Appreciation Marketing – Just Say Thank You

When was the last time you said, “Thank You”, or when was the last time someone told you “Thank You”?  We have unfortunately reached a point where, the majority of the time, the thank you gesture has vanished from our lives.  We use empty phrases like “For sure”, or “No problem”.  We do not acknowledge the acts of others, even when we request their help.

Have you ever received an email asking you for some information?  When you answer, wouldn’t it be nice if you received a thank you in return?  For no other reason, you would like to know that the person actually received your reply and that the information was helpful.  If you were in an actual conversation in person or on the telephone, you wouldn’t expect the person to walk away or hang up, when you replied, without acknowledging you.  Not answering with a thank you email is exactly the same.

Have you ever provided a referral for networking partner and never received a thank you in return?  We have discussed referrals for your networking partners numerous times.  Referrals are the life blood of every business; we strive to make our businesses to become referral-based.  We must thank those people who provide us referrals, and we must thank them with enthusiasm and pride.  They just put money into our pockets.

Maya Angelou stated: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.  How do you feel when someone thanks you for some gesture that you make towards them?  I do not care how little you may do for someone, a thank you is appropriate and will make everyone feel better.  Did I just say everyone?  Yes, everyone benefits and feels better from a thank you.

What if you forget; is it ever too late to say thank you?  It is never too late.  On time is best, but late is acceptable, and late is much better than never.  If you are late, acknowledge that you are late; take responsibility and ownership of being late.  Just like a mistake made in business, your being late is no one’s fault except yours, and you should admit your tardiness.  People remember and tell others about your actions, especially the rude ones.

What should you say “Thank You” for; why not everything?  My momma taught me to say “Thank You”, “Please”, and “You’re Welcome”.  It is not hard to do; make it a habit, and it will return rewards to you.  No one gets mad at you for thanking them, and I don’t believe that anyone tires of hearing your appreciation.  Besides, it doesn’t take a big effort on your part.

Dr. Steven Covey writes in his book Everyday Greatness “In terms of the energy and know-how required, gratitude is one of the easiest of all principles to apply”.  He also states “people with Everyday Greatness are quick to exhibit everyday gratitude”.

Tell someone “Thank You” as soon as you can, and watch their reaction.  Leave a comment about your experience, or email me at Jim@SOC4Now.com, or call me at 360-314-8691.  People appreciate your appreciation and they remember your actions, for long after you might remember what you did for them.  It’s just karma in action.

As an added note, I would like to say “Thank You” to Tommy Wyatt and Curtis Lewsey for their book, Appreciation Marketing, which has become my guide and from which I have borrowed many of the ideas and thoughts expressed in each and every blog posting, especially this one.