A Thank You Goes a Long Way

Small businesses thrive on relationships and gratitude is at the heart of it.

As a parent, teacher and designer, someone who works with lots of different people, I’ve found that a simple “thank you” can genuinely light up my day. At the end of a lesson, when students are packing up to leave, it’s always the ones who say thank you that stay in my mind. They’ll put a smile on my face after the toughest lesson and remind me why I love teaching. The same goes for design clients an email or DM saying thank you means so much. It shows the work has landed, and it feels appreciated.

As a parent, I’m constantly reminding my children to say thank you. It’s a habit worth encouraging. Thank the bus driver. Thank the supermarket worker. Thank the waiter. It all counts and it shows you recognise and value someone’s time and effort. And from the perspective of someone who has worked with the public, there is nothing worse than doing a job and feeling invisible. Gratitude goes a long way.

The research backs this up too. Harvard Medical School published a piece explaining that in one study, managers who thanked their employees saw a 50% increase in productivity. And according to Positive Psychology, practising gratitude doesn’t just benefit the recipient—it also helps the giver by building resilience, reducing stress and anxiety, and even improving sleep.

So, as a small business, how can we show our appreciation to the people who support us? Here are a few simple ways:

Send the email — Make it personal. Mention what you enjoyed about working with them. Be specific, be genuine, and tell them why you value their business.

Add value — Go the extra mile. Small businesses excel at this. A tiny unexpected gesture, personalised touch, or helpful extra makes the experience feel human and memorable.

Offer a perk — Discounts, loyalty rewards, or surprise offers sent only to your mailing list can make customers feel seen and appreciated.

Thank you cards — Pop a handwritten note in the post or include one with their order. It’s thoughtful, tangible, and far more memorable than another automated message. Extra points if it includes care instructions, styling tips, recipes, or creative prompts.

The more personal and joyful the experience, the more people remember you and the more likely they are to return. For example, Counter-Print does this brilliantly. I genuinely look forward to their parcels. Everything arrives wrapped in recyclable paper, sprinkled with fun stickers and paper confetti, plus a little card with a googly-eye stamp. I even shared it on my Instagram stories recently. That kind of delight keeps me going back for their beautiful books.

So, as a little treat for my fellow small business owners, I’ve created a free Thank You card for you to use. I hand-illustrated it in Procreate, and it’s a lovely way to add a thoughtful note to your customers’ orders. You can print it at home or through a print shop, and it comes in two colourways.

If you’d like to download the Free Thank You card, follow the link below.

Finally….thank you.

I truly appreciate you reading this, supporting my work, and taking an interest in my little business.

Lindsey x