The Power of Saying "Thank You"

No matter what job you have and what industry you're in, your customers are the ones that make up a full 100 percent of all of your sales and profits. With that in mind, consider how much time you are spending on your current clients, compared with the amount of time and money you spend trying to bring in new ones.

It's important to remember that saying "thank you" isn't just something that you do among friends and family. And although we may routinely say "thank you, have a nice day," it is likely not coming across as heartfelt. So what can you do to make things better? How do you show your appreciation if you can't use your good old standard?

Maintaining genuine relationships with each of your individual customers, and including praise as well as the words "thank you" when you really mean them can make all the difference. It is a subtle difference, but it is a big difference.

Of course, this doesn't mean that you should stop thanking your customers and wishing them a good day at the end of your transaction, but it does mean that you should make a little extra effort to show that you really do mean those words when you say them.

The first option you have to show your customers that when you said "Thank you have a nice day," you really meant it, is to send a thank you note. As was discussed in the previous article in this newsletter, thank you notes are a very special way to show your appreciation. Handwritten notes are especially appreciated, and show that you have taken an extra effort to show how much your relationship with your client has meant to you.

There are lots of reasons that you can send thank you notes to your customers. They include:

- After a meeting or telephone conversation

- After a helpful presentation

- After receiving a business referral

- For going the extra mile or simply doing a job well

- For an unexpected kindness

- For a great service

- For friendship

Make a regular habit of saying thank you when you mean it, and send thank you notes regularly when you have experienced a kindness. Writing thank you notes should become a welcome and regular part of your business day. It needn't be a time consuming habit. You are only writing a brief message to acknowledge something that you appreciated, in writing.

This will not only make an enormous difference to your customers and co-workers, but you'll also find it changing your own outlook for the better. You'll become truly aware of what you're thankful for in life, and you'll welcome the next opportunity to write a thank you note.

It is important, though, that just because you have made a habit out of your thank you note writing, you don't make it routine. When you express true thanks, it should be genuine, and not forced. Your recipients will appreciate the difference, and you'll leave a very positive impression.