5 invoice thank you message ideas for retaining clients

Did you know, by simply saying "thank you" in your invoice template message, you can increase the likelihood of payment by over 5%? That could easily equate to thousands of dollars per year. Politeness not only gets you paid faster –it is also good for your brand and image.

Including an invoice thank you message is a straightforward way to nurture your relationships with existing consumers and shorten your payment cycle. While a generic "we appreciate your business" is better than nothing, adding a more creative invoice message that shows your gratitude can fortify your marketing efforts and encourage future sales.

In this guide from Bonsai, we’ll show you how to thank a client for their business with 5 invoice thank you message ideas that can convince your customers to stick with you long-term.

Why should you add an invoice thank you message?

As a freelancer, sending invoices to your client is a crucial part of running your business. Adding a thank you message may not seem that important, but it has some great benefits. Here’s why you should consider thanking your customer in your invoice message:

• An invoice without a clear and prominent expression of gratitude seems cold and impersonal. Adding a thank you note to the invoice footer message will add a more personal touch to your business.
• It’s a great way to encourage customers to come back to you for more business. The more you make your customers feel appreciated, the more they’ll feel loyal toward you.
• By conveying gratitude via your invoice message, you can build a long-term relationship with your customer, which is necessary for building a sustainable business.
• If an invoice arrives with a personalized message letting the customer know how much they are appreciated, it may prompt them to pay the invoice right away rather than putting it off for a few days or even weeks.
• You can use your invoice to even upsell your products in some cases.

5 ideas for your invoice thank you message

Looking for some cool ideas to add a personalized thank you note in your invoice message? Here’s some inspiration:

1. Add a thank you note and give a discount in your invoice footer message

Many invoicing software allow you to add “notes to customer” section on the invoice. Use this as an opportunity to express your gratitude. You can also add a discount code or offer a promotion in this area, encouraging customers to buy more from you. 

This tactic works well for new and existing customers. Adding a discount lets them know that you appreciate their business. As a result, they are more likely to order again from you.

However, it’s important to make it obvious that it’s a one-time discount and not a permanent one. You might say something like, “Thank you for your order. Remember you save 20% if you pay within 5 days. That's a $15 savings on today's invoice.” Or, if you’re trying to promote electronic payment, you might say, “Thank you for your business. Save 10% if you pay online.”

2. Ensure your invoice thank you message is prominent

What’s the point of adding a thank you note in your invoice message if the customer just can’t see it? So, make sure that your words of gratitude are clearly visible. You can use another color or bold it so that it stands out from the rest of the invoice.

Once you know how to send an invoice by email, you can get creative to ensure that the thank you note is one of the first things your customer will see when they open the invoice (whether printed or digital). The best place to put the thank you message is right underneath their balance so they’re sure to see it.

If you want to be thanking clients more often, for bigger projects, then it’s time to elevate your freelance career by signing up to a free trial of Bonsai.

3. Offer a freebie as a gesture of gratitude

Who doesn’t love freebies? A great way to thank your customers is to offer them something for free. This idea works best with new customers, where you can give them more than what they order.

For example, if somebody orders 10 units of a product from you, you can send them 12 units instead. This will make your customers feel appreciated and they’re more likely to return to you in future. But, once again, you need to make it clear in your invoice that it’s a one-time gesture so that they don’t expect you to send freebies with every order.

However, if you can do it inexpensively, you may consider sending out freebies with every order.

4. Invite customers to provide feedback

Along with thanking your customers, you can also use your invoice to invite them to provide you feedback. This is an excellent opportunity to open your line of communication with them.

For instance, when sending out electronic invoices, add a link to a feedback page where your customers can let you know if they faced any problems while ordering from you or if they have any suggestions to further improve your offering.

Customers desire the ability to get in touch directly with the company they’re doing business with. In fact, around 64% of consumers want brands to connect with them. They want brands to know what they think and want.

Also, some customers may want to just say thanks, and providing them with a way to do so is a pretty valuable resource as well. By consistently inviting customers to share their feedback, you get an opportunity to continuously enhance your business.

Unfortunately, many companies are reactive about getting customer feedback. They don’t seek out insights from their consumers until there’s a complaint. By being proactive and requesting feedback in your invoice thank you message, you can prevent issues before they happen, and minimize the  number of unhappy clients.

5. Show the value they’re getting from your business

Another great idea is to use your invoice to display the value your customers are getting from your brand. For instance, if you know where your prices are beating out your competitor, then mention what the customer would’ve paid if they’d opted for that competitor. This tactic is an excellent addition to your invoice thank you message as it ensures your customers don’t go somewhere else trying to save money.

That’s exactly why grocery stores show savings on every receipt. It helps build loyalty between the customer and store simply because that specific store saved the customer money.

You can apply this technique to your invoices as well. For example, in your invoice footer message (just below the total amount), you can show your consumers how much they saved by including the higher costs of your competitors. Or, you can even add a thought that gives them a visual of their yearly or bundled price savings.

In addition to a dollar amount, you can also show your customers the real value that you’ve provided them. For instance, if you’re a copywriter, instead of just sending an itemized list of blog posts with the topics that you’ve written, also mention the number of page views or social shares that your articles received.

Make every invoice count

Just because your invoice is a business document, doesn’t mean it has to be lackluster. An invoice could be your last contact with a customer, so why not leave them with a lasting impression? Adding a creative invoice thank you message can be a game changer for your marketing strategy.

The bottom line is that there are tons of ways out there to make your customers feel special and appreciated when you send out your invoice. A simple thank presented in the right way on your invoice can do a great deal to make customers feel good about doing business with you. 

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