50 marketing mistakes / Mistake #49
Mistake #49 of 50Don’t forget the customer after the sale.
Thank them. Follow up. Stay in touch. The next order is easier than the first.
What it costs you
A bill, then silence.
They said yes. They picked you over somebody else.
Now there’s a little voice in the back of their head: “Did I choose right?”
If the next thing they hear from you is an invoice, that voice gets louder.
If the next thing they get is a real thank-you, it goes quiet.
Most businesses send a bill, then go silent until something goes wrong. Then they wonder why the customer tried somebody else next time.
A real example
The welcome box
A small IT company signs a new business client. Twelve people in an office.
Most IT companies send a contract, a login and an invoice. This one sends a box.
A good notebook and pen with the company’s name on them. A coffee mug for everyone in the office. Twelve of them.
A card with two photos: “This is Sam and this is Priya. They’re your team.” With their cell numbers. A sticker for every computer: “Something not working? Call Sam.” And a four-sentence handwritten note from the owner: “Thank you for trusting us.”
The office manager posts a photo. Everybody in the office takes a mug.
Now twelve people know Sam and Priya by name before anything has even broken.
That’s not a gift. That’s the start of a ten-year customer.
Why it happens
Why the follow-up never happens
Most businesses do nothing after the sale. Your customer will notice when you do.
Do this instead
Four touches in a month.
Here’s a simple plan that works for almost any business. Thank them first. Sell later.
| When | What you do |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | Say thank you, in person or by phone. “We’re so glad you picked us.” |
| Days 2–3 | The welcome arrives: something useful with your number on it, a note, and the name of who to call. |
| Day 7 | The welcome call. “How’s everything going so far? Anything we can do better?” |
| Day 30 | A quick check-in, something useful and a gentle ask: “Know anyone else who could use us?” |
| After that | Stay in touch. A seasonal note, a birthday, the anniversary of their first order. |
Don’t turn the welcome into a sales pitch. They just bought from you. Let them enjoy it. Then, when the time is right, ask: “Want us to get the next one started?”
Do this today
- 1
Look up your last five new customers.
- 2
Send each one a small gift and a short handwritten note: “Thank you for choosing us.”
- 3
Include a card with the name and number of the person they should call.
- 4
Put a day-7 call on your calendar for every new customer from now on.
The next order is easier than the first. Thank them, stay in touch, and ask for it.
From the book
Chapter 22: Welcome Them Like You Mean It
Starts on page 193. The whole chapter, plus 250+ ways to market your business, in the free book.
Download the free bookIdeas that fix it
Say thank you with something they keep.
Idea 135 · book page 329Ceramic Coffee Mugs$3–$10 eachA good mug lives on a desk for years.
Idea 163 · book page 343Journals$6–$15 eachUsed daily at the desk.
Idea 64 · book page 293Stickers$0.25–$1 eachGood stickers end up on laptops, bottles and cars: free ads.
Idea 170 · book page 346Premium T-Shirts$8–$20 eachSoft shirts get worn on weekends, not just at work.Want a welcome plan for every new customer?
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