Why gratitude is the best marketing plan ever

If you’ve ever spent any time on LinkedIn in the past year, you’ll find it jammed with search queries looking for the “best” marketing and customer acquisition programs. Instead of another cookie-cutter corporate messaging strategy filled to the brim with buzzwords, imagine if our marketing plan focused on one very simple practice: gratitude. Studies show that gratitude is a major win-win for both the giver and the receiver.

However, there is a caveat – it must be genuine.

And now? It’s fine to talk about gratitude as a concept or an idea, but it’s only effective if it’s done with intention. Where are we going to start?

1. Start a “gratitude inventory” list.

Gratitude is something that can be practiced at any time of the day, for any reason. But, if we are trying to cultivate a conscious attitude of gratitude towards others, having a list can be helpful. A simple list of names with email addresses or phone numbers will do (it’s also nice to have contact information handy to keep things consistent.) An additional tip is to include a photo of the person on your gratitude list. Just seeing their face triggers emotions and memories, and can help us take action to let them know how we feel.

Your gratitude inventory can be broken down by category or type of gratitude you want to express, such as people you want to thank or even a certain list of people you admire but have never said.

Related: The biological reason to practice gratitude

2. Set simple gratitude goals.

The goal here is not to create another insane to-do list item on your never-ending to-do list. It’s about creating clear and simple reminders for yourself to express your gratitude in an organized way while bringing an intention to be grateful to the table. The people in your life are extremely special and you probably have dozens of them who would love to hear something as simple as a heartfelt “thank you” or “I was thinking about you recently and…”

Look for opportunities to give thanks. But don’t thank people dishonestly. People remember genuine, real thanks. Put yourself in their place. Remember how you feel when YOU receive a genuine thank you note. There’s nothing like it in the world, is there?

3. Write handwritten notes (and consider thoughtful gifts!)

Almost all communication is digital these days. The Covid pandemic has only accelerated forces that were already transforming our world. Globalization, the ever-increasing power of technology to “connect” us with apps like Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams, and enforced distancing have made it harder than ever to make real human connections with prospects, customers, and even people who are close to our hearts and whom we love.

In my experience, writing handwritten thank you notes is a powerful way to cut through the noise and give people a tangible, physical sign of your heartfelt thanks. Kids these days might say it’s old school, but human beings naturally like to receive acknowledgment that someone has gone beyond texting or emailing.

Two professors from the University of Chicago and UT Austin demonstrated that people who sent notes underestimated how pleasantly they would be received and overestimated how inconvenient sending a real, tangible note would be. .

Related: Why Gratitude Makes Leaders More Effective

4. Communicate the results of your gratitude outreach with your team.

Share all the positive comments, comments and emails you receive from your gratitude action and have a day when the team can talk about the person they are sending thank you notes to, ideas for other gratitude initiatives and positive results. It feels good and these vibes will inspire and motivate the team for next week’s gratitude campaign. The results will start accumulating.

If you don’t come together and share, positivity becomes siloed. This is a huge point that is often overlooked and causes your acts of gratitude to become a one-time thing, rather than a consistent, ingrained practice in your business. Share your stories of gratitude and how people have responded to you. All of these specific details have the potential to ignite your team internally and get the positive energy flowing.

I like the idea of ​​”grateful Thursdays” personally. People tend to be in a good mood on Thursdays with the weekend just around the corner, and you can take advantage of that by designating it as your day to send thank you notes, share your gratitude with your team, and tell stories. stories about the impact of gratitude on the lives of your customers. a positive way.

5. Recognize others who practice the philosophy of gratitude and grateful awareness.

Building a tribe of gratitude practitioners not only feels good, but can also lead to significant business results. More often than not, people who have prioritized gratitude tend to have strong, vibrant networks of other fantastic people with whom they have deep relationships. How many times have you met someone with a huge “network”, but they all tend to be superficial relationships?

Researching other gratitude practitioners is the best way to exponentially increase the effectiveness of your “gratitude marketing plan”.

The best part about the whole gratitude campaign is that in the end, you’ll find it was never about winning more contracts or more revenue for your business. Expressing gratitude is one of the most profound ways to enjoy life and any business outcome is just the icing on the cake. After all, strong relationships are not only the key to success in business, but the single most important factor in living longer, more fulfilling lives.

Related: How to Practice Gratitude as a Business Skill