Can you be too thankful? Well, can you remember a time when you wished a coworker would just stop thanking you for helping them out? Of course not! There is no such thing as being too thankful. We are a society lacking in gratitude, yet, saying 'thank you' is one of the most meaningful and memorable sentiments we can give to a customer or client! Thankfulness breeds loyalty and in today's world, loyalty is given to individuals, not companies.
Would you like more loyal customers and clients? Yes, you do, who wouldn't? So YOU must give special, repeated, and authentic thanks to your customers for their business and in return you will gain a loyal following.
What constitutes a special thank you? For starters, write a hand written thank you note! How many notes have you written in the last year? I bet not many. Your goal should be to double your note writing every six months. This does not have to be time consuming, three or four sentences is plenty. This is NOT the time to make a sale or next ask. Doing so would negate the authenticity of your gratitude. Just say thank you.
Repeated thanks is self explanatory; say it once, say it twice, then say it again! Say it in person, say it in writing, and tell others how grateful you are for you clients.Authenticity cannot be faked. People see right through a fake facade. Don't even attempt it. In fact, if you aren't genuinely appreciative for the business your customer gives you, its time to find a new business!
It bears repeating, loyalty is given to individuals, not companies. The secret of customer loyalty is the good, old-fashioned 'thank you'!
©Professional Etiquette Consulting llc
How do you project yourself? Is your authentic self visible to others? Do you care about the impression you make?
How you look, conduct yourself, and how comfortable you make others feel are the ingredients in the impression you give the world. We all stereotype instantly. Our brains organize information based on familiar patterns and pictures. The first question we ask when meeting someone is "What do you do?" We need to categorize the person. Doctor? Rich. Artist? Nonconformist. So ask yourself: How might others stereotype me?
Let's start with how you look. Are you dressed appropriately for the situation, event, or venue? Are you well groomed including nails, hair, and teeth? The answer should be 'yes' to both these questions. You see, as you approach, before you ever open your mouth, others have decided wether they will engage with you or not. Yes, they are judging you by your appearance! It's not a conscience decision to judge, it's simply human nature. We decide very quickly if we are comfortable enough to engage in conversation with another person or not based on the limited information available to us, appearance.
The way you conduct yourself sends a message too. Are you slumped over, looking down at the floor? Or, are you standing tall, head and chest up, making eye contact, and smiling? The first scenario will scare people off and they will avoid you. But the later scenario says: 'I welcome you in. I'm friendly. I'm engaging. I'm happy to be here.' Again, we are more comfortable when others make eye contact and smile.
By now you may have noticed that all roads lead back to how comfortable you make others feel. It is their level of comfort with you, your appearance, and your behavior that directly relate to the impact and impression you leave.
Plan for your first impression. Be mindful and sensitive of the comfort level of others. Be polite, mind your manners, dress the part, stand tall, make eye contact, smile, and allow your authentic self to shine through!
©Professional
Etiquette Consulting llc
