When a customer visits your apartment, reviews your community online, or recommends you to a friend, these occasions all call for a remarkable thank you. No one wants to send that boring follow-up email that is so bland it could potentially discredit the sincere gratitude you intended.
And if you don’t want to send it, I promise you the recipient doesn’t want to read it. Don’t spoil your customer’s “You’ve Got Mail” moment with a snoozefest of a message.
When residents leave you apartment reviews, for example, they are doing something very thoughtful (even if the apartment reviews are not so positive) and their demonstration of kindness deserves more than a blasé “thanks”.
That is why we have come up with 7 thoughtful and creative ways to say thank you!
- Call unexpectedly. No one wants to have the feeling that every time someone calls it is due to a problem or concern. Picking up the phone to just say thank you – no multitasking allowed! – conveys sincerity. Even a thank you message left on voicemail is effective.
- Lights, camera, action! Shoot a quick video to say thanks. This is perfect for the more outgoing leasing team, and now that many of us carry a smartphone, video capabilities are literally at our fingertips all day. Be silly and have fun. Your customer will truly sense your appreciation. You can even use Vine or Instagram to post the video and tag your resident to make sure they see it.
- Signed, sealed, delivered…. An important disclaimer on this one – do not send a handwritten note if you are just going to include a canned message. Write something unique. Be specific to the recipient – recall a funny moment you shared, something the prospect really liked about the apartment, or details from their apartment review. This is a great opportunity to make them feel important and memorable to you.
- Look them in the eye. Eye contact goes a long way toward showing you genuinely mean what you are saying. Thanking your customer directly and in person if possible really shows your gratitude.
- Food is love. No, really. Who doesn’t love a surprise treat? Food conveys love to both men and women. Grab a small treat from your local bakery and send it to their apartment with a sweet note.
- Say it with flowers. I’m a sucker for fresh flowers, and I have been known to clip some buds from the community rose bushes as an easy and inexpensive way to express my thanks. Keep small, inexpensive vases or glasses on hand for your next thank you delivery.
- Leave ‘em laughing. If you absolutely must send an email, at least add some humor and personality to it. Write a poem or include a one-liner like: “Thank you for visiting us (not sent from my iPhone)” or “You can’t see me right now, but I am totally doing my happy dance”.
These 7 thoughtful and creative ways to say thank you should get you off to a great start. Remember, saying thank you is more than just a common courtesy. It builds a relationship with your customer, will make them smile and feel appreciated, and could lead to referrals (and some glowing apartment reviews).
Misty Sanford
Social Insight Thought Leader
Renter’s Voice