The Money-Making Power of Two Simple Words

Kethyr's CAMEL Report
St. Petersburg, Russia
Wednesday, October 1, 2008

---------------------

Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone.
— G.B. Stern

Today I'm going to share with you a business-building technique that is extremely powerful, yet almost totally overlooked (or used improperly).

It's simply… saying "thank you" to your customers.

You might be thinking, "Saying thank you to customers for their business is not any big secret. What are you trying to pull here?"

Just hold onto your proverbial horses, and I think you'll see how wonderful this can be.

You may already be sending out some kind of a thank-you note to your customers — maybe even one with a special offer attached to it. But unless you have a strategic use for the sales those notes generate, it's usually not worth it to send them out. Remember, you want to elicit direct actions from your customers… The stuff that results in dollars being directly deposited into your account.

Allow me to show you what I'm talking about…

A little while back, I completed a workshop titled Learn to Use the Internet to Get Your Business Online. Given the attendees invested their time and money to learn more about this subject, I believed them to be valuable prospects for some of Kethyr Solutions' other Internet marketing programs and services.

Now, as you may already know, a customer is a better prospect for another similar product or service right after they make a purchase than if you wait weeks or months to contact them. Which means that the sooner you contact a customer to thank them (and offer them something else), the better.

So when the Learn to Use the Internet workshop was over, I sent all the attendees who initially signed up a simple postcard. When I say simple, I mean it. I did it with a service called "Amazing Mail" (http://www.amazingmail.com) that sends out color postcards for you for around a buck a card. (Of course, that's more expensive than mailing your own postcards that you have printed locally. But with this service you can do it with just the click of a mouse. And you can do only one postcard, if that's all you want.)

It was very cool and only took me about 10 minutes to get the postcards out. I just picked one of their pre-done designs — one with a colorful sky scene that said "Thanks" across the top. And then, on the back, I wrote this:

"Thanks so much for being part of the recently completed Learn to Use the Internet to Get Your Business Online course. I really hope you got a lot out of it. In fact, I learned a lot just by providing the presentation and interacting with all of the wonderful guests!

"Now, as a special thank you, I want to give you a discount on Kethyr Solutions' upgraded and expanded Website design and marketing services. With our newly designed and customizable Website templates, our powerful Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services, and our ability to create content for your Website that effectively engages your prospects and turns them into paying clients, there truly is no easier way to succeed online!

"Just type this special link into your Internet browser's address bar to receive a 20% discount on our Website design and marketing services: XXXXXXXXXX

"Thanks again, and all my best, Sean"

Could it be any easier?

I don't think so. It cost me right around $65 to send out 65 thank-you postcards. And I wound up making three sales totaling $3,000. Figuring in my costs to fulfill the products and services, I made around $1,400. That's more than a 2,000 percent return on my money. Not bad for something that took around 10 minutes!

Ready to try your own thank-you postcard to make more sales? Here's a little template almost any business can use…

"Thanks so much for {your recent purchase of _____, taking part in _____, having your gutters cleaned, etc.}. I really hope you _____. {Say something about the benefit your product/service provides.}

"Now, as a special thank you, I want to give you a discount on a terrific new product/service we've recently released, _____. {Give the name of the product/service, and add just a sentence or two about it.}

"Here's how you can get your $XX savings: {Give instructions on how the customer can get the deal — by going to a Website address, calling a specific number, etc. What action do they need to take?}"

Thank-you notes like this work well for several fundamental reasons.

First, they make your customers feel appreciated. By thanking them, you're showing that you really do care about their business. And, as someone once remarked, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care."

Second, thank-you notes that include a discount or other deal trigger a feeling of obligation in your customer. By giving them something (that's for real), they want to reciprocate by buying something.

Finally, they work because of a solid direct-marketing principle: "A buyer is a buyer is a buyer."

Here are five easy steps you can take to use thank-you notes to build your business:

1. Right now, gather up the names of your best customers — those who just bought something from you. They are excellent prospects for another one of your products/services.
    
2. Create a simple spreadsheet file with their names and addresses.
    
3. Come up with a preferential deal you can offer them.
    
4. Go to amazingmail.com and sign up for an account.
    
5. Send these customers a simple postcard using the template above.

Don't just add this to your to-do list… Get started today! You'll be thanking yourself as soon as you realize how easy and powerful this often-overlooked business-building technique really is!

Yours in success,

Sean Eric Armstrong
Kethyr's CAMEL Report

P.S. As our way of saying "thank you" to all of our subscribers, from now through the end of the year Kethyr's CAMEL Report is offering a bonus to all of our subscribers who refer others to this publication. All you need to do is recommend five confirmed subscribers before the end of 2008 and you'll receive $100 off any Kethyr Solutions product or service. There is no black-out date on the use of your $100 discount and this offer is retroactive, so if you referred subscribers earlier this year just let us know who they are by sending an e-mail to promotions@kethyr.com. Again, just our way of saying "thank you" for sharing!

P.P.S. Because there are so many marketing strategies we'd like to share with you to help you grow your business, beginning this month Kethyr's CAMEL Report will be published on a bi-weekly basis as opposed to once per month. You will continue to receive your copy of Kethyr's CAMEL Report on the 1st of each month as well as a new issue around the 15th of every month… So be on the lookout for the next newsletter to be distributed in a couple of weeks as we continue last month's discussion on the effective use of testimonials. Thanks again and all our best!

[ Back to Top ]