It’s simple. It’s polite. And it’s powerful. The phrase “thank-you” is more than just good manners, it’s an amazing tool that all of us possess, yet not enough of us utilize. And, thanking others is a way to strengthen our relationship with them.
Whatever the “occasion”, a good old-fashioned “thank-you” note is as easy as it gets. In our electronic age of emails, voicemails, cell phones and online networking, a hand-written note is truly rare and stands out. As a refresher, here are seven “occasions” to say “thank-you”:
1. Send Kudos to a Colleague.
If someone you know has done something noteworthy — perhaps they were in the local paper or they volunteered at a charity event or just received a promotion — send your congratulations and a comment on their achievement.
2. Show Customer Appreciation.
The best marketing advice around is to value your customers — they are your business. You can welcome new customers, thank long-standing customers for their continued commitment and attract new customers all by simply saying “thanks for your business.”
3. Value Those Who Are Virtual.
To enrich an online connection even further, take a moment to send a note to a friend on Facebook, follower on Twitter or connection on LinkedIn. Thank them for being a part of your community or for participating in a blog discussion or for sharing their perspective. This can be especially effective for reaching out to potential clients as well as gaining visibility with web “celebrities” and experts.
4. Acknowledge Advice.
Ever get a great suggestion or tip from someone that really paid off? Did you thank them for the information? Well, we all get advice from time to time — some of it personal and some of it professional. Expertise is achieved with hard work and sacrifice, so show your appreciation for useful or helpful advice by jotting a quick note of thanks and telling the person how it has helped you.
5. Praise People.
We all need to feel that we matter and that what we do matters to others. Don’t skimp on your praise for others. Be quick to acknowledge a job well done, a great idea, a recent promotion, or extra effort by someone you work with — either in the same office, a vendor or business associate.
6. Remark on a Referral.
Word of mouth is the best advertisement for your business — that is, if it’s positive. Remember to thank those who refer business to you. Make sure they know how much you value them so they don’t feel that their contribution is unappreciated.
7. Salute Good Service.
Many of us complain about bad service, but do we take the time to be thankful for outstanding service? If someone at the bank is especially helpful, if the person waiting on you at your favorite restaurant makes your experience exceptional or if a vendor goes above and beyond to get your order right and on time — these are all opportunities to say “thank-you.”
Thanking others can take many shapes and forms — everything from a quick “thanks” for making an introduction at a networking meeting to a more detailed thanks for something truly above and beyond that someone did for you.
Just for fun, try looking for reasons to thank others for a day or even a week. Challenge yourself to write one thank-you note each day or week — don’t worry about your handwriting or having the perfect cards or stationery. Keep it short and sincere — and then send it.
When you take advantage of each opportunity to say “thank-you”, you’ll find that not only will you make others feel good about themselves and what they do, but you’ll feel good, too.
Who can you thank today? Share your thoughts and experiences below in the comments.
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Hi Thank You for this post. I try to be good and leave comments as often as there is time. Also I praise people very often I know myself how good it feels to get possitive comments. Greetings from the netherlands
Hi Coby!
Thanks for stopping by and cheering on your fellow Ultimate Blog Challenger!
I was in the Netherlands briefly a couple of years ago to see my brother in a duathlon. I hope to get back there someday!
Cathy
Hi Cathy
it helps build great relationships 
I agree it takes little effort to say thank you but those words go a long way!
I think with my blog commenting and interaction with other networkers I must say thank you a few times every day and I always appreciate it when someone says them to me
Thanks for sharing
Pauline
Pauline,
Thanks for the comment!
You are so right — saying thank you and appreciating someone helps build great relationships.
If we would just remember how great it feels when we are appreciated, praised and thanked, I think we might do it more often — good reminder!
Cathy
You are very correct in your article that it takes very little time to say a simple ‘Thank you’ but it can have such powerful meaning. Sadly it seems common courtesy is vanishing fast in today’s world and it is a shame as it shows a lack of respect not only for the individual but a lack of respect for others around them as well. I try to bring my children up saying please and thank you for everything and recognising they are part of an interactive world built on networks and relationships.
I look forward to reading more of your posts over the coming month of the Ultimate Blog Challenge.
Thanks, Keith!
Great insights! Yes, we are part of an “interactive world” as you say — so, we need to remember that it’s not always about me. In fact, thinking about, thanking and doing for others really makes you fell BETTER about yourself as well because the focus on you is not constant.
Thanks for the comment and I hope to see you again, soon.
Cathy
Nice post, some good points. I’m always saying thanks, I used to send thankyou cards all the time but nowadays it’s a text or email or a simple thankyou on face book but I know many don’t – this is a nice reminder. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Dianne!
Thanks for stopping by to read the blog!
I’m glad you’re an avid “thanker” — a great habit to have!
I find that thank you cards (any card, actually) still really stand out and make an impression, so I send those to special clients or folks I’m wanting to establish some rapport with in a more meaningful way. Who doesn’t love a nice card in the mail?
