10 Best Referral Thank You Letter Examples

How to Say "Thank You for the Referral"

For many businesses, referrals are a critical component of their marketing efforts — and for good reason. Marketers of all stripes agree that referrals are the second-best source for quality leads, coming in just behind trade shows and events.

It’s not surprising that referrals enjoy a favored position in the pantheon of marketing tactics. Referred leads usually come with significant goodwill and represent a warm market already primed to say yes. Anytime you can warm up new business relationships before they begin, it is easier to close the deal.

Given how valuable referrals are to your business, you should go out of your way to thank customers and clients that share precious contacts with you. Below you’ll find ten excellent referral thank you letter samples that will help you say, "Thank you for the referral!" Use these to create your own! We can help your close your thank you cards, too! Whether you're looking for how to write referral email or the more effective handwritten variety, we can help.

SIMPLE WAYS TO SAY "THANK YOU FOR THE REFERRAL"

With business referrals, sometimes a no-frills approach is perfect. These examples say what they need to, and no more. Sometimes a letter template needs very little fluff. Remember that thank people for referrals is itself a personalized marketing strategy.

Dear [contact name],

I can’t thank you enough for your recent referral. It's an incredible honor, and it pleases me that you think highly enough of our service that you’re recommending us to your valued contacts. Know that we will endeavor to provide the same high level of service to your referral as you enjoy. Thanks!

Best regards,

[Your name]

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Dear [contact name],

We recently received the referral card you sent. Thanks so much! We strive every day to provide the sort of stellar service that naturally provokes referrals, so we’re taking yours as a sign that we’re successful. Thank you for placing your trust in us — for you and your contacts.

Gratefully yours,

[Your name]

USEFUL B2B REFERRAL THANK-YOUS

If your referral came from a business, you should thank your contact as well as their organization. You never know who might make the next purchase.

Dear [contact name],

It’s been a pleasure serving you and the entire crew there at [business name]. It means a lot that you’d risk your reputation by referring us to your contacts. We will work our hardest to make sure you don’t regret the decision, as we do with all of our existing clients. [business name] has been a valued customer for years, and we appreciate you helping to widen our reach.

Thanks again!

[Your name]

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Dear [contact name],

Four years ago, you and the good people at [business name] placed your trust in us, and it makes us very happy that you still value our relationship enough to pass our name on to your contacts. We’re excited to live up to the high expectations you’ve placed on us and look forward to building a profitable relationship with your extended business family.

With gratitude,

[Your name]

GIVE A COMPLIMENT

Learn a bit about the referred party and use that information to show you understand the value of their thoughtful referral. People like to hear nice things said about them. Use that to your advantage.

Dear [contact name],

It was great speaking with you yesterday after you used our refer a friend email template. It means a lot that you passed our name to your client. [Referral name] is a leader in their industry, highly trusted for their real estate services. It’s a great compliment that you trust us enough to pass our name to such an accomplished company. We thank you for that kindness and promise not to let you down with this real estate referral.

All the best,

[Your name]

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Dear [contact name],

Thanks so much for your recent real estate referral quotes. I hope very much that it works out. All of us here really enjoy working with you, and we assume that your partners don’t fall too far from the tree. If this new relationship is half as fruitful as ours, it will be well worth the investment. Thanks again for keeping us in mind!

Sincerely,

[Your name]

OFFER INCENTIVES FOR ADDITIONAL REFERRALS

The only thing better than quality referrals...is more of them! Use your thank you notes as a tool to motivate recipients to forward you more names. And if you structure the incentives as a reward, your clients won’t feel like you’re using gratitude as a sales tactic. Remember, this isn't a job interview. Your clients already know you, and your business relationship is solid, so a small incentive can go a long way.

Dear [contact name],

Hi, [contact’s first name]! Thanks so much for your lovely voicemail yesterday. I’m so glad our service warrants you sharing our name. I’ve taken the liberty of crediting your account with a small gift of thanks. In the future, we’ll be happy to provide a small discount on future orders whenever we sell a referred account. It’s our way of saying thank you for helping us grow. Your job referral is very much appreciated.

Thanks again!

[Your name]

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Dear [contact name or job title],

Thanks so much for passing our name on to [referred contact name]. It means a lot when customers trust us with their networks. You’ll be pleased to know we’re offering them a 5% discount gift on their first order — and you’ll get one, too! We’re more than happy to share the love since you’re so willing to share our name. Thanks so much!

Gratefully yours,

[Your name]

LETTERS TO INDIVIDUAL CONSUMERS

B2C companies have specific requirements for their referral thank you letters. Most crucial is the audience. You’re not speaking to a manager or a business owner. You’re talking to a single person.

Dear [contact name],

Hi, [contact’s first name]!

We’re so glad you enjoy our products! We saw that you shared our name with a friend yesterday and wanted to let you know that we appreciate the shout-out. We built our business on offering the best products are fair prices, and it’s exciting when customers claim that message for themselves. You’re the best!

Big thanks!

[Your name]

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Dear [contact name],

Thanks so much for sharing our name around. We know you have a lot of choices, and it means a great deal that you chose us and then told your friends! Please accept the enclosed coupon as a gesture of thanks. We’ll be sending them to your friends, too. Thanks again!

Your friends at [company name],

[Your name]

A handwritten letter surrounded by flowers and leaves.

DON’T FORGET THE HANDWRITING!

Sending an email is so simple, it’s hard to take the time required for a handwritten thank you letter. But you really should.

Emails are cold and impersonal. Text messages are even worse. You simply can’t expect heartfelt emotion to translate through digital text. To get your message to resonate, handwritten is the only way to go. When you send referral thanks, you thank you note reflects on you. Whether new clients or existing, have a note follow their kindness as a small token of your esteem.

But don’t do it yourself! Not when Simply Noted exists. You can connect your CRM or marketing automation software to our servers, allowing automated, triggerable referral thank you letters. Not only will they be delivered on time, but your recipients will also find the most advanced handwriting fonts in the business. It’s near impossible to tell our cards were written by machines. Try us today!