Thank You Notes

[TFL]

When you guys send out thank you notes do you just write a generic one or do you personalize it .:confused:

[Mowman]

TFL,

Since starting this business 3 years ago I always send out thank you cards to all new customers? I buy them at Office Depot and then hand write a note telling them thank you for giving me the chance to be of service to them and THEIR business is VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.

The front of the card say's WE APPRECIATE YOUR BUSINESS in gold print then I write in my own message. Most but not all the time they will call me and thank me for sending them the card. They said they have never had anybody do that for them after buying a product of service. It goes a VERY LONG WAY!!!! In increased SALES and REFERALS.

So I say SEND them OUT to all NEW CUSTOMERS!!

Good Luck,
Mowman

[Fantasy Lawns]

We send cards out at x-mas time to all customers ;->

[bobbygedd]

i hope u dont leave a lipstick mark on their buttocks.

[John Allin]

I write a thank you card to every customer when a job is completed. I hand write it and personalize it (although they basically say the same thing).

Each Spring every winter customer gets one too. Hand written and personalized.

Stats say that most of our business is from "past customers", and this practice appears to solidify that stat for us.

We also send out preprinted post cards for Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, July 4th, and New Years Day.

And, Christmas too (that says "Happy Holidays").

[Fantasy Lawns]

Hey bobby ....... I have a secretary that does that :->
..... I do have an 80% customer base over 3 years old .....& 70% base over 5 years .....these people pay each month ...... 12 months a year ...... just basic service accounts represents $+ 1200 year in my pocket ....... so I'll have her kiss there ass till it's blue

[bobbygedd]

well ok then. if thats what u want to do, go ahead. i also appreciate my customers business, and sometimes they send me a thank u note.

[Premo Services]

Thank You Notes are always personilized and hand written. Most of the time they are for a referral or a new customer.
I like the thank you notes from the customers with cash in them


:blob3: :blob3: :blob3: :blob3:

[Island Lawn]

Thanks should be personalized.
I include a "Thank You" in the welcome letter I send to new clients. It's printed. I sign it.
I also send Christmas and Easter cards.

BTW, I do leave a smudge from time to time! LOL!

Hey bobbygedd,
I'm starting to notice a trend in your posting about your fueds with your customers.

What comes around, goes around?

Just an observation, nothing personal.
I'm probably wrong.

[bobbygedd]

the trend goes something like this: after all these years i am very confident in my ability, the lawns i care for, provided the customer does their end, are second to none. after years of working cheap and putting up with people who are real a**holes, i now have a policy, this is the price-period. and, i will not be abused, u piss me off, im gone, and if u think this means u r not paying the balance of yur bill, wrong, ill hound u till u cant wait to pay the bill so im gone. i thank my customers every month on the bottom of thier bill, if problems arise i deal with them accordingly, if i feel a customer is being out of line or abusive, i deal with that accordingly. i am working for myself so that i dont have to kiss butt or be abused. i thank them, they thank me. i try to make it a mutual understanding that i need them, but they also need me, we appreciate eachother. now its early and im rattling. anyway, i think the world went to crap after jerry died. what a long strange trip its been

[Hoosier Mower]

I always personalize mine because you want to try to make that one customer feel important. I also send out Christmas cards to all my customers, it's a nice thought and it keeps them thinking of you year round.

[Guido]

You can say the same thing (or pretty close) in most of the thank you cards, its just the point that their hand written. Your customer doesn't know you just sent 200 more out with the same inards!

I think its a great idea. I personally never sent the thank you cards, but I always sent cards out on the holidays, even though its a huge P.I.T.A.!!

It means a lot to them, so its a good idea, and like John and a few others said, thats your main line of advertising, so I'd use it well (BECAUSE ITS FREE!!)

[TFL]

Thanks for the ideas!

[kris]

Good Post..

We do a few things over the year for our customers..Last year a band was hired for a private party set up in the greeenhouse with wine and cheese etc...This was a great night and a good chance to have some laughs and interact with customers on a personal level.. Cards and poinsettia's go out at Christmas.

Call it what you like:) I call it "Good PR".

[kutnkru]

Originally posted by John Allin
And, Christmas too (that says "Happy Holidays"). Ours say this or "Season's Greeting's" so that they do not offend those who celebrate Kwanza or Chanukah etc.

