If you are like me, you’ve had countless people over the years who have really made a difference in your life and your career. But when thinking about those people, how often can you say that you’ve thanked them? A thank you can be given in many different ways – and remember that even the smallest gesture can make a big impact.
Not only is paying your connections back for what they’ve done for you a nice thing to do, but even more so it encourages them to continue promoting you, recommending your services, etc. to the people they come across. A simple “thank you” may not be adequate enough for everyone, so try out these unique ideas next time to show your appreciation.
1. Write a Sincere Thank You Note
The old-fashioned generic thank you notes can still mean a lot, but personalization can take your appreciation to a whole new level. Within your note, be specific and explain exactly what it is you are thankful for, and how what they’ve done will impact you.
Avoid notes like this:
“Dear Jamie: Thank you for taking the time to recommend your sister to me. I really appreciate it.”
While the thank you is sincere, it lacks any real emotions, and it has the potential to mean so much more. Instead, try something like this:
“Dear Jamie: I wanted to reach out to you to thank you for recommending your sister Cathy to my business. I was heartbroken when she was telling me about how she lost her job. We were able to speak for over an hour about the business opportunity that I’m involved in, and she is very excited to learn more. I greatly appreciate the referral, and I am looking forward to helping her become her own boss.”
Unlike the previous note, this note is personalized and provides a sincere appreciation for something specific. It shows that you listened to her sister’s situation and that you are working together to create a solution to her problem. By explaining to Jamie how appreciative you are, and how invested in her referral you are, she will likely continue to refer people to you who could be great leads for your network marketing business.
2. Send Something ‘Out of the Box’
Handwritten notes can be a unique thing, especially in this day and age where sending an email is becoming the new norm; But what is even better than that? A package. Everyone loves a package.
Deciding what to send in the package takes some creativity, or better yet, great listening skills. As you engage in conversation, take note of what peoples likes and interests are. When the time is appropriate, you can use that knowledge to come up with the perfect thank you package to send.
Let’s take Jamie for example again: Say you met Jamie at a function for your son’s school. While you two were talking and getting to know each other, Jamie mentioned that she likes to go to this yoga studio downtown when she has the time. You continue talking but note that in your mind (or in a notebook at a later time) for future reference. Fast forward to when she refers her sister to your business, and now you are thinking of a great way to thank her.
THANK YOU GIFT IDEA: A yoga dvd that she can watch at home, a gift card to that yoga studio she loves, and a thank you note.
When Jamie receives the package you’ve sent her, it will feel very unique and meaningful to her. She will be impressed that you remembered a personal detail from your conversation, and again she will feel compelled to continue referring people your way.
3. Make an Introduction
The greatest gift you could give someone could simply be introducing them to someone they don’t already know, that they share a common interest with. For example, when you are in the essential oils industry, you tend to meet a lot of varying people with different health concerns. A friendship could likely spawn from connecting two people with the same health concerns. Maybe one has shown improvement with using the oils from your company, and they can connect on that common interest.
Another example would be introducing two people who live in the same area, with kids around the same age. Although these two may live in the same area, they may have never encountered a situation that brought them together, that is until you introduced them. These two situations are prime examples of how a simple introduction could spawn a meaningful friendship among two people. Once again, these people will appreciate the fact that YOU are what brought them together.
4. Offer to Help – And Follow Through
A great way to end a conversation as you’re giving someone a verbal thank you is to say, “Thank you again for your help. Is there anything I could possibly help you with?” This lets them know that you are appreciative of what they’ve done and that you are willing to return the favor. Here is a great example of when this may be appropriate:
My sister-in-law is involved with Network Marketing, and her company focuses on makeup. She recently referred one of her friends to me for my business, and I hadn’t spoken to her for a couple weeks since the introduction. I decided to go over to her house, and thank her for referring her friend to me. This is how the end of our conversation went.
Me: “Thank you again for referring your friend to my business. Is there anything I could possibly help you with to return the favor?”
Sister-in-law: “Yes, if you know of anybody who would like more information about the makeup I sell, or who may be interested in the business opportunity I’m involved with, I would appreciate if you could send them my way!”
After leaving her house, I had a specific friend in mind who had recently posted some questions about different makeup products on Facebook a few days prior, and so I made the introduction through Facebook messenger. By offering my help, and following through, it is likely that my sister-in-law will continue to refer people she feels would benefit from my business to me, just as I will continue to refer my friends to her when appropriate.
5. Give a Recommendation on LinkedIn
Networking is a fantastic way to meet new people, and a great way to generate leads that may have never heard about you otherwise. But what can you do for people who you may only know through cyberspace? What happens if someone within your networking circle sends you a referral? An excellent way to thank them is with LinkedIn recommendations.
If you are connected via the internet, then it is likely you have worked together in some way, or at the very least connected upon a common interest (such as network marketing – even if it’s different companies). When crafting your recommendation for this person, keep these tips in mind:
- Don’t just highlight general skills and talents – note the specific effect that he or she has had on you or your organization.
- Read through the person’s LinkedIn profile to get a sense of the type of image they are trying to portray. Emphasize any new skills and/or talents that you see mentioned throughout their profile.
- Use power words. Instead of saying something like, “this person is one of the best..” say something more powerful like this, “this person is the best..”
A LinkedIn recommendation may be an unexpected, and a much appreciated gesture to a like-minded network marketer like yourself. In this day and age where your social image can considerably alter someone’s perception of you or your business, this type of gesture can speak volume to the person you are “thanking”. In some cases, they may wish to write you a recommendation in return.
6. Reconnect at a Later Date
When someone shows interest in your Network Marketing business, you may find that now is not the best time for them to become involved. Sometimes it’s time restraints, family issues, financial burdens – whatever the case, they just aren’t able to commit right now. But all that time invested to talk to this person, should they really be forgotten? The answer is no.
Keep a notebook, or maybe a calendar, and a few months down the road make an attempt to reconnect with people you may have otherwise lost contact with. Whatever was hindering them from working with you in the past, ask if the situation has improved, and let them know that you haven’t forgotten about them. They will admire that you want to keep in touch, and they will keep you in mind when they are able to commit to your business opportunity.
7. Shoot a Video Note
Unlike with a handwritten note or email, video allows you to convey emotion and enthusiasm in a visual manner. Video notes can be a great method for following up, thanking someone, or even making an introduction. You can send the video via email, private YouTube/website link, or SMS.
Video notes are a good method to use when you are thanking a lot of people. For example, if you have a landing page set up for your business opportunity, you may want to set up a video note to play once someone submits their information stating that they are interested. This is a great way to let them know you appreciate their interest, and you can reach out later with a more personalized thank you once you get to know them better.
8. Call Them – Plain and Simple
Sometimes we can really overthink things that could be so simple. Taking the time to call someone over the phone can really speak volume about the appreciation you have towards that person. By thanking someone over the phone, it gives them the opportunity to say “you’re welcome” and to catch up on the time that has passed.
Calling someone to thank them is great, but calling people out of the blue to let them know you are thinking about them can also benefit your business. Even if people do not answer, leave a message letting them know that they were on your mind, and that you’d love to catch up sometime. Every call does not need to be about business, or to be for any reason at all, other than to keep you at the front of their mind. If you don’t talk to someone for a while, it may be less likely for them to remember you when the opportunity arises for them to refer you or your business.
Thank You Matters
Small and consistent practices of gratitude can change your life, and potentially your businesses success. Ensuring that everyone you meet is thanked in some way can help set you and your business apart from everyone else.