Why is Customer Appreciation So Important?

If a company doesn’t value its loyal customer base, it risks losing them to competitors, since customers who don’t feel appreciated and well-treated are more likely to leave.

Customers appreciate businesses that appreciate them because it leads to greater loyalty. The more you value your customers, the more likely they are to do business with you again in the future.

It also builds relationships and stronger consumer support which are both important. Every business wants repeat customers, and satisfied customers will keep coming back.

When a company shows customer appreciation, it’s showing it’s willing to do everything in its power to satisfy them. Engaging with customers and treating every interaction with them as valuable establishes a relationship of mutual respect.

According to American Express, “Everyone likes to feel valued. Customers are no different. It’s important to remember, however, that when it comes to customer appreciation, sincerity trumps gimmicks. Customer appreciation initiatives that are driven by a genuine desire to please your customers can be very successful. Real appreciation stems from a feeling that we truly care for our customers. It’s a sign of genuine gratitude for their business.”

What About Sending Handwritten Notes at Scale?

The idea of sending handwritten notes at scale for a customer appreciation strategy is amazing, but trying to do so by hand is a moot point. Let’s take a little scenario into consideration.

Cost of Writing Handwritten Notes by Hand 

John Smith is a real estate agent who wants to send handwritten notes for customer appreciation to the 200 clients who closed on a home with his brokerage in the past year. He already has the names and addresses, he just needs the notes so he hires a worker for $15 an hour to write notes. 

After three hours John checks on the worker and they’ve completed nine handwritten notes. That means it takes about 20 minutes to prepare, write, address, and stamp each one. Of course, some time is spent on bathroom stops, breaks, and interruptions, which is to be expected. 

At the rate of 20 minutes per note, it would take that worker 67 hours to complete 200 handwritten notes for customer appreciation. That’s nearly two weeks, so hopefully, there’s no urgency with the campaign. But the real kicker is the cost. 

Payroll: 67hr X $15 = $1005

Materials: 200 X $1 = $200

Stamps: 200 X $0.55 = $110

________________________

Total cost: $1315

Handwritten notes services tend to charge between $2 and $5+ per note. Let’s average that out to $3 for the example. At that rate, 200 handwritten notes for customer appreciation would cost $600. 

You could send double – 400 handwritten notes for customer appreciation – for less than 200 written on your own.

A Handwritten Notes Service is Faster Than Manual Writing

Going back to our example, it would take 67 hours to write those 200 handwritten notes, but less than two days when using a quality handwritten notes service. Turnaround time is critical for many marketing campaigns. 

For instance, if Charlie’s Candy Corner runs a sale on swag, the owner may want to send a customer appreciation note to everyone who ordered from the shop that day. Event-triggered handwritten notes need to be sent very soon after the event to ensure the customer remembers what you’re referring to and so they don’t feel like an afterthought. 

AI-Driven Handwritten Notes are Mostly Error-Free

We say “mostly” error-free because the best handwritten mail providers program handwriting robots to write small differences in characters and spacing. Partner that with precise pressure, slant, and flow and the tell-tale imprint of pen on paper and the authenticity of the notes for customer appreciation skyrockets.

Handwritten Notes Are Opened and Read Much More Frequently

Rarely do we see handwritten communications. So, it comes as no surprise that handwritten notes have a higher than average open rate. According to some estimates, 98 percent of these personalized messages are opened. That’s 98 out of 100 handwritten notes for customer appreciation. 

Now, the email open and read rate comes nowhere near that of handwritten notes. Across nearly all industries, the maximum is less than 30 percent.

People Keep and Display Handwritten Notes

We’re always up for some free marketing, especially marketing that’s considered wildly effective. Word-of-mouth marketing describes when someone interacts with your company because of something someone told them – likely a friend or family member, maybe social media “friends,” as well.

When a customer opens a handwritten note with an amazing graphic and a personalized message they tend to display those notes. Maybe it’s attached to the refrigerator or sitting on an end table or kitchen island. As people walk by, they’ll take notice and either ask the customer about it or search your company online. 

What to Look for in a Handwritten Notes Provider

There are hundreds of things to look for in any service provider, but these six are at the top of the list for handwritten notes services.

• Thick cards & handwritten envelopes.

Paper quality directly reflects how important the loyal customer is to your company. If you send thin, bendy paper, that screams cheap. High-quality card stock for handwritten notes should come in at 100- to 110-lb paper weight. As Modern Mrs Darcy puts it, “Good stationery is whatever kind of stationery carries your message the best.” And, “traditionally, good stationery is made of heavy cardstock.”

• Real ink pens.

We’ve found some handwritten note services use ultra-fine tip markers. The end result is a crisp, clean note, no doubt, but the marker doesn’t smudge. Using real ink pens is another small detail that can impact an entire customer appreciation campaign. The way your customers will see it – no smudging means it’s not a real handwritten note. 

• Up-front pricing.

To put it simply, the total cost of handwritten notes for customer appreciation needs to be presented up front and in its entirety. Any handwritten mail service that hides fees and surcharges until the checkout page is choosing poor business practices. It’s just not a trustworthy choice.

• Five to 10 handwriting styles.

There are 330 million people in the United States and 330 million ways of writing. While no handwritten notes service can offer that many handwriting styles, it’s critical for a company to offer more than one or two. 

• Hand-applied postage.

Hand-applied postage is another small detail that increases the likelihood of the customer opening and reading the note, but why? The handwritten note is carefully protected by the envelope. It’s the envelope that needs to convince the recipient to open the message. 

