by Kayla Montgomery
As a small business owner, your team and clients are what keep your company afloat. Every member on the team helps build your company and reach new goals each month. There’s no better time to be thankful for your team, clients, and other supporters than today.
Showing appreciation can not only increase productivity within your office, but it can also increase sales and loyalty from your clients. For example, over 82% of employees would rather receive praise than a salary increase.
Go the extra mile and show your team you appreciate their hard work and dedication within the company. Whether that “thank you” is in the form of buying a small gift for your team or getting lunch catered, they will appreciate it. At Management 3.0 we strongly believe in the power of the Kudo Card and the Kudo Box; a personalized way to say thank you for a job well done or just to let someone know you’re thinking about them.
And it’s just as important to show your clients that you care about their business.
We’ve compiled a list of ways to show appreciation for your clients or employees….
For Your Team:
#1: Praise during meetings: Make sure you recognize those that are putting in the time and hard work on projects. Not only does this motivate and inspire team players, it also opens the door to be more thankful for each other on a regular basis.
#2: Go the extra mile: Whether you are considering taking a task off your employee’s list or letting your team take the afternoon off, there is no better way to say thank you than going out of your way to show appreciation.
#3: Email your whole team: Send out an appreciation email blast! Even though this can get annoying and clog up your inbox, it is very much appreciated by those who are being recognized for their time.
#4: Cut the day short: Time off improves focus by 78 percent! So show your gratitude by giving your employees the afternoon off to decompress. While doing this, you might want to make sure their workload is light enough for them to feel at ease leaving for the afternoon.
#5: Stock the break room: Avoid hunger scares and make sure you are giving your team enough food and drink to get through long days. There’s nothing like walking into the break room to find your favorite snacks and coffee waiting for you.
#6: Cater lunch: If you really want to go all out for your team, buy them lunch. You could take them to a restaurant or get lunch catered for the day and talk about what you appreciate the most about your team.
For Your Clients:
#1: Talk over the phone
Pick up the phone when clients call instead of waiting to send them an email wrap up once your day slows down. When speaking to a client over the phone or in person, it’s 10 times more likely to lead to a sale compared to sending emails.
#2: Refer your clients to others: Referring your client’s products or services to your network can increase loyalty and sales. If you help your clients with products or services you most likely already know how it works and what the benefits are.
#3: Give them a shoutout: Post something on your social media, send out an email blast, or talk about them during an interview to show them how much you value their loyalty with your company. Highlight the work they have done for you and how well they did that job.
#4: Invite them to company events: In addition to referring clients to your network, invite them to events your company is holding or going to. This will help build trust and allow them to physically meet people.
#5: Teach them something new: Understanding your practices, products, or new services like specialized courses, are key to clients. Be approachable and available to talk to your clients when they have questions, or even host a meeting to go over everything about your products, and always answer questions when asked.
#6: Send “thank you” cards: In the digital age, it is so easy to send a quick thank you email or text to your clients, especially those you have worked with for years. Take the time to handpick a card, write out why you are thankful for them, and send it their way.
#7: Offer upgrade or discounts: More consumers are willing to offer more information when they are offered a discount. Whether you want to offer a small or large discount, give it to your clients as well as discounts for those they may refer.
#8: Send a personalized gift: Buy something that is significant to your client. Don’t just send a random food basket, make it special by personalizing mugs, stationery, or all of those things put together in a basket.
There is no better time to show how much you appreciate those that are always there for you, than now. Go out of your way, send a thank you card, or even have lunch with those who that have put in the time, hard work, and dedication.
