Client Referral Thank-You Letter Examples and Writing Tips

Gratitude and Productivity Concept: Thanks Note on Keyboard
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Businesses often run on referrals. If someone refers a client to you, be sure to send them a thank-you note to let them know how much you value the support.

Not only is acknowledging their help polite, but it will also encourage them to refer clients to you in the future.

If you're saying thank you for a job referral, here's a thank-you note example along with advice for sending it.

What to Include in a Referral Thank-You Letter

  • Be specific. Thank-you notes mean more when they’re personal. That means including as much information about this particular interaction as possible. Don’t make the recipient wonder if you’re writing from a template. (This is especially important when you are, in fact, writing from a template.)
  • Keep it short and simple. Less is more when it comes to thank-you notes of all kinds. This is especially the case when it comes to thank-you notes sent via email—online readers have short attention spans and will scan quickly for the gist. In any case, there’s no need to write a long, complicated note—a few paragraphs of genuine thanks will do.

Review a sample thank-you letter to send to someone who referred a client to you. While this note offers a discount, that's not essential. Simply expressing your gratitude is sufficient.

Client Referral Thank-You Letter Template

This is an example of a referral thank-you letter. Download the referral thank-you letter template (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for more examples.

Screenshot of a referral thank you letter example
@ The Balance 2020 

Client Referral Thank-You Letter Examples

Here's a text version of the thank-you letter example, along with an email version of a client referral thank-you.

Client Referral Thank-You Letter Sample

Antonia Montego
123 Main Street
Anytown, CA 12345
555-555-5555
andrea.montego@email.com

August 24, 2020

Harold Mann
Chief Web Officer
Internet Data Solutions
123 Business Rd.
Business City, NY 54321

Dear Mr. Mann,

Thank you for referring Joe Dalton to me for web design services. The Dalton Agency is a prestigious firm, and I truly appreciate your confidence in my abilities. As you know, their web presence has been very limited up to this point, and Mr. Dalton has expressed interest in making it a much more important part of the business.

I am excited about the opportunities and challenges he has offered me and am confident that he will be satisfied with my work.

By way of thanks, I would like to offer you a discounted package for the next update of your website.

If there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know.

Best regards,

Antonio Montego

Thank-You Email for a Client Referral Example

Subject Line: Thank You for the Referral

Dear Dr. Peabody,

Thank you for referring us to Joe Smith for tax preparation services.

As you know, ABC Taxes is a small firm that prides itself on personal service. We appreciate your confidence in our work, and are delighted that you chose to recommend us. 

 Please don’t hesitate to let us know if there’s anything we can do for you between now and Tax Day.

Best,

Amanda B. Clay, CPA 

Tips for Sending a Client Referral Thank-You Letter

  • The sooner, the better. In general, you should send thank-you notes with 24 hours of whatever inspired you to send them, whether that’s a client referral or a job interview or a professional reference. Sending a note right away emphasizes your gratitude, reinforces the behavior you’d like to see from the recipient, and doesn’t tax your memory. You might think you won’t forget, but life is busy. You’re more likely to remember the details if you convey your thanks right away.
  • Check for typos. Read your email or note out loud, or haave a trusted friend check it before you send it. The best person to do this for you is someone who’s good at catching mistakes and will devote the time to making sure you got everything right—including and especially the name of the recipient. Just about the only way in which a thank-you note can hurt you is if it contains a typo, and that’s extra true when the mistake involves the recipient’s name. Once you make a typo, it’s nearly impossible to spot on your own. Don’t take the risk; enlist the proofreading services of an eagle-eyed friend and make sure your thank-you note has the desired effect. 

More Thank-You Letter Writing Samples

You should also learn how to write a thank-you letter including who to thank, what to write and when to write an employment-related thank-you letter. 

You should also familiarize yourself with the following types of letters: Thank-you for a job interview, internship thank-you letter, thanks for the informational interview, thanks for the help, and a variety of additional interview thank-you letter samples.