Cathy
i agree!! A friend of mine does something called ‘pay it forward,’ rather than paying back a good deed she passes one on to another person. That way theres a whole lot of love flying around.x
Jackie,
Thanks for the comment!
I’m a huge fan of “pay it forward” — just being generally kind, helpful and friendly to others does wonders in so many ways, doesn’t it? Not only is it nice for the person on the receiving end, but it also makes us feel great, too. Win-win!
Hope to “see” you again sometime soon.
Cathy
Cathy, thanks for your timely article on something we should all be doing but easily forget. I just received an assignment from some one and will definitely be sending them a thank you card as a result of your advice. It has put all kinds of great ideas into my head about how to further communicate with others.
As a matter of fact, I have a favorite waiter and although I tip him, what a great way to further thank him. And my my hair stylist. You have given me so many ideas my head is swimming.
It really boils down to gratitude, taking it one step further and doing something doing something tangible about it.
Many thanks for thinking about us to write something special,
Sarah
Sarah,
Simple gratitude is great, but going that one step further and doing something “tangible” is REALLY great — love that point! (I think it’s Sandy Martini’s influence of Extreme Client Care on us!)
I’m so glad you found some good ideas — let me know if you come up with some more creative ways to say “thank you”.
Cathy
Cathy, I think I’ll start my thanks for the day right here! This is great advice, and something I think most of us need a reminder about from time to time.
One of my favorite things to do when I have to travel very early in the morning (NOT my time of day, I can assure you!) is to thank people for getting up up earlier than I did so I could fly at 6AM. It’s amazing to watch a human face transform in a moment of acknowledgement!
Hey Allison!
Amen to being grateful to the morning people! I’m barely human until after 8am (and turn into a pumpkin again around 10pm), so I REALLY appreciate all the early birds who are at work long before I am. Love that!
Cathy
Cathy – I LOVE IT!
Expressing gratitude is the easiest and fastest way to ensure you have a great day! I love your suggestions, especially, “Praise People.” Acknowledge people when they do something that helps you out, and be sincere about it!
Thanks for the post!
Paul,
You are “All About Gratitude”, so I would think you have ALL KINDS of things to add to this one! I love your site — http://www.allaboutgratitude.com and think it’s such a great reminder to be grateful and positive in how we approach life’s everyday situations.
Nice to “see” you again!
Cathy
I totally agree and it’s something I do regularly. I’m about to start a 30 day gratitude challenge, actually, where I’ll send a card a day for 30 days. It’s powerful and it does stand out. Thanks for posting about this!
Hey Leanne!
Great to “see” you again in the blog challenge!
I love the idea of a 30 day gratitude challenge! Think of all the great things that will happen with just 30 simple cards! I just might adopt this one as well.
Cathy
This rocks! I’m very modern and punk rock in some ways, but I’m “old fashioned” when it comes to thank you notes. I still send them and believe that they are awesome. I love receiving them too. This art has been lost in modern times due to emails, texting, and social media. I still feel high touch is high value too, especially in biz sense
Nice to read your post.
Thanks, Lisa!
Love the phrase, “high touch is high value” — and oh so true in our digital age!
Who doesn’t love a card in the mail? I am a bit of a stationery addict and have an entire bookshelf of cards and envelopes and pretty notes to send folks.
Long live REAL cards in the mail!
Cathy
I am an ex teacher and have always been an advocate of nice manners – after all they cost nothing. I loved reading your post. It reminds me that not enough people do thank others. I always try to thank people as I know how I feel when praised or thanked. One thing I do a lot is smile at people! Today, I was praised for that. Last night I was watching a lovely concert at our church and when I enjoy things, I do smile to show gratitude. I met one of the ladies today and she said how nice it was to see a smiley face in the audience!!! So glad I helped to make her day! We have now arranged to meet up for coffee and I believe this is going to be the start of a new friendship.
Amen, Lyn!
As a speaker, I LOVE folks like you who smile and interact with me during presentations. I try to do the same for speakers and performers when I’m in the audience as well. GREAT reminder to be mindful of our facial expressions and how easy it is to convey appreciation with just a smile or nod.
Cathy
Paying forward with a thank you note, an appreciation and with a gratitude word,letter or smile allows us to increase our capacity for more joy for us and the others.
2 simple words can make the difference, so I take this opportunity to THANK YOU Cathy for sharing this message here for everyone!
Thank YOU, Patricia, for reading and commenting!
Being thankful and grateful towards others really DOES make more joy for us and for other people! It’s amazing how simple it can be.
Hope to hear from you again!
Cathy
Cathy,
I just received a handwritten thank you note from a friend I have helped out who has been going through some difficult times. It meant so much to me for her to take the time to thank me for something I was not expecting thanks for. A great reminder and motivator for me to grab a stack of notes and start writing!
Aren’t they the best, Nancy?!
I love cards — getting and sending them! They show an extra bit of effort and thoughtfulness than an email or quick message online. (although I use these as well).
Glad you enjoyed the post.
Cathy