Welcome to day 11 in my 100 in 100 posts for photographers! I’m so happy you’re here. You can find a directory of all my articles right here! 

One of my favorite quotes about marketing is by Tom Fishburne who said, “The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.”

Today we’re going to talk about sending handwritten notes by mail. This is a very easy, low cost practice that has a very high impact.

Every day I go to my mailbox and I sift through bills and ads. It’s not exciting. What IS exciting is getting a personal note. You’re with me on this, right? It’s fun!  A postcard from your sister who is traveling, a birthday card from Grandma, a wedding invitation… it’s fun because it’s rare. When I check my email, I get dozens of emails per day from real people who typed out a message and hit send. But my heart doesn’t skip the same way when something comes via USPS.

Entrepreneur.com says, “Study after study reveals that when you say “Thank you” to your customers, they both spend more money and tell their friends about the exceptional service and products you deliver, increasing your profits.”

Recently I’ve noticed a weird practice in business. The last handful of times I’ve reached out to a business for a service they’re replied with something along the lines of “We’d be happy to help you out!” Wait… what? Is this real life? Instead of thanking me for choosing them, thanking me for paying them, thanking me for my business, they put this spin to make it seem like they’re doing me a favor. I don’t know about you, but it rubs me the wrong way. When someone even thinks about hiring me, the first thing they get is a sincere thank you. Showing gratitude in your business is good practice and good manners. It shows you are coming from a place of servitude, and a handwritten note shows you are willing to take a little extra time to show your gratitude.

Convinced? Awesome! Here are three tips on writing the perfect thank you note:

1. Be specific. “Thanks!” isn’t enough. What are you thanking them for? Hiring you for their wedding? An awesome engagement session? Maybe you had a great meeting with a vendor and want to thank them for their time.
2. Add in a compliment. And don’t make it up. Everyone can spot a phony from a mile away. What did you genuinely love about your interaction? The tangent you went on about the next season of The Bachelor? The way they kept laughing when you were trying to get them to be serious? Hearing about the way they met? This is a personal note, so personalize it!
3. Make sure they know you’re there for them. The relationships I build with my clients are important to me and I need them to know that. At the end of each note I make sure to add in an invitation to let me know if they need anything.

So there it is, a perfect way to amp up your client experience and boost your word of mouth marketing!

We’ll see you tomorrow for Day 12: Auditing Your Time.

Denise Karis is an Arizona photographer who enjoys musicals, Doctor Who and breakfast burritos. IG @denisekaris