How to Send a Small Business Thank You Message to Customers (+ Templates)

If you want to send a small business thank you message to customers but aren’t sure where to start, this guide is here to help.

In this guide, we’ll cover the following:

• The benefits of sending a small business thank you message to customers.
• What to include in your thank you message (with examples).
• How to send a small business thank you message to customers with three different methods.

Sending an appreciation message to customers who’ve purchased something from your ecommerce store is a worthwhile technique for many reasons.

First, let’s take a look at these benefits in a little detail.

Why send a thank you message to customers as a small business

You may think that sending a small business thank you message to customers is a small gesture. But actually, it comes with some huge benefits for both store owners and valued customers.

It improves your customer experience

Thank you messages make customers feel valued and appreciated, improving their overall experience with your brand.

These personalized thank you messages, no matter in what form, are that added cherry on top of the cake and have a bigger impact than you think.

This positive reinforcement can turn a one-time purchase into a lasting relationship.

They increase customer loyalty

Personalized appreciation can create a stronger emotional connections between customers and your business, increasing loyalty.

A thank you message, especially if written with care, will remind customers that your business, is run by people who care about them.

Loyal customers are more likely to make repeat purchases and become brand advocates.

It encourages word-of-mouth marketing

Happy customers are more likely to share their positive experiences with friends and family or on social media. Effectively becoming ambassadors for your brand.

Word-of-mouth marketing is both powerful and cost-effective. Adding a thank you message to your ecommerce experience in some shape or form, will lend a hand in making this possible.

They boost customer engagement

Thank you messages are a great way to continue engagement with customers even after they’ve purchased something from your store.

They can include invitations for feedback, suggestions, or to join a loyalty program, providing opportunities for further engagement.

They encourage repeat business

Just by being there, small business thank you messages remind customers that your purchase means something and has an impact. This alone helps customers connect to you as a small business for repeat purchases.

Including special offers or discounts in your thank you messages can also incentivize customers to make another purchase, directly influencing your business’s bottom line.

📈 A study in 2022 found that even a photocopy of a handwritten note meant that customers spent double on future purchases (and this is without a discount).

So now we know the benefits of sending thank you messages to your customers. Next, let’s take a look at some of the things you should include in them.

What to include in your small business thank you message to customers

No matter what kind of thank you message you send to customers (digital or printed), there are some common things you might want to include.

In this section we’ll outline some of the things you might want to include or do within your thank you message.

1. Be personal: Address the customer by name to make the message feel personal and genuine.
2. Express gratitude: Clearly state your thanks and let the customer know how much you appreciate their support.
3. Highlight specifics: If possible, mention specific details about their purchase or interaction with your business
4. Include a personal touch: Share a bit about your business journey or how their support helps, to create a personal connection.
5. (Optional) Offer something extra: Consider including a special offer or discount as a token of your appreciation. You don’t always have to do this though, experiment and see what works.
6. Keep it brief: Your message should be concise yet heartfelt, respecting the customer’s time.
7. Choose the right medium: Whether it’s an email, handwritten note, social media shoutout, or text message, choose a medium that fits your business style and customer preferences. We’ll talk a little more about this later.

With all this in mind, here are a few templates you can use as a basis for your small business thank you message to customers.

Thank you message examples/templates

The following examples should be customized depending on your business means and needs. Not all of these will work for you. But, they will give you some inspiration to put together your own thank you message for customers.

Small business specific:

For a recent purchase:

New customers/first purchase:

Repeat customer appreciation:

High-value purchase thank you:

Feedback thank you message:

So by now you should have a good idea of what you want to include in your small business thank you message to customers. Next, we’ll walk you through some ways to actually send it.

How to send a small business thank you message to customers

Depending on the type of products you sell, or the kind of resources you have, there are different ways to send your thank you message.

In this section we’ll explore three of them.

Add thank you message to your order confirmation page

When running an online store, one of the most immediate ways you can show customer appreciation, is on the order confirmation or order thank you page.

This page on your ecommerce site is usually reserved for confirming delivery, payment, and customer details. But if used well, it can also be a valuable location to thank customers.

