Want to show your appreciation to someone? Don’t whip out your wallet. Instead, take the time to personally compliment them.
Whether its someone you’ve hired to do a job (like a contractor or a house cleaner), a co-worker or employee, or even a customer taking a few minutes and giving them some positive feedback can make a huge difference. You can do this face-to-face, write a letter to their employer or business, or even post a note in a place where their other customers or co-workers are able to see it.
Cash is great. Give someone a few bucks, and they can buy themselves a treat. It might even go to paying off a water bill or a speeding ticket. And yeah, that might give them a few seconds of enjoyment.
But if you compliment someone, taking the time to write a personal note, maybe letting their employer or customers know that they were kind, or cheerful, or helped fix a problem – just made your day better in general, and you’ve probably gone a long ways toward giving them a great day in return.
We all want to be recognized. We all want to make people feel good, or to do a good deed. When someone recognizes that we’ve done that, it just lifts our soul, makes us feel good. When they praise us in front of others, it gives us a feeling like we’re on top of the world. And that’s a feeling that a monetary tip just can’t give.
In addition to the warm-n-fuzzy feeling you’re giving by complimenting someone, you can generate a great deal of loyalty this way. People will stick by you if they know you appreciate them. People want to be around other people who make them feel good. They usually work harder, do a better job if they believe you value them. They buy things from you instead of your competition.
Who can you thank today?