Whether it’s downloading content, completing a sign-up form or purchasing a product, many companies fail to take advantage of the momentum they’ve built immediately after a customer converts.

‘Thank you’ pages quite naturally provide the perfect opportunity to build on the trust and engagement levels of the customer at that specific point in their decision making journey.

People like to be appreciated. They may also expect some kind of reciprocity having done something for you, and at the same time subconsciously be attempting to validate their purchase decision.This makes for a lot going on in their heads; so how can you harness this particular event and the associated psychology to your benefit?

If you’re like most businesses, your aim is to maintain engagement, increase average order value and revenue per customer and build customer loyalty. Here are a few points to ponder…

Six tips for making the most of your post-conversion ‘Thank You’ page:  

1.  Say Thanks

Showing appreciation immediately provides a positive first impression post-conversion. Before asking your users to do anything else, thank them, then remind them of the value of whatever it is they have just purchased, not the price.

2.  Tell Your Users to Get Going

If access to content or an application (e.g. a SaaS product) is required, encourage users to get started. Also, if whatever they have purchased is not immediately available, set clear, concise expectations as to when and how they will be contacted or receive access.

3.  Implement Intuitive Up-sell and Cross-sell Strategies

Based on the product purchased or content downloaded, the ‘Thank You’ page is prime real estate on which to subsequently share additional, similar or complementary offers. Amazon, for example, does a great job of this by showing you what books other readers have also purchased.

4.  Ask for Feedback:

Support tickets and customer service interactions are not the only resources for finding out how your company can enhance and optimize customer satisfaction. Simply add a feedback form on the ‘Thank you’ page (something super short and simple, three questions maximum) and gather valuable intel. Where possible, include the opportunity for people to rate their shopping experience.

5.  Enable Socialization

Add social media sharing links within the image of the product they have just purchased, as well as alongside specific offers for newly converted users to share with their friends. The former facilitates validation from their peers; the second allows them to add value to their network as an expert in the space in which they are shopping, a great mix of altruism and ego.  

6.  Keep Testing to Optimize for the Goals of Your ‘Thank You’ Page

Test messaging, offers, calls-to-action, button placements, colours, layout, font size and more. There is always more to learn and incremental gains to make in terms of conversion rate optimization.

Takeaways

It is undeniably to your advantage to keep site visitors receptive and engaged post-conversion by optimizing your ‘Thank you’ page.

If you want repeat business, to build customer relationships, to continue your story post-sale, to increase potential average order values and boost your brand reach in the social space and to increase word of mouth – then give your ‘Thank you’ page some love.

By taking a little more time to show your customers you care and you appreciate their business, you can accomplish all of these goals.