When customers or colleagues don’t feel appreciated, they’re less likely to contribute to the success of your enterprise. In fact, a lack of appreciation is one of the leading reasons why people leave companies. Read on for some creative ways to ensure your colleagues and clients feel appreciated.
- Make it personal
You need to come up with consistent and imaginative ways of showing your gratitude to customers and colleagues. This involves getting to know your staff and clients and choosing gifts, rewards, and incentives that match their personalities. If in doubt, people love freebies, so promotional products are always in style. Take it a step further by offering customized swag at your next product launch or promo event. Send personalized “thank you” cards at the end of each quarter to show your team that you see and appreciate their effort. This is a great opportunity to play up people’s strengths and motivate them to do even better.
- Packaging matters
Great packaging can elevate the shopping experience and make your customers feel special. That’s why brands like Apple invest a lot of time and money when designing and testing product boxes. Keep in mind that first impressions last, and word-of-mouth is still one of the most effective marketing strategies around. People are going to talk about your brand regardless of whether they’ve had a good or bad experience. Create a group of raving fans by designing product packages that make people feel special.
- Pay attention
The best way to get someone’s attention nowadays is to connect with them on a deeper level. Customers want you to pay attention to them and demonstrate your commitment to helping them get the results they want. Find common ground and start a rapport based on your commonalities. Once you connect with people, it’s easier to get a commitment from them. With customers, this translates to making purchases and following you online. If you get this right in the workplace, meanwhile, your employees will have the capacity to flourish and do remarkable things.
- Listen
When you listen intently to what another person has to say, they feel valued and worthwhile. Their self-esteem improves, and they feel important as a human being. But, you have to listen in a genuine and caring way to everything the person has to say. The more you listen to your colleagues and customers, the happier and more positive they’ll be towards your brand. It’s important to note that we tend to listen to people we value and ignore those we don’t hold in high esteem. Ignoring someone is the emotional equivalent of a slap in the face, so you want to avoid that as much as possible. The simple practice of focused listening can change the way in which colleagues and team leaders engage with the company every day.
- Be specific
Always be specific in your communication with employees and customers. This makes it easier to deliver authentic and genuine messages, whether you’re complimenting your colleagues on a job well done, or thanking your customers for their support. A crucial part of your success as a business owner depends on how you make your customers feel when they receive your product or service. It’s equally important to take good care of your employees if you want to create a positive workplace environment. Companies are complicated enough, so it helps to keep things simple when applying any of these approaches. Use your environment and get creative to build a sustainable way to show appreciation. Lastly, remember that gratitude is about practice. The more you do it, the better you get.
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