A recent survey by Hallmark Business Expressions found that by sending business thank you cards, you can increase consumer loyalty. Approximately two-thirds of consumers surveyed said that when businesses send greeting cards to show appreciation for a purchase or referral, the consumers are more likely to do business with the company again. Almost 75% said that they appreciate the gesture and they feel like the company really cares about them.

So, you should print greeting cards and thank you notes for your customer's next big purchase, or to celebrate the holidays. If you think you're just adding to the pile of mail consumers receive everyday, consider this: Only 44% of those surveyed received a thank you card from companies after a major purchase.

Greeting cards as a bridge for loyalty

Many factors predict customer loyalty, including satisfaction with the product and customer service, trust and length of purchase history, but a company that thanks their customers seems to bridge satisfaction and loyalty. And, why not send cards? They are fairly inexpensive, but they are an effective way to connect with customers and let them know you care.

You can send a greeting card anytime of year

You don't need a holiday to send a greeting card or note; you can send them in the middle of June if you want! The holidays are a perfect excuse for sending a card, but holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving are busy times of the year for most people. If you want to send a card that is connected to these holidays, send them a few weeks or a month early. It's not uncommon for people to receive Christmas cards the week after Thanksgiving!

Add a personal note to the card

If you write in your own handwriting (not printed with a font that just looks like handwriting!) a sincere thank you note expressing your appreciation for customers? business, you'll strengthen that customer relationship more so than with a generic card that you send to everyone. Mention the product or service that was just purchased and let the customer know that you want their experience to be perfect and offer a customer service number (or even better, include a business card) for their reference.

You don't need to make an offer every time

Many companies send out greeting cards with some kind of discount coupon or some other kind of offer. That's fine if you'd like to do that, but it could taint your customers? idea of your card. You don't need to send them an offer every time. Just saying a nice thank you is enough for them to remember your company, your logo (put in on the envelope) and your brand. If you send an offer at every single mailing, you're bordering on advertising, and you run the risk of people throwing away your card because they know it'll just be another ad.