Key Takeaways:
Why and how to celebrate your personal milestones
Why and how to thank your customers
Why and how to show appreciation to your staff
“Practicing gratitude is how we acknowledge that there’s enough and we’re enough.”
Brene Brown
Thanksgiving is a perfect time to reflect and express gratitude — but we should continue giving thanks throughout the year! Practicing gratitude has been linked to an optimistic outlook on life. It also boosts the immune system, improves mental health, and strengthens relationships.
As you go about cultivating a habit of thanksgiving as a business leader, it’s important to express gratitude toward yourself, others, and the environment.
“For once, stop and thank yourself for how far you’ve come. You’ve been trying to make changes in your life, and all your effort counts.”
Anonymous
Thank Yourself
Whenever you’ve achieved a small personal milestone during the year, take a moment to thank yourself. If that sounds egotistical, it’s really not. It’s more about celebrating the goals you’ve set and completed. We get it—as a business owner, you have a million plates to juggle daily.
It’s all too easy to keep rushing full steam ahead with your eyes set on the big goals of the future. Don’t neglect to express gratitude for the small steps you make that take you closer to these big goals. Small steps, not big ones, are the bridge that get you from where you are to where you’re going. That’s true whether it’s a personal goal like improving your confidence at public speaking or a business goal of starting a YouTube channel to reach more customers.
Maybe that means saying thank you out loud to yourself whenever you complete a new project. Or scheduling a brunch date with you mentor or best friend. Perhaps that looks like booking yourself a weekend getaway or treating yourself to some coffee from your favorite coffee shop. (However you celebrate your milestone is totally up to you!)
“Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.”
John Ortberg
Thank Your Customers
Make a habit of thanking those around you — this includes your customers!
An outward-focused life is so much happier and more balanced than one that focuses inward. Another benefit of expressing gratitude toward those you serve is that it strengthens relationships. When you thank your clients, they’re more likely to be loyal to your brand. It also increases the chance that they’ll give positive feedback in the form of reviews or sending their friends your way. Here are some simple ways to show clients you value them during the year:
- Give them a call to say thanks
- Send them a personalized thank you note or email
- Regularly share free knowledge with your clients in the form of downloadables or blogs
- If you’re B2B, refer your clients to businesses that you partner with
- Incorporate customer spotlights on your social posts
“Don’t let the sun go down without saying thank you to someone, and without admitting to yourself that absolutely no one gets this far alone.”
Stephen King
Thank Your Staff
When thanking others, don’t forget to show appreciation to those you work with day in and day out. It’s essential that your team members know how much you value them. When employees feel appreciated, it boosts workplace morale, inspires them to be productive, and encourages them to remain a part of your team. Here are some practical ideas for saying thanks to your staff during and beyond the holiday season:
- Have a system for staff to share kudos to other coworkers for a job well done
- Host team-building events and happy hours
- Give employees store gift cards
- Celebrate work anniversaries and milestones on your business’s social channels
- Surprise a fantastic coworker with some extra time off
- If your team has a physical office space, bring in snacks or order lunch for everyone
“Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.”
Albert Schweitzer
Thank Mother Earth
We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the value of expressing thanks for the natural world around us. This can take the form of going for a short hike on your lunch break or in the afternoon between client appointments. Or volunteering at a local animal shelter or nature conservation organization.
It might look like rallying your staff to do a clean-up day at a local park. Perhaps you could start recycling in your store. Maybe it’s time for your team to switch to more sustainable practices like going electronic in the new year to reduce paper waste. There truly are a variety of ways to say thanks to our environment so that future generations can continue to enjoy earth’s natural resources and immerse themselves in the beauty of outdoors.
“I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude.”
Brene Brown
A Posture of Thanksgiving All Year Round
Here at Technology Therapy® Group, we encourage you to join us in cultivating a habit of gratitude 365 days a year. We hope that you’ll spend a bit more time thanking yourself, others, and nature in 2024. Appreciation is what motivates us all, keeps our businesses thriving, and keeps the world spinning.
In the spirit of thanks, here are just a few free resources from the TTG team to you. May they help you grow your digital marketing know-how and keep your small business healthy in the new year (and for years to come!).
