NEW: Show gratitude: Let ‘thank you’ be your attitude 

Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba 

“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is 

Happiness doubled by wonder” – G.K. Chester

We are in the final season of 2021 and every year-end the spirit of giving will be hovering upon us.

As we wrap up 2021, it is thanksgiving time for individuals and corporates alike. They must reflect on the year’s business life and be grateful on the successes that they may have achieved.

Although there are some corporates that put gratitude on the spotlight for a day or two, this is totally wrong since gratitude should be done more often throughout their business life.

Businesses must cultivate gratitude and make it a habit that they should practice regularly. It makes customers feel good and they feel obliged to be brand advocates for the business, which is an easy way to get sales and build a brand.

When companies say thank you to a number of people such as current customers, prospective customers, warm prospects and influencers, we normally take it as the usual thank you.

But, in marketing we call it “Gratitude Marketing”.

Gratitude must be extended strategically if it is to be profitable to the business. It is a simple

“thank you”, which is done in a very diplomatic way. Thus, the following are some of the ways corporates can extend gratitude marketing:

1. Strategy Number One 
   Thank you 

1. After Closing a Sale
   Corporates that sell high-end products and service practice this strategy a lot. It is believed that they try to dispel the cognitive dissonance or “buyer’s remorse” by thanking them for spending a fortune on their brand. A warm thank you is good enough to throw away any second thoughts or doubt about that decision made to buy an expensive brand. Brand new car dealers usually wrap their cars nicely and give the customer a bouquet of fresh flowers as a way to assure the customer that they are thankful for patronizing their service and that they have made the right purchase decision. In most purchases customers rarely receive a proper verbal thank you, save for the thank you on a receipt. When a personalised thank you is extended, a client is likely to feel remembered and special.
2. After receiving a good service
   Companies should not only expect to receive a thank you, but must also learn to thank those that give them a great service. It could be another company that served your organisation after hours or at a short notice. Such gratitude when extended to others gives them the feel-good factor, and will always be at your service the next time you patronize their organisation again.
3. When there is a referral
   Word of mouth has always been