"Thank You". How Hard's That?

Try as we may to stuff up our planet and numb our brains with unnecessary junk, there remains many delightful human behaviours. One is how we instinctively help the people we like.

In business, this translates to acquaintances and friends who rave about us, promoting us to others simply because they want to see us prosper and are confident our work will help others.

Okay, our wonderfulness also reflects well on them, let’s not kid ourselves.

While many talk about inducements and incentives to promote ravers, I don’t think there’s anything as powerful as being genuinely, honestly, professionally, you.

It shouldn’t surprise you then to learn that the single most important reward we can give to a raving fan is acknowledgement. And it follows that the single largest error we can make is to fail to acknowledge.

So what form should acknowledgement take? The answer is simple: Whatever works for you. Whatever you do must suit who you are; must be something you do consistently each and every time and be something you do speedily.

Personally, I mail a colourful handwritten card with a star on the front every time I receive a referral or a sign of support and I send a small gift to my serial-ravers at Christmas. On occasion I may substitute the star card with an email.

(Note to self: Stop doing this.)

What’s important is that your gesture suits you and is fitting to the nature of your work. Authenticity beats flamboyancy hands down.

Now I have no doubt there will those reading this who have a referral program that has much greater rewards built in — possibly even grubby old cash — and in certain industries these not only work, they are expected.

Fine. If it works for you, keep doing do it. For the rest of us let’s just concentrate on acknowledgement and take good note of how it feels when you rave on someone’s behalf and hear nothing.

Who’s fallen off your thank you list recently?