Welcome to ReferralHero. Our referral tips are faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.
It's time to put on your cape as we go over how to thank businesses for your company's best marketing tactic: referrals.
Why Send a Thank You Letter?
Referring customers to your business is one of the most powerful ways to increase sales and brand reach. Did you know that 92% of consumers trust word-of-mouth marketing over any other form of advertising?
That's why it's important to show appreciation for your referral sources. A well-crafted thank you letter reinforces the relationship and encourages repeat referrals. Plus, it gives them a chance to connect with you on a more personal level.
With this in mind, here’s how to write a thank you letter for business referrals.
Thank You Letter Basics
Writing a thank-you letter doesn't have to be tricky. There are some key elements that are essential for creating an effective one:
Complimentary Tone
The first step in writing an effective referral thank you letter is to establish your tone and make sure it matches the recipient’s personality. Pay attention to their correspondence with you, as well as their company website. If they're funny, be funny; if they're formal, be formal; etc.
Express Sincere Gratitude
Next, express gratitude right away. This should be earlier on in your letter since it's the main focus of your message. Make sure to mention what specifically you are grateful for and how much you appreciate their referral. Above all else, be genuine.
Provide Specific Details
Doing this will help them better understand why their referral was so valuable – such as increased sales or customer retention – and why they should continue referring more people in the future! Depending on your industry, you might mention how your company was able to help the referred client.
Incentivize the Referrer
Be sure to showcase any rewards or incentives they received from referring customers. You want to reinforce that referrals are not only appreciated but also rewarded. If you don't have any existing incentives for referrals, you learn more about establishing one here.
Call-to-Action
Invite them to continue referring customers to your business! This step is critical since it will encourage future referrals from them as well as other potential partners down the line. Direct invitation not your style? Consider including your contact information so the business can follow up with you at a later date.
Closing the Letter
When it's time to close your letter, it's also a great opportunity to reiterate your appreciation and thank them again for their referral. You can finish off with a meaningful quote, a heartfelt sentiment, or even just an expression of gratitude – whichever fits your company's culture best.
With this in mind, let's take a look at some examples of thank-you letters that you can use as inspiration for your own.
Sample Thank You Letter For Referrals
Example 1:
Dear [Business Name],
Thank you so much for referring customers to us! We understand how valuable your time is, and we truly appreciate that you took the time out of your busy schedule to help us grow our business.
Your referrals have allowed us to increase sales figures by 10% over the past few months – a direct result of your kind gesture! We'd like to offer an incentive program for all future referrals that come through your business.
For every successful referral made, we will provide you with a 10% discount on your next purchase from us – just make sure they mention their referred source when purchasing from us! This is our way of saying thank you and showing how much we appreciate your support.
At [Your Business Name], we believe in the power of teamwork. Thank you for your collaboration!
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Example 2:
Dear [Business Name],
Thank you for referring your clients to [Your Business' Name]. Your referrals have been instrumental in helping us grow our customer base and increase sales over the past few months, and have given us an opportunity to spread awareness about our services – helping us build better relationships with potential customers.
We'd like to set up a two-way referral program, so we can further facilitate traffic for our businesses. If you would be interested, please contact us at [Business Phone Number] or [Business Email].
Once again, thank you for your referral and for being part of our success story.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Example 3:
Dear [Business Name],
We wanted to say a big thank-you for your referral! Your support has been invaluable, and we have seen tremendous success in the past few months due to your referred customers.
As you may know, [Your Business Name] has only been operating since last year. Without you, our business would not have grown as quickly and effectively as it has – we currently serve 30% more customers than was initially projected when we first began!
We'd love to return the favor by referring our customers to your business. If you're interested, we can set up a mutual referral program, where each referred customer will receive a discount on their purchase from both businesses.
Thank you again for your referral and business. We look forward to continuing our relationship!
Sincerely, [Your Name]
Tips and Tricks
Following our guide should leave you with a letter that will make businesses feel appreciated. If you're looking to write a thank-you letter that will make your grandma cry, however, here are some tips and tricks to polish it even further:
Be timely: Be sure to send your thank-you letter within a few days of receiving the referral. If you wait too long, it may communicate to the business that the referral was not a high priority, or that you are ungrateful.
Personalize: You want the letter to communicate genuine gratitude – show it! Personalizing your letter will show that you made an effort to tailor your message to their needs. Mentioning a shared interest or including a fun anecdote can take your thank-you letter from good to great!
Add visuals: If you're feeling creative, adding visuals such as images or videos can help make your thank-you letters stand out even more. It also gives them an extra incentive to read through it – who doesn't love looking at cute pictures?
Proofread: While it should be obvious, proofreading is essential for any business correspondence. You don't want to make the wrong impression with a typo or grammar mistake – it can be the difference between getting a response and not getting one at all.
Referral programs
So you know how to write a referral thank-you letter. That's a great start! What you need now is an effective referral program to help your business grow.
A referral program will allow you to easily reward customers for referring their friends and family, as well as track the performance of your referral campaigns.
It will also make sending thank-you letters a breeze by automating the process for you. You'll be able to strengthen your company's relationship with the referrer, which often results in more referrals back to you!
Learn more about setting up referral programs here.
Final Thoughts
Referral marketing is an incredibly effective way to boost your success – so don't forget to thank your referral sources. A simple thank-you letter can go a long way in showing appreciation and building relationships with potential customers, partners, and more.
We hope these examples have given you some helpful tips on how to craft an effective thank-you letter. With a little bit of effort, your company can build strong relationships with referral sources that will help drive sales and growth for years to come. Now get out there, and show some gratitude!
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