“THANK YOU.”
Sometimes the phrase itself is not enough to show gratitude towards others. What did you feel when you saw the message above? Did you feel happy? Did you feel fulfilled? Did you feel nothing? As a business owner nowadays, a “Thank you” is an everyday phrase that we say towards our hardworking employees, amazing team members, new partners, and new and loyal customers. Somehow, since it has been used one too many, it has become “just a phrase” and it loses its genuine meaning or impact. But even if it has been used so much in everyday situations, it can be a phrase with action that can definitely move and affect people.
What if we tell you that your THANK YOU and going above and beyond can go a long way? It can ACTUALLY be the reason your business gets more sales, leads, and loyal customers that can eventually turn to friends or family.
Saying THANK YOU and having the ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE when running a business holds so much POWER that it can change the course of advertising your business.
So HOW CAN GRATITUDE ADVANCE YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISING GAME?
ACTIONABLE “THANK YOU´ PAGES At the end of every promotional email, automated messages, processed orders should be a message of thanks to customers who took the time to reply or follow the step-by-step process in checking out their orders. A customer’s journey in your shop shouldn’t end once they are done paying the service or the item. Include a genuine “thank you” note or any message showing appreciation for taking the time to follow your process and of course reply to your messages. Along with this, a guide to what they should do next would be a good way to let them feel secure about your service. The following could be done:
- An explanation of what happens next (ex. When will they get their order? When will they hear from you? How can they contact you with questions?
- Links to your social media pages
- A call to action for a survey or questionnaire
- Something fun, humorous, or touching that will make your customer smile!
This is an effective way to let your customers feel that you are in it not solely for sales but also for the satisfaction and fulfillment of your new and loyal customers,
Celebratory Response when hitting a milestone.
No matter how big or small a business is, it goes through different wins and milestones every day, month, or year. Whenever you have hit small and big wins, a simple celebration can be done to honor the people who have been with your business every step of the way. Say for example your Facebook page or Instagram page hit 500 followers or a thousand likes – well, that says something. YOU are growing, and it is just about right to keep your followers updated and acknowledged in wins like this. Your business accepted a deal with the 100th customer – celebrate that! You sold over 500 items already – celebrate that! Remember, hitting a milestone is part of your business growth, make sure not to take it for granted. You could probably thank people through a coupon code, discounts, special offers, and the likes. There are so many possible genuine ways to thank a customer. 😊
Going Above and Beyond
A simple thank you sometimes can’t suffice how grateful we are to our customers. Have you experienced someone vouching for you? Have you ever had recommendations? Did someone take an effort to write a glowing article of your business? Were you given a five-star rating plus a message saying how great your business is? All of these are possible when you take care of your customers, and reciprocating them with more than just a simple thank you could be best. Say for example, gift them with a voucher, or a brand merchandise, or even meeting them in person and treating them to lunch. This is where customers and other would feel your business is genuine and important.
The Art of Giving Back
From the time you have started your business from scratch, there were surely a few strong believers and supporters that’s excited to see your business come to fruition. Along the way, more people are added – new partners, new customers, new investments, new collaborations and the likes. Looking back, it has never been an easy journey for any business, but it is definitely worth it. So how can we give back to all the people who believed and gave us a chance? The following can be done: > Gift vouchers for our loyal customers > Additional FREE item/s, for every big purchase > Surprise Giveaways > Community “Giving Back” activities > Free consultations and the likes 
AIM FOR SATISFACTION MORE THAN SALES
In the spirit of giving and receiving, humanizing your business by showing little acts of gratitude can put your advertising game to a whole new level. When you aim for the hearts more than the wallets, you’ll gather a big baseline of followers, partners, and loyal customers. If you take care of people, they reciprocate by taking care of your business. It’s a win-win situation. It is never too late to practice the art of gratitude in the advertising and business world.