This is the Time to Say “Thanks”

Thank you to Valley Business FRONT for featuring our Vice President, Carrie Cousins, in their November 2024 issue.

The feelings of gratefulness spill over to marketing and advertising; this is the perfect time to say “thanks” to customers, clients, and colleagues. But sometimes a thanks can get tricky. Don’t overthink it. Don’t feel like you must connect it to an event. Don’t try to sell on top of sharing gratitude. Just say “Thank you.”

While it might look a little different depending on the size of your business, consider some of these activities to wrap of this season.

• Start with a handwritten note: There are few things that impress me in the way a handwritten – not email – note does. You don’t even have to say a lot, but write something, put a stamp on it, and send it. Not only does this show a next level of thanks, but it better humanizes your connection with the recipient.
• Send a gift early: While corporate gifts will be at an all-time high by the end of the year, an earlier than expected token of appreciation will stand out and be remembered. An off-schedule gift feels more thoughtful than obligatory. One of my colleagues sends Halloween cards rather than Christmas cards each year and it is one of the highlights of the season. I always remember it, and it never gets lost in the sea of other cards.
• Be specific in your thanks: Personalize your thank you with something the recipient knows is just for them. A local retailer used to send a thank you card with a gift card inside for its top percentage of customers each year. When I got one, it was an honor to be on that list. The acknowledgement that they knew I was supporting a local company meant a lot to me and made me even more loyal to their business.
• Share your personality: Business thank yous can be tough. Yes, you can buy a box of cards, but you can level up with a personalized card. Consider a thank you photo that shows your team, a piece of art that highlights your culture, anything that goes from a simple thank you to something that showcases your brand personality. A recent holiday card from LeadPoint Digital featured custom artwork from a member of our team with customized “thumbprint” reindeer for team members. This little touch added something extra by humanizing the relationship of the person who got the card to the team who has their back for their marketing needs.
• Be authentic: It kind of goes without saying, but I’m going to do it anyway. A thank you has to come from the heart. Be true and authentic, it works every time.

To that end, I’d like to thank all of you for reading this column this year. The unexpected comments and feedback have been phenomenal, and I hope some little nugget here has helped you in your marketing efforts.

Carrie Cousins is the Vice President at LeadPoint Digital in Roanoke. For 15+ years, she has helped businesses tell their stories and get better results online with practical digital marketing strategies. She is also an active leader in AAF, serving on the local and district boards, and is an adjunct professor at Virginia Tech.