Remember thank you notes?
When we were young we were told to write them immediately after receiving a gift. Some of us can still remember a parent standing over us until the task was done. We were told “It’s good manners.” Flash forward to 2021. You send your grandchild or niece a check for their birthday. You see the check clear your checking account. You are irked when a thank you note/text/e-mail fails to arrive. Thank you notes make a statement.
Eleven Examples Where Thank You’s Can Lead To Business
There is a saying in the nonprofit world: “You can never thank a donor enough.” This is true for selling within the financial services industry.
1. Thank you for your referral. Your client has sent a friend in your direction. That person may (or may not) have become a client. (That’s part’s confidential.) Send a handwritten not to your client. Why? Because they made the effort. They believe in you enough to suggest your name. They are putting their own reputation on the line. Everyone likes to be thanked. By thanking them in writing, it encourages them to repeat their behavior.
2. Thank you for your gift to the community. It’s happened to me. I was at a museum reception and wanted to meet our local billionaire philanthropist. I walked over, used his name and said: “You don’t know me. I’m Bryce Sanders. I wanted to thank you for your sponsorship of this exhibition. Look at the crowds! You can tell people love it! How did you get interested in…” Wealthy people might have their guard up at public events, but who is going to be offended by a compliment?
3. Thank you for being a client. You are conducting a periodic portfolio review. Hopefully the results are good. Your client is well aware of what they are paying in fees. If you have flown on American Airlines, you’ve heard the recording “Thank you for choosing American. We realize you have a choice in air travel.” By thanking them for being a client, you are acknowledging the relationship has value and is important to you.
4. Thank you for making time available. You are meeting with a prospect. You’ve gone to them or vice versa. By thanking them for making time available, you are acknowledging their time has value. Look at it from the other point of view: When you pickup the phone and get a telemarketer who starts speaking immediately, you feel they think your time has no value. Thanking them for making time available allows you to lead into how much time this meeting will take.
5. Thank you for taking my advice. Clients have a choice. When you make a suggestion they can accept or reject it. Unless it’s a discretionary account, they need to give you the go ahead. When trust is built up, they often agree to whatever you suggest. Thanking them lets them know you appreciate the trust they have placed in you. It also provides the opportunity for you to explain why you feel they made a good choice.
6. Thank you for inviting me to dinner. You are invited to a client’s house for dinner. Maybe they aren’t a client. Perhaps they are a local influencer. Send a written thank you note afterwards. In days gone by, these were called “bread and butter” letters. Your host has made an effort to put a meal on the table. Sending a written thank you note acknowledges this is a “gift” they have given you.
7. Thank you for the wonderful gift. We are back to children getting checks. You know how you feel if no acknowledgement follows. Now you are hosting a holiday party. People don’t tend to arrive empty handed. They bring a “hostess gift.” Williams Sonoma, Pottery Barn and Crate and Barrel are three popular sources. Generally speaking, you don’t need to acknowledge each one. As wine fans, we have been fortunate to be on the receiving end of some rare bottles, brough as a house present. We make it a point to thank them profusely. Sending a note acknowledges you know they made a special effort.