As mentioned earlier, handwritten envelopes are key, but if they’re partnered with digital printed postage the entire campaign is tainted. Digital postage looks like junk mail so it ends up in the trash. But, when an authentic USPS Forever stamp is used it means someone took the time to affix the postage. One more personal touch to grow the bond between customer and brand.

• Respectable turnaround time.

In the handwritten notes business, the fastest isn’t always the best choice. You want a service that offers fast turnaround times while maintaining the high-quality needed to maximize your campaign’s results. There’s no right turnaround time, but it should be measured in days, not weeks.

Customer Appreciation: Handwritten Notes Samples & Templates

To make things all the easier, we’ve created handwritten notes for customer appreciation samples and templates. Consider these customer appreciation ideas. Use these as-is or change them to help the message feel more personal. 

Thank You For Your Order

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Thank you for your recent purchase! We’re excited to have you as a part of our community and we can’t wait to see how you use our product.

We’d love to get to know you better and learn about your experience. Please take a few minutes to complete this survey so we can improve our product and serve you better in the future.

Thanks for being a great customer. We hope you’re happy with your purchase!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Thank you for your order! We’re excited to get started on your project.

In order to ensure we deliver the best product possible, we’d love to ask you a few questions about your needs. Could you please take a moment to fill out our brief survey? It will help us understand your requirements and deliver a better product.

Thanks in advance,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hello FIRST_NAME!

Thank you for your recent purchase from our store! We’re so glad you chose to shop with us, and we appreciate your business.

If there’s anything we can do to help make your shopping experience better, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We want to make sure you’re happy with your purchase and that you’ll come back and shop with us again in the future.

Thanks again, and have a great day!

YOUR_NAME

_____

Thanks for ordering from us, FIRST_NAME!

We’re excited to get your order delivered to you as soon as possible.

In the meantime, we wanted to let you know about some of the great benefits of being a customer of ours.

Our customers have told us time and time again that they appreciate our fast shipping, excellent customer service, and wide selection of products.

We hope you enjoy your experience with us as much as our other customers have.

Thanks again,

YOUR_NAME!

Rewards Program

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Do you like getting free stuff? Who doesn’t! Well, I have some great news. Our company has a rewards program that gives our customers free stuff just for being awesome.

How it works is pretty simple. For every purchase you make, you earn points that can be exchanged for free products. And we have a ton of different types of freebies to choose from.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for our free rewards program today and start earning points towards free products or services!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Thank you for your continued support of our business. We truly appreciate it!

In appreciation of your loyalty, we’re excited to offer you a new rewards program. Our rewards program is designed to give you more value for your loyalty. You can now earn points every time you make a purchase and redeem them for discounts on future orders.

We hope you take advantage of this free program and enjoy the benefits it provides. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. Thank you again for your support!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Do you like getting rewarded for your loyalty?

Most people do! That’s why we’ve created a free rewards program that gives our customers special benefits for shopping with us.

For every dollar you spend, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for discounts on future purchases. We also offer exclusive deals and coupons to members only.

It’s free to sign up and there are no limits on how many points you can earn. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today and start earning rewards!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hey FIRST_NAME,

Welcome to our rewards program! Our mission is simple: to provide you with the best customer experience possible.

How do we do this? We offer a loyalty program that rewards you for your purchases. You can earn points on every purchase which can be redeemed for discounts and freebies.

We also have a Refer-A-Friend program which gives you and your friends $10 off when they make their first purchase!

What are you waiting for? Join today and start earning rewards! Thank you for being a valued customer.

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

Holidays & Birthdays

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Hope all is well with you. It’s your birthday month and I wanted to take a moment to express my best wishes for a wonderful year ahead. Birthdays are a time to reflect on the past year and set new intentions for the coming one. May this next year be filled with health, happiness, and all the joy you deserve!

I’m so glad you’re part of our community and I hope you know how much we appreciate YOU. 

Wishing you all the best on your special day,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Happy birthday month! We hope you’re doing amazing!.

We wanted to take a moment and send you a handwritten note to say happy birthday and to let you know how much we appreciate your business. It means a lot that you’ve chosen to shop with us, and we’re grateful for your support.

We hope you have a fantastic day, and we look forward to serving you again in the future. Thank you for being such a valued customer!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hi FIRST_NAME,

Hope you’re having a great day. We wanted to take a moment and say happy birthday. We hope this year has been good to you so far and that it only gets better from here on out. Thanks for being a part of our community!

Sincerely,

YOUR_NAME

_____

Hey FIRST_NAME,

Happy birthday month! We hope you’re having a wonderful day.

Since you’re celebrating your birthday, we wanted to give you a special offer. Use the code BIRTHDAY at checkout and get 50% off your purchase!

We hope you enjoy your special day. Thank you for choosing to be a customer.

Yours truly,

YOUR_NAME

Taking One Last Look at Handwritten Notes for Customer Appreciation

When you want to use handwritten notes for customer appreciation remember to choose a service that offers fast turnaround times and superb quality output.

Make sure they use thick card stock, handwrite the envelopes, and affix an authentic Forever stamp. And don’t forget the real ink pen that smudges. 

Customer appreciation is a bonding experience. The recipient bonds with your company just a little bit more when they receive a handwritten note and customer experience points shoot off the scale.

Marketing with handwritten notes is just one of those things no company should pass up.