Kris

[cp]

Does anyone know if you can get holiday greeting cards with a Santa riding a mower or something???

Might be too corny but it would distinguish yours from everybody elses. Let me know if anybody has anything like that.

Thanks, Chris :blob3:

[Guido]

I think there are some lawncare cards on there somewhere in the beginning of the photo section.

If you can't find them let me know and I'll look, but I know they are there somewhere.

http://communities.msn.com/guidosequipmentpics

Hope this helps!

[kutnkru]

Nebs should have what your looking for too CP.

Hope this helps.
Kris

[mowahman]

CP. try A.M. Leonard co. they are on the Web. They are out of New Jersey and sell all kinds of neat tools for the trade. Sometime in the Fall, they put out a Fall/Winter catalog and I've seen cards in there with Santa on a mower, wheel barrel, pruners, ect.

[Got Grass?]

I was thinking about doing something like that arround the holidays. My customers are all diffrent so a Seasons greetings would be better. but kinda strange greeting them to the time we arn't working (unless plowing, or in south).

I think I may send them a card at the end of cutting season (nov. 1st or sooner here) Thanking them for letting me service them for the year and look forward to next season. Any cards to take from arround? How about a mower stuck in snow.

[Premo Services]

Originally posted by cp
Does anyone know if you can get holiday greeting cards with a Santa riding a mower or something???

Might be too corny but it would distinguish yours from everybody elses. Let me know if anybody has anything like that.

Thanks, Chris

My customers and I would have to disagree with you about being corny.
I send xmas cards but I bought a scanner, and some card company keeps sending me samples of cards with a landscaping theme. I scan the card, crop, edit, resize the card, and customize the back with my business name,etc. With this setup I am able to personalize the cards for each customer, it doesn`t take that much longer. The customers really get a kick out of the cards and can`t wait until the next holiday season to see what they will get. I use a good card paper and they come out really nice. They all have santa and elves doing mowing, hedge trimming,etc.

[John Allin]

Hmmmmmm.......

It's posts like the one from Mow Money that keep me coming back here......

I always learn something here.....

[SLS]

Sending out Christmas cards lets the customer know that you are thinking about them...even though you may not have not seen them for a little while.

A 'tip' on sending Christmas cards:

SEND THEM EARLY!

Why? Because it gives your customer time to send you one back if they so desire.....and if you've been 'good children' this year you may find a little "present" ($$$) inside those cards. Most of my clients are "little old ladies" and thought the wife and I might need a little "X-MAS cheer" during the off-season...so they sent money in those cards and reminded me to be sure to come back in the spring! :D

God, I LOVE those sweet granny-types! (at least the ones who aren't Grinches...hehehehe)

PEACE!

[sheppard]

Take this as a voice of experience- I've been is sales the past 10 years. Customers appreciate cards and letters. Jotting down a line or two in the card is even better. Odds are that the last lawn service company did not do any follow up letters. Think about it: the customer lets you come on their private property with very hot engines and spinning sharp blades. Doesn't that deserve a note of thanks? Most PC's have internal images that contain lawn mowers or grass/leaves that can be formed in to cards. Making your own cards can be a way to distinguish your company.

Cordially,
Sheppard

[1MajorTom]

'A 'tip' on sending Christmas cards:
SEND THEM EARLY!

Yep, we think that is a good idea too. I start making our Christmas cards on the computer roughly around the end of October. I take the time to make each one a little different.

We have over 90 accounts along with some one time jobs we did for people, so it takes me awhile to get them all done.

They go out on December 1st.

[Lanelle]

Among the things we do for customers is to deliver a box of Girl Scout cookies with a note attached to it. Since it comes at a non-holiday time it makes a big impact. And our resident Girl Scout can count on Dad for a large annual order.
p.s. People love those Thin Mint cookies.

[TurfGuyTX]

Among the things we do for customers is to deliver a box of Girl Scout cookies with a note attached to it. Since it comes at a non-holiday time it makes a big impact. And our resident Girl Scout can count on Dad for a large annual order.
p.s. People love those Thin Mint cookies.


Nice way to do it.

[Lux Lawn]

When you guys send out thank you notes do you just write a generic one or do you personalize it .:confused:

I don't send that many so if I get a Christmas tip or something like that from a customer I will send a card back a write something inside to show my appreciation.