Practice Uncommon Appreciation.

Quoting from the chapter of the same title in Jack Canfield and Janet Switzer’s book The Success Principles, there is much to be said for taking note of and finding opportunities to practice appreciation.

‘“There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.” Mother Teresa, Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.

“I have yet to find a man, however exalted his station, who did not do better work and put forth greater effort under a spirit of approval than under a spirit of criticism. Charles Schwab, Founder of Charles Schwab and Co., a financial services empire.

A recent management survey revealed that 46% of employees leaving a company do so because they feel unappreciated; 61% said their bosses don’t place much importance on them as people, and 88% said they do not receive acknowledgement for the work they do.

I have never known anyone to complain about receiving too much positive feedback. Have you? In fact the opposite is true. Whether you are an entrepreneur, manager, teacher, parent, or simply a friend, if you want to be successful with other people, you must master the art of appreciation.

Consider this: every year a management consulting firm conducts a survey with 200 companies on the subject of what motivates employees. When given a list of 10 possible things that would most motivate them, the employees always list appreciation as the number one motivator.

When asked to rank order that same list managers and supervisors ranked appreciation number eight. This is a major mismatch.’

I have noticed a similar thing with customer relations; most managers and business owners will try to tell you that price and service are the key motivators in their customer’s behaviour. Yes, it is true that these play a major role, but it is how they are treated and the degree to which they feel appreciated that determines their opinion of your business, how often and how strongly they will refer you, and their loyalty, often to the point of whether they will be back or not.

Customers, I believe rank appreciation – how you treat them and make them feel, above price and service, so it stands to reason that if you want your business to thrive, you must master the art of appreciation.

Relationship Marketing – Is it really necessary?

And can you afford to keep your head in the sand?

I have a mate, who’s in his own business, he’s a motor mechanic and he was the only one in his town. It’s a town not too dissimilar to the one I live in, so I’m familiar with the dynamics.

For a long time I have been urging him to use Send Out Cards to build closer ties with his customers and not to take his relationship with them for granted. You know, sending them thank-you, birthday and Christmas cards and the like. But he’s older, a little bit stubborn and he truly believes he doesn’t need such rot! (His words not mine).

You see, he’s an old school motor mechanic who works on the premise that because he’s good at what he does, and he had the unique advantage of being the only mechanic for some distance around, that he was safe in his little world. And in some ways he was right of course. Going elsewhere requires his customers to put themselves out and entails extra time and expense and besides they know he’s good at what he does. Moreover, because of this he has been able to charge out at a top rate.

Well, a couple of months ago, a new bloke came to town, and yes, you guessed it – he’s a motor mechanic. He’s started working out of the big shed on his property and he also has a large well equipped mobile van, so he can take his service to the customer.

Unfortunately this new mechanic is not a client of mine, though I wish he was, because he uses the same system. Since his arrival he has sent out personalised post cards to the town’s folks announcing his arrival and inviting them to try him out.

Apparently, according to my mate he also sends them thankyou cards and has instigated a loyalty program offering special benefits for his customers and to really rub salt into the wound, he is charging them less.

According to my mate, “this upstart” has already made enough inroads into his customer base for him to feel it. I said to my mate, “it’s not too late, so why don’t you copy him and communicate with your customers and while you’re at it make a big noise about the fact that you have been looking after them well for many years.”

I couldn’t believe his response, “Nah, it’s only the newer folks in town going to him, I reckon me mates will stay with me and besides I’ve matched his rate.”

I’m sure a lot of them will, but the drop off and lower charge may well cause him to have to reappraise some of his more expensive habits and pastimes.