by Marcia Reece and Carol Naff
No matter who you are or what you do, you need to say two words often and genuinely. They are thank you. Most of us don’t say it enough or with sincerity.
When was the last time you felt deeply grateful? What happened? And, more importantly, what did you DO to acknowledge your gratitude? Gratitude is an attitude muscle that needs daily exercise!
Every day, Marcia reflects thankfulness in her gratitude journal. She makes a note of at least three things to express gratitude and why she is grateful. Carol uses this same approach and writes about three things she accomplished that day and expresses gratitude. Then it is important to follow up! The next day they both do something to reflect this gratitude. The quickest and best idea is to send a thank you note by snail mail. To have this note most effective, make it specific, personal and be your authentic self. If you want to send a gift, think outside of the box. Some fun ideas are movie tickets, gift cards, a sheet of Forever postage stamps. These can all be included easily inside your thank you note. Or you can think of something specific to make their lives easier; bake homemade doggy treats or volunteer for a dog walk for your pet-loving friends. Being specific shows sincerity.
Marcia’s most commented upon thank you, even after thirty years was an office set she made for her buyers out of sidewalk chalk! She still sees some of these vintage pieces on buyer’s desks. She made four different pieces and sent one piece per week for a month. When the month was over, her buyers’ desks were decorated with a clever variation of her own product. No matter what you think of, Just Do It and try to make it personal to your work for maximum impact!
When expressing your gratitude with the words “thank you,” be timely, specific, and genuine. Hand written and mailed with a stamp in an envelope are required!!! No emails!!! It’s too powerful and too important to do it only half way. A card with a thoughtful message is something people hold dear. They appreciate a personal message in your handwriting. Waiting too long to say thank you makes you come across as insincere.
What was the reason for your last Thank You? Was it for a referral to a potential client? Or a lead to a job opening? Or perhaps an introduction? Or an invitation? Maybe even a gift or kindness? Or perhaps someone took their time to evaluate your LinkedIn profile or evaluate your business? Have you thanked someone for just being their friend?
Life is much better because we are happier when we are grateful. How can you spread that happiness to everyone around you? Those who are more grateful are more productive and inspired due to their greater passion and commitment levels.
The best gifts still come from the heart! If your friend has a special cause they care about, why not make a donation in their name or volunteer some of your time to their cause? This will mean more than cookies, candies, or flowers because you’re taking your friend’s love and spreading it around to others.
Now…right now is the time to reflect, express, and reap the benefits of gratitude! Today’s world is fast paced. Let’s make it a point to not let Thank You slip away.
And while it’s fun to thank our peeps for the “good stuff”; it’s doubly important to thank your complaining customers. Why?? If they are complaining, it generally means they still want to do business with you. The best way to handle this is to first thank them for their business and then explain how you will make things right and then offer a special thank you gift letting them know they are helping you make your business or service even better for them and others. This is your chance to earn their repeat business.
Thank you for taking your valuable time to read this post. Please comment and let us know your favorite thank you of all times? We would love to hear your thoughts on thank you…and who will receive your next thank you note and why you are sending it?
Share here and we’ll pass around some clever new ways to say thank you. Saying thank you is simple, it’s powerful, and you will make someone’s day with a sincere thank you!!
Always give without remembering and always receive without forgetting. ~Brian Tracy
Carol Naff is a Professional Coach, a Certified Email Marketing Strategist, and a creative marketing and business developer. She founded Mariner Company in 2000, a coaching and consulting business with more than 15 years prior experience in developing marketing strategies for creative business owners to get more clients and how to come in #1 in your job search. MarinerCo.com. Follow my blog at CarolNaff.me Complete the business and job search assessment to identify what you need to succeed at Marinerco.com
Marcia Reece, the inventor of Sidewalk Chalk, is the #1 Bestselling author of Secrets of the Marriage Mouse and The Ultimate Online Media Director also was the inventor of Gel-eez, the very first gel-filled wrist rest for keyboard and mouse users. She founded Aspen Support Group in 1998 and uses her creative energies to help many dozen entrepreneurs and authors take their ideas to products and their products to the shelves of American Retailers. Her books are available on Amazon.com Follow her blog at https://marciaok.wordpress.com
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