Understanding the importance of thank you cards for your photography business and how to create a memorable card


I have been writing thank you notes for as long as I can remember. Each birthday, holiday, or just because occasion that called for a thank card had one. Thanks for the gift, for having us over for dinner, or for just being a great friend. I love a thank you card and have more stationery than I care to admit. These thoughtful, handwritten acknowledgments are a perfect way to express your gratitude for the small moments throughout the day and those so big you can’t do anything other than say thank you. I love to write thank you cards, and I’m here to help you write the perfect thank you card to a client, for a referral, or just because!


A quick note about stationery: millions of options for thank you cards are out there. Some are cute and clever, and others are more sincere. Before you decide, think about your audience.  Who is this card going to, and what is the relationship? For a business referral, my suggestion is to stick to personalized stationery, or a thank you card that is on the professional side. Skip the puns and go for the simplistic thank-you card. If you’re searching for a thank you card for friends and family, personalized cards are a great option, along with a more casual thank you card. For example, “Donut know what I’d do without you” or “Franks a lot”. Again, before you make any decisions, remember who your audience is.


While you can write a thank you note to just about anyone, we will focus on three specific recipients today; a friend, a client, and a business. Each of these relationships creates an opportunity to write a thank you note. A gift from a friend, a client who refers another family to you, or a business that you were able to create a collaboration with. Your thank you note needs to contain three crucial statements for each of these recipients. A thank you note for your friend needs to, of course, contain a thank you, but also a reference to the gift that you’ve been given and a personal touch like an inside joke or an anecdote. When writing to a client who has sent someone else to you, start with your thank you. Then, refer to the family and what this has meant for your business. Finally, when writing to a business, your letter should include a thank you that mentions the collaboration, what it means to your business, and that you hope to work with them again in the future. While the structure remains the same for each letter, they should be uniquely written for each situation.

Here are a few examples of how you could write each thank you card-

TO A FRIEND WHO HAS RECENTLY GIVEN YOU A GIFT:

(Name),


I cannot say thank you enough for _______. I really appreciate you taking the time to find such a perfect gift, and I can’t wait to use it (feel free to be more descriptive here once you know what it is. This would also be where you include an anecdote or another personal detail.) Thank you again for thinking of me. I truly appreciate your friendship.


Sincerely/Best/Love,

TO A CLIENT WHO REFERRED ANOTHER CLIENT TO YOU - IN THIS EXAMPLE, A FAMILY THAT HAS REFERRED ANOTHER FAMILY FOR A SESSION:

Family, 


I can’t believe it’s already been _____ since your last session! I hope everyone is doing well, and I can’t wait to see you and your family again! I just wanted to say a quick thank you for sending me the _____ family my way! They are such a wonderful family, and I can’t tell you enough how much I appreciate your recommendation! It truly means the world to me! Thank you again, and hope to see you all soon!  

Sincerely/Best/Thanks again,

THEN AN EXAMPLE THAT INCLUDES A GIFT:

Family,


Here’s a little something to thank you for your referral!  Word of mouth is so important in my industry, and I really appreciate your support.  I hope to see you soon, and let me know if you have any other photography needs.


Sincerely/Best/Thanks again,

TO A BUSINESS THAT YOU’VE RECENTLY COLLABORATED WITH (A MINI SESSION FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS, BRANDING FOR THE STAFF, OR AN EVENT THAT YOU’VE COVERED):

Dear (Your contact, not the company name),


I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the opportunity to ______. I truly appreciate this opportunity and had such a lovely time. I hope your staff/customers did as well. I will let you know when I have delivered everything. If you have anyone reach out with questions, please don’t hesitate to send them my way. Thank you again, and I look forward to working with you again in the future.  

Sincerely/Best/Warmly,

While the structure for each of these thank you cards is the same, these should not become a form letter or even a text. Instead, this is an opportunity for you to sincerely express your gratitude for a gift, an acknowledgment, or an opportunity. These should be thoughtful and genuine. Hand-written thank you notes show your true appreciation and go further than you think. However you decide to utilize your cards, I wish you happy writing!  


For more information on how to contact and work with local businesses, check out my class, “A Fresh Look at Referrals to Book Your Calendar,” by clicking the botton below!