Catalog and Direct Selling: Say Thank You

18 ideas to build loyalty by thanking your customers

We’ve all been taught to be polite and to say thank you when people go out of their way on our behalf. So why is it that many companies have not transferred this desirable characteristic to their marketing plans?

Think about it. Your customers have trusted you. They’ve chosen to spend their hard-earned money with you—even in times of economic hardship. Have you taken the time and energy to thank them? Really thank them? For a thank-you to truly resonate, consider the following:

• It must be relevant and specific. The more generic your “thanks,” the less genuine it will appear.

• It must be noticeable—not a mere “thanks” under your breath, but a remarkable interruption in your customer’s day.

• It must be sincere. If your marketing materials can’t appear honest or your customer service reps (CSRs) can’t seem genuine, it’s a wasted effort.

To address these important points, a thank-you program should become an integral part of your marketing plans on both the customer acquisition and retention sides of the business.

Say Thanks to New Customers

When prospects buy from you, they essentially are saying, “I’m going to take a risk and spend money with your organization, even though I’m purchasing a product sight unseen. I trust that you will deliver on the promise.” Direct marketers should be very grateful for this trust. Without it, we wouldn’t be in business! New customers should be recognized and genuinely thanked. This practice will breed good will. Here are a few ideas on how to say thank you for that first order:

1) Upon ordering. The first contact you have with customers should be a pleasant experience for them. If customers are identified as new by a source code, tag them to get a special thank-you. Recognize them as first-time customers, making the transaction meaningful and relevant.