Want to be more successful? Learn to incorporate gratitude in your life and selling. It’s not my idea that gratitude is a good idea for sales and business. There are many studies and they support an association between gratitude and an individual’s well-being. So how can you incorporate gratitude into your selling? Here are a few ideas.
Say thank you.
This is something that I am especially passionate about doing. I see too many people just assume that other people do what they do because they have to and don’t need to hear gratitude in response. You may have heard some managers say, “I don’t need to say thank you to my employees. They get their thanks in their pay check.” It’s really not kind to think that way. I think it’s wrong. You are a more observant, aware person when you recognize that other people really don’t have to do what they do for you.
Yes, subordinates do work for you. But, subordinates don’t have to want to do the best job they can do for you. They don’t have to work late when a task becomes a high priority for you. They don’t really have to look out for you when they see roadblocks that might present problems for you in the future.
You may think that some customers may have to buy your products. Customer don’t have to do more and recommend you or support you and your work. You and your selling become far more vulnerable when your customers don’t offer you support because you are not grateful.
Resolve to include gratitude next year.
You may recognize yourself as the person who doesn’t think gratitude is helpful or even needed. I challenge you to start incorporating gratitude in your selling next year. How can you do that? Take small steps. First would be to notice when you should thank someone.
You thank someone when they did something that made your work easier. Your work became easier when someone does a task that you don’t have to do. Thanks are in order. You thank someone when they do something kind for you.
Buy some thank you cards now as you’re doing your holiday shopping. That way when you see something you want to acknowledge, you already have the notes handy. A handwritten, sincere thank you note is an expression of kindness that becomes memorable to the recipient. You’ll often hear from the recipient how your note made their day so much better.
Be effective when you show gratitude.
Saying thanks to someone is better than not saying thanks at all. However, you can make your gratitude even more effective. Be sure to say what you are thanking someone for when you say thanks. Then turn it around to include the word you or your and say why. Yes, you are grateful by saying thanks. When you tell someone, “Your help with this project really made my life easier and I so appreciate you.” you are giving a specific reason that shows the recipient how they made a difference. Now both you and the recipient can feel better.
There are selfish reasons to incorporate gratitude into your selling. Managers who remember to say “thank you” to subordinates may find that those employees feel motivated to work harder. Even being selfish about showing gratitude is OK. Showing gratitude can make such a difference that it’s important to put the effort into it.
Thanks to all my readers and happy holidays to you and your family!