|
6/5/08: Thank You Says It All |
|
|
|
|
Thank You Says It All
If a picture speaks a thousand words, a thank you speaks even more.
Gratitude is something of which none of us can give too much. For on the smiles, the thanks we give, our little gestures of appreciation, our neighbors build their philosophy of life.
-- A. J. Cronin
I got a nice card the other day from somebody who attended one of my seminars. It was a simple “thank you” note saying that this person felt reenergized and was excited to implement what she had learned. Of all the communication that I received that day, including emails and voicemails, which form of communication do you think had the most impact on me? If you guessed, “that goofy little thank you card,” you were right. Because it was the only card I got that day. Heck, it was the only paper card I’ve received in the past six months! It was personal, different, and put an immediate smile on my face.
How can thank you cards and notes help our businesses? For instance, let’s say you make a sales call and then send out a thank you card the same day you had that important customer meeting. The customer then gets that card in one or two days. What does it say about your ability to serve them? I believe it says the following:
- You give a damn
- You believe in timely follow-up
- You pay attention to detail
- They are important
The card says things better than you EVER could. Think about it. What would it sound like if you walked up to a prospect or current customer and said, “I give a damn. I believe in timely follow-up. I pay attention to detail. And I think you are important!” Wouldn’t that customer look at you like we were an arrogant idiot? Perhaps. But with a thank you card or note, that message is delivered more loudly, clearly and humbly. And if you are not in sales, don’t worry. Because whether you are a manager, a CEO, or an associate, we all have people around us who need to be thanked. We just need to make thanking others a habit.
Go buy a stack of thank you notes or sign up for the service that I use that allows me to send out cards online using my own handwriting (it’s pretty cool). And as you begin thanking others, don’t be surprised if they start thanking you. And you will soon find that an organization based on a philosophy of thanks, is an organization that will have a ton to be thankful for.
Brian Sullivan is the author of the well-known sales and communications book, 20 Days to the Top (www.preciseselling.com). To learn how you can quickly and easily produce and send out your own customized thank you cards to customers and employees (same online service Brian uses), go to www.sendoutcards.com/precise
|
