{"id":121147,"date":"2022-08-11T08:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T12:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/?p=121147"},"modified":"2023-11-10T06:27:19","modified_gmt":"2023-11-10T11:27:19","slug":"how-to-write-a-thank-you-email","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.constantcontact.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-thank-you-email\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a Thank-You Email"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Learning how to write a thank-you email is more than just good manners. It’s smart practice for any small business that wants to improve customer loyalty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little acknowledgment goes a long way to inspire repeat business or donations. When you show partners and patrons just how much you appreciate them, they’re more likely to invest in the relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You may have mastered the art of gratitude in your personal life, but the small business thank-you email is slightly different. It can be hard to strike the right balance between personal and professional. Here’s how to do it well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When should a small business send customers a thank-you email?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Small businesses depend on the goodwill of the community. You have to show appreciation to get it. Thank-you emails should celebrate new relationships and honor old ones — whether you’re a nonprofit or for-profit business. This means thanking customers after their first purchase or during business anniversaries or customer appreciation initiatives. It could also mean sending a thank you note to patrons after they’ve attended an event, donated, or volunteered. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to write a thank-you email<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are four key elements for how to write a thank-you email. While you can add your own flair, every message should include the following.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be personal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

No one likes to be addressed as “patron,” “friend,” “donor,” or — even worse — “user.” When writing a thank-you email, use the receiver’s first name. You can even personalize automated emails<\/a> so that they sound less, well, automated<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For big favors, you might want to add a line to your standard template that recognizes some aspect of their contribution or your shared experience. Include something that a computer couldn’t have generated so that the recipient feels your presence behind your words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say “Thank you”<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It may seem ridiculously obvious, but it’s important to explicitly say “thank you.”<\/em> Include those actual words in your message. There are many words you can use to express your gratitude — phrases such as “I really appreciate…”<\/em> — but the exact words “thank you”<\/em><\/a> have a particular affirming power. Make room for them in your email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be specific<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why are you thanking them? What did they do? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without context, thanks are hollow. You could as easily be thanking someone for passing you the salt as acknowledging a volunteer’s week of work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be specific. There’s also a difference between saying “thank you for volunteering your time” and “thank you for helping us organize our Christmas fundraiser.” The more narrowly you can target your thanks, the more genuinely recognized the recipient will feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Call to action (CTA)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is the big difference between professional and personal thank yous. When someone gives you a gift, you write a thank you and that concludes the exchange. It would be inappropriate to add a CTA: “Thank you for the lovely gravy boat. Click here<\/strong> to see the set of ladles I’d like for my birthday.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, in a small business thank-you email, you want to encourage the next step of the relationship. You might ask them to leave a review, tell friends about an ongoing fundraiser, or simply to return. In some cases, you can incentivize their loyalty<\/a> with special promotions or programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes it can be hard to find the right CTA. You don’t want to undermine your gratitude with a sales pitch that’s too aggressive. For example, a nonprofit’s thank you for Giving Tuesday contributions<\/a> needs to encourage ongoing support without immediately demanding more money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few potential CTAs to adapt for your own thank-you email:<\/p>\n\n\n\n