and even if you turn out to be wrong about what he or she enjoys, people always like to know that someone is thinking about them.
- Be brief
-
Short and sweet is good.
- Don’t repeat yourself
-
Check for repeats. If you find some, think of other ways you could say a similar thing. For example, “nice,” “lovely,” “wonderful,” “delightful,” etc., could all be used, as could “wish,” “hope,” “look forward,” and “can’t wait.”
- Sign off
-
“Best,” “All the best,” “Wishing you the best,” “Yours,” “yours truly,” whatever fits your note.
More on the benefits of writing honest-to-goodness handwritten notes. The post’s almost 5 years old by now, and imagine your success if you’d listened to me the first time.
Photo from sophiesfavors.com
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
[…] Want to write notes, but don’t know what to say? Read You Can Do It. […]
I love your blog by the way! Informative and entertaining! Keep up the great work, Auntie Kate!
I agree! Nothing beats traditional Thank-You notes. Even a brief one helps build long-term relationships. Keep it fun by using cute cards and stationary! I love personalizing my own stationary!
We write thank you post cards to every consignor, and new customers. Our existing customers get a card if they need a warm fuzzy. It is the BEST word of mouth advertising we have ever done. I noticed that our sales had fallen off and in checking the numbers the biggest difference were the post cards. i had run out of them and not taken time to order. They are back in stock and we are mailing on a daily basis. The trick is not to wait and do a large batch at one time. it is too daunting, we do them during our slow time in the afternoon. Works great!
I have taken your advice on writing TY notes, Kate, to both customers and consigners (those bringing in premium merchandise) and have been very pleasantly surprised at how well they are received. I find recipients who are customers come back very soon, shop, and thank ME for my note and thoughtfulness. They also tell others about it and send their friends. Consigners that I write to take the time to scour their closets and find the best things to bring in. A win-win all around!
And doesn’t it give everyone involved the warm fuzzies? Increasing the world population of warm fuzzies is great. That’s one global warming WE NEED.