If your website uses WordPress and WooCommerce, you can do this with the plugin Flux Checkout for WooCommerce.

How to add a thank you message with Flux Checkout for WooCommerce

Flux Checkout transforms the default WooCommerce checkout page and turns it into a modern, fast, and multi-step checkout that’s completely customizable.

Within this customization, you can go the extra mile and add a custom thank you messages for your customers.

This can be done either by setting one that shows no matter what the customer buys. Or, you can create different thank you messages depending on what products the customer bought, how much they spent, and more.

Even if you decide to send a thank you message within your product packaging, adding one to your thank you page, is worthwhile.

In this location, you can show gratitude to the customer, as well as offer support, ask for feedback, encourage social media following, and so much more.

Add a thank you message to your order update emails

Once a customer has purchased something from your ecommerce store, the next best place to say thank you, is via email.

Your online store’s transactional emails are a great place to get personal and give a heartfelt thanks to your customers.

Within these emails, you can add text that thanks customers for their purchase, encourages them to purchase new products, and sets them up for future emails from you.

Because email is such a valuable source of marketing for small business owners, using it in this way has a huge impact.

How to add thank you messages to transactional emails

Depending on what tools you use for your online store (WordPress, Squarespace, Wix etc), you should be able to edit your transactional email templates.

Use these to add a simple and straightforward message to cutomers like the examples above. Because these emails are transactional however, customers may decide to ignore them.

In this case, it’s a good idea to set up email automations using services like MailChimp, or MailerLite to send customers post-purchase emails, thanking customers for their purchase.

Here are some tips for doing this well:

• Personalize your message: Use the customer’s name and reference their specific purchase to make the interaction feel unique.
• Be timely and relevant: Send the thank you message promptly and align follow-up messages with the customer journey.
• Keep it simple and sincere: Your message should be straightforward, avoiding overly promotional content.
• Offer value: Provide a discount, free shipping, a small gift, or useful content related to their purchase.
• Encourage further engagement: Invite customers to join your social media or newsletter for exclusive deals.
• Keep the conversation going: Inform them about what to expect next and how to provide feedback, or get customer support.
• Reflect your brand voice: Ensure the thank you message matches your brand’s personality.
• Test and optimize: Experiment with different messages and monitor metrics to see what works best.

Send a small business thank you message in your packaging

If you’re able to, sending a small business thank you message to customers within your packaging is perhaps the most personal.

This method allows customers to truly connect with you as a small business or individual business owner. You can use this to show appreciation for your customers and due to this connection, you’ll build lasting customer relationships.

So here are some tips specifically for packaging thank you messages or thank you cards.

Personalize it

Whenever possible, personalize the message with the customer’s name. Even if you’re printing messages in bulk.

Phrases like “Thank you for supporting our small business, [Your Name Here]!” can make the message feel more personal.

Highlight your appreciation

Clearly express your gratitude. Let customers know how much their purchase means to you.

Phrases like “Your purchase made our day!” or “We’re so grateful for customers like you!” can convey genuine appreciation.

Use quality materials

If budget allows, print your thank-you messages on quality paper or cardstock. This adds a touch of luxury to the unboxing experience and shows that you value quality in every aspect of your business.

Ensure your thank you note includes your logo and uses your brand’s color scheme. This reinforces brand recognition and adds a professional touch. Additional items like stickers, and small freebies are always appreciated as an additional suprise.

If you can, hand-write the note. This takes things one step further and shows you spent time thanking them which will leave a lasting impression.

(Optional) Include a call to action (CTA)

Encourage further engagement by including a gentle CTA. This could be an invitation to join your email list, follow your social media profiles, or share their purchase online with a specific hashtag.

You could also use this occassion to include a discount code for their next purchase. This not only expresses gratitude but also encourages repeat business.

Say thank you for supporting my small business today

So there we have it, an in-depth guide into sending thank you messages to your small business customers.

As far as a technique goes, it’s a worthwile one. Thanking customers for their continued support, or new purchase can encourage loyalty, referrals, and improve customer experience overall.

To add a thank you message to your checkout process, Flux Checkout for WooCommerce is the way to go. Making thanking customers easy, customizable, and quick.