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Health & Fitness

Appropriate Ways for Business Professionals to Show Appreciation

How do you show appreciation? Here's how some local business professionals do it.

I held a lunch and learn recently which featured this topic as a roundtable discussion.  We had professionals in a variety of industries share what they typically do to acknowledge their clients, referral partners, or employees.

Start from a place of gratitude:

I’ve read in numerous places that the first step towards abundance is gratitude.  I’m not suggesting that you give in order to get, but simply be open to this universal concept.   Here are a few references, in case you’re interested or unfamiliar with this principle:

http://visualizeabundance.com/gratitude-list.php

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In our panel discussion, no one got “new agey”, we simply shared from the heart about why we feel it is important to acknowledge those who work for us, do business with us, or refer business to us. Our guests included marketing professionals, attorneys, financial advisors, CPA’s, coaches, consultants, and an appraiser.  While our professions were different, our mindset was unified.  We all felt it was essential to express gratitude to our clients, employees, and referral partners.

How we expressed it differed from one industry to another, but mostly it was a personal decision to honor those who did business with us or generated business for us.

 Ways to show gratitude in your business:

Be sure to run these ideas by your compliance department if you are in a regulated industry like Law, Financial Services, Mortgage or Real Estate Services, etc.  However, I’m confident there is something you can use below, and not break any rules within your industry.

1.  Handwritten notes

Most people would agree that the handwritten note has become a lost sentiment from the past.  It’s so easy to send a text, email, or leave a voicemail.  Who bothers to take the time to hand write a note anymore?  Emily Post must be turning in her grave!

However, those who do take the time are the ones who reap the rewards because they are often acknowledged by the receiver of their note.  It may seem odd that someone would thank you for writing a thank you note, but it happens regularly.  Whether or not you are acknowledged for it, it’s a good idea to take time to acknowledge the other person for what they did for you or what you appreciate about them.  That goes for employees, clients, referral partners, and people in your network.

Don’t you want your network to think well of you?

  • Drop them a note after a meeting and let them know how and why it was a pleasure for you to spend time with them.  Personalize it; reflect back to something that was said in the meeting.
  • Send a thank you note or card for a referral.
  • Acknowledge it with a handwritten note, when someone takes the time to talk through a problem with you, or brainstorm an idea with you.
  • Thank your employees for doing a great job.  Sure you expect that of them, but appreciation goes a long way.
  • Thank your clients by handwritten note for doing business with you.  Yes, you rendered them a service, and they thanked you by paying for it.  However, there’s nothing wrong and everything right about the service provider thanking the client for the privilege of providing them that service.

2.   Charitable donation

Some businesses are precluded from receiving anything that might resemble a gift.  Whether the item is a meal, tickets to an event, or a small token of appreciation like a $5 gift card to the local coffee shop, all are precluded in certain business based on corporate policy.  Rather than place someone in an awkward position of having to return the gift, some professionals have chosen to make a charitable donation in the name of that person.  The charity could be a favorite of the person named, or the person who provided the charitable gift.

Some online resources for making charitable gifts and letting the gift recipient choose the charity include:

www.globalgiving.org

www.givingnote.org

3.  Have fun together

This might mean hosting a party at your company and inviting clients or referral partners.  Some call these client appreciation events.  It could be an event at your workplace, or elsewhere like a baseball game, Art Museum, Theatre.

Other businesses scheduled family oriented activities for their clients and other guests to bring their families and have fun together.

One professional talked about ways to honor her staff by scheduling a couple hours of free chair massages in the middle of the work day.  All the Employees LOVED it!

 

4.  Small tokens of appreciation

If gifts aren’t taboo for your industry or the gift recipient, some of our panelists suggested:

  • Gift cards
  • Books
  • Coffee/tea
  • Wine
  • Popcorn
  • Cookies
  • Baskets of goodies
  • Homemade baked goods/home grown herbs, etc.

The key point emphasized here was: ‘Know your gift recipient’!

You don’t want to give wine to someone that doesn’t drink alcohol, or coffee to a tea drinker.  Find out ahead of time if they like sports, sweets, movies, events, etc.

  • Taking a client or referral partner out to lunch or their favorite sporting event was also suggested.
  • Others suggested something very personalized, like a picture frame when someone is having a baby.  Included would be a handwritten note extending your sentiments.
  • Birthday acknowledgements on Facebook to your network is a FREE gesture with a minimal time commitment, which is appreciated by the birthday greeting recipient.
  • A coaching professional offers a complimentary coaching session for his clients on their birthday.
  • Another professional mentioned he brings bagels to client meetings (the good kind from an authentic Jewish Deli!)
  • Some professionals patronize their client’s business and purchase a product or service and tell their network about it.
  • A CPA mentioned he offers discounts on his client’s tax return, when they refer him new business.
  • Another simple gesture is to take time to call and thank them for a referral and let them know if/when it turns into business.

However you choose to acknowledge your clients, referral partners, or employees, the bottom line is “Just Do It!”  It’s the right thing to do, and as suggested at the beginning of this article, it will probably bring something positive back to you.  Abundance begins with gratitude!

POINTS TO PONDER AND SHARE:

  • What are your favorite ways to show appreciation?
  • What are your favorite ways to be acknowledged?
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