Around 5 years ago, we had some friends staying here in Australia from the United States. In general conversation one early November, they mentioned that this would be their first Thanksgiving away from home.
Being good Australians, we immediately said “we’ll have Thanksgiving with you”. Now, at this stage I was treating Thanksgiving a little like I treat the US Mid-Terms. I knew it existed, but I wasn’t too sure what it was and why they did it. I did know turkey was involved. I signed up immediately.
So later that month, we went to their apartment for our first ever Thanksgiving. As much as I went for the turkey, I stayed for the sides. And dessert. I cannot write this without a mention of dessert. Needless to say, I felt like Christmas had come early and I left 5kg heavier.
Now, as much as I could go on (and on) about the food, the true essence of the day is about showing gratitude for what we have and what we have been given. In the days of social media and instant gratification, it is nice and extremely beneficial to think back on the year and put a focus on what good has occurred.
As a family, we are trying our hardest to ensure our kids don’t grow up to be entitled little brats. Showing gratitude on a regular basis helps greatly towards this.
Top Benefits of Gratitude:
- It makes you feel good
- It makes the other person feel good
- It makes you more aware of other people
- It contributes to the overall positivity within your community
What it means for business:
Showing gratitude (apart from being a nice thing to do) can have major benefits for your business. A business that has an emphasis on gratitude will have customers, staff, suppliers and followers who are more engaged and feel more valued. After all, business is not a money grab, it’s about relationship building. In addition to this, it helps with client retention and keeps your business top of mind for the next time they need your services.
Here are 3 great ways to show gratitude in your business, starting today:
1. Recognise your staff:
The lifeblood of any successful business, having your staff feel happy, secure and engaged will go a long way to helping you achieve your company’s goals. It fosters a positive workplace culture and teamwork within your company, especially if the gratitude and praise come from each other and not just from the management team.
Next Action:
At your next daily/weekly/monthly meeting add ‘Staff Shoutouts’ to your agenda. Have each staff member give praise to another staff member for an action they did at work. Watch your company culture soar as a result.
2. High Five Your Suppliers:
I was recently at a networking event and was lucky enough to watch a speech from the fabulous Ingrid Moyle. Ingrid captured the room with her talk of the impact of giving strong reviews and testimonials to your suppliers and community.
Why do this?
- It makes you feel better that you recognised & contributed to someone’s business success
- It makes them feel valued and acknowledged for their efforts
- It helps their business gain more followers through social proof marketing
- It helps their Google ranking (especially with Google reviews)
- Increases the likelihood that they will do business with you again
Next Action:
If you’ve received good service from a local business professional, check out their Google listing, Facebook profile or any other review website (think Yelp, True Local, Trip Advisor) and give them a nice 5 Star review for the work they did. Whilst you are at it, head to Ingrid’s website and download her free E-Book on testimonials and how to structure them correctly.
3. Send company-branded Christmas Cards:
The festive time is an ideal opportunity to look back on the year and say “thank you” to all that made it so special. Sending out company-branded Christmas Cards with your logo and personal message is a great & inexpensive way to show gratitude to your customers for the year just gone and to keep your company top of mind for the year ahead.
Next Action:
We are currently in production of company-branded Christmas Cards and 2019 Calendars, complete with your logo and personal message. Offering both small and large print runs, get in touch with us today and arrange for this festive season.
Giving a moment of time out of your day to say thank you will not only make you feel good, but it will also help the recipient have a better day and a better year ahead. With a variety of options, which are either free or low cost, there really isn’t an excuse for not showing a bit of gratitude this festive season.
Further Reading:
Festival of High Fives by Ingrid Moyle
Gratitude Marketing by Michael Sciortino Snr