How to Design a Thank You Page That Grows Sales and Loyalty

Christopher. H
1 day ago
5 min read

I’ve seen founders treat the thank you page as just a polite afterthought, when in reality it’s one of the most underrated sales tools in business. Used well, it not only thanks your customer but also deepens the relationship and drives more revenue.

Think about it: your customer has just taken action—they’ve bought, booked, or signed up. They’re at their peak level of attention and trust. That’s the perfect moment to confirm, reassure, and invite them into the next step. Ignore it, and you waste a golden window. Optimise it, and you unlock upsells, referrals, and stronger loyalty.

A Sydney-based skin clinic I coached initially had a plain “Thanks for booking” page. Once we redesigned it with a warm personal thank-you, a referral incentive, and an upsell for add-on treatments, their revenue per customer grew by 15%. That’s the hidden leverage of this page. The thank you page is not the end of the journey—it’s the start of repeat sales.

What Exactly Is a Thank You Page?

A thank you page is the page your customers land on right after completing an action—whether that’s making a purchase, booking a service, or signing up for your list. Its job is to thank them, confirm the action, and guide them to what comes next.

Core sections usually include:

Personal thank-you message
Confirmation message
Clear next steps
Referral or upsell CTA
Share buttons

Extra features that make it powerful:

Personalised message (using name or purchase details)
Recommended product or content
Lead capture (newsletter signup or free resource)

Brands like Apple and Amazon never waste this page—they use it to reassure, upsell, and keep customers engaged.

Why This Could Make or Break Your Business

A thank you page is a goldmine of opportunity because your customer’s attention is at its highest right after purchase. Here’s how you can use it:

Upselling: Offer complementary products or services (e.g., “Booked a haircut? Add a blow dry for $20.” / “Bought running shoes? Add socks for 15% off.”).
Cross-selling: Suggest related items that solve connected problems (e.g., “You’ve bought a camera—would you like a tripod?”).
Education: Deliver a free guide, tutorial, or video that helps them get more value from what they just bought.
Downloads and resources: Provide a checklist, workbook, or mini-course as a thank-you gift. It builds trust and positions you as a problem solver.
Referral incentives: Encourage them to invite friends (“Share this and both of you get $10 credit.”).
Community building: Offer a link to join your Facebook group, Slack, or customer hub.
Lead nurturing: Capture newsletter signups with content that keeps them engaged until their next purchase.

But here’s the catch: this only works if you deeply understand your customer avatar—their problems, desires, and what they value. Without that insight, upsells feel pushy, gifts miss the mark, and content goes ignored. With it, your thank you page becomes a tool for delivering genuine value that builds trust and drives repeat business.

Real-World Examples

A Melbourne meal-prep service added an upsell to their thank you page: “Want to add snacks to your box?” 20% of customers clicked through, instantly boosting revenue.
Meanwhile, a Gold Coast online course provider used a plain “Thank you” screen with no directions. Students felt lost until an email arrived hours later, creating unnecessary anxiety.

Before You Start

Get these elements ready before building your thank you page:

A short, human thank-you message.
Confirmation copy (purchase/booking/signup worked).
Next steps (what happens now, when they’ll hear from you).
Referral offer or upsell product.
Social share buttons.
Optional lead capture form (newsletter, free guide).

These ensure the page has both warmth and strategic value.

How to Build a Thank You Page:

Step by Step

Step 1: Write a Personal Thank-You

Use their first name if possible.
Express gratitude in your brand’s voice.

Result: Customers feel valued, not just processed.

Step 2: Confirm the Action

Say clearly what they just did (purchase, booking, signup).
Include reference/order number if relevant.

Result: Customers feel secure that everything worked.

Step 3: Outline Next Steps

Let them know what happens next (delivery, email, call).
Set clear expectations and timelines.

Result: Customers know what to expect and avoid doubt.

Step 4: Add an Upsell, Gift, or Referral CTA

Suggest a complementary product or upgrade.
Offer a thank-you bonus resource (guide, checklist, or mini-course).
Provide a referral incentive (“Share with a friend and get 10% off”).

Result: You deepen trust while capturing additional value.

Step 5: Include Share and Connection Options

Add social share buttons.
Offer a newsletter signup or invite to follow on social media.

Result: You build community and ongoing engagement.

This transforms the thank you page from a dead end into a growth engine.

Mistakes to Avoid

An e-commerce store simply wrote “Thanks for your order.” No confirmation, no next steps. Customers doubted if it worked and contacted support unnecessarily.

A Brisbane coaching business used a generic message without brand voice. It felt cold and transactional, reducing trust.

Another founder missed the chance to cross-sell. Their thank you page had no upsell offer—and they lost easy add-on sales.

What It Costs and How Long It Takes

You’ll need to budget for both money and time.

Here’s what founders usually face:

DIY / In-house: $0–$50 AUD; 1–2 hours. Using built-in page editors in Shopify, Wix, or WordPress.
Template/Resource: $50–$200 AUD; 2–3 hours. Pre-made thank you page templates with upsell sections.
Professional / Done-for-you: $500–$1,500 AUD; 1–2 weeks. A designer builds a branded, strategic thank you page.
Ongoing / Renewal: $20–$100 AUD per year; minimal time. Updating upsell offers or referral promotions.

Hidden Costs

Lost revenue from skipped upsells.
Missed referrals without share buttons.
Customer anxiety without clear next steps.

Mentor Tip: Treat this page as a secret sales weapon—upsell, cross-sell, educate, or gift value.

What to Do Next

✅ Download the Thank You Page Growth Kit. Page Layout Blueprint, Message Matrix, Upsell Prompt Library, Referral Flow Map, and Loyalty Sequence Planner. Build a thank you page that feels genuine, builds trust, and grows repeat sales without being pushy. [ProDesk.com]

✅ Done-For-You for Thank You Pages. Turn post-purchase into next purchase. We design thank you pages that delight customers, drive referrals, and feed your next sale — automatically. You’ve done the hard work; we make sure the momentum doesn’t stop. [Noize.com.au]

✅ Strategic acceleration— Make gratitude your growth channel. StartupDeck gives you proven plays for turning post-checkout pages into loyalty drivers — simple actions that turn first-time buyers into lifetime fans. [theStartUpDeck.com]

By acting now, you’ll turn a polite thank-you into a powerful growth lever.

The Bottom Line

A thank you page is not the end of the customer journey—it’s the beginning of loyalty and repeat sales.

Ignore it, and you waste an opportunity. Optimise it, and you’ll create more trust, more referrals, and more revenue.

The founders who win know this page is more than courtesy—it’s a sales tool in disguise.

FAQs

Do I really need a thank you page?

Yes. It reassures customers, confirms actions, and opens the door for referrals and upsells.

Should I personalise the thank you?

Absolutely. Even simple touches like their first name make it feel human.

Can I sell more on the thank you page?

Yes, but balance is key. Confirm and thank first, then offer an upsell or gift.

What if I don’t have products to upsell?

Offer a referral incentive, a free downloadable, or invite them to join your community.

Should I include social share buttons?

Yes. They help spread your brand while trust is high.