Most people in business get sales catalogs on how to motivate people through gifts and award programs. However, it ultimately boils down to what our parents taught us: say “thank you” to everyone. This may seem like simple etiquette, yet it is amazing what it can do for your business relationships. When we express our appreciation to co-workers and employees, their attitudes are positively affected, and positive attitudes lead to business success.

Here are three ways that your appreciation of others can be dramatically improved:

Reach Out

A voice mail message I received recently confirmed the value of saying “thank you.” The lovely message was from the CEO of a company I work with who said, “I want to thank you and to compliment you on the work you’ve been doing for us, and want to share with you some of the flattering remarks several of our senior people have given you….” That message impacted my work life so much that I still have it on my answering machine. To make such a phone call takes only 30 seconds.

Make Gifts More Personal

One year, my Christmas “thank you” gift to many of my clients and business friends was a glass shaped “light bulb” filled with mints. It had “A world of thanks,” imprinted on it and included my name, phone number, and website address. That gift showed others my appreciation while serving to promote my business. It is also something that people will use–I have seen it proudly displayed on people’s desks. Those kinds of gifts have a long shelf life because they can be refilled.

The Pen is Still Mighty

I am so dedicated to having a “thank you” strategy that I have created a highly publicized technique called the “thank you chain.” Here’s an example of how it works: After a motivation program I conducted at a major company, I sent “thank you” notes to all the participants. It’s worth the effort because it is an excellent way to stand out from other training professionals. I wrote about what I learned from the training session, and wrote a few personal words, letting them know how nice it was to meet them. The chain continued when two people from that session who received my thank you notes referred me to other people in the company, who then booked me for three other sessions.

Think about the moments you have available in your day when you can write a few notes, or call people to let them know how you appreciate the help they’ve given you. It will become an essential part of your life, and you’ll see the rewards.

Since you have made it this far, I want to “thank you” for reading, and your comments and thoughts are welcome. Please drop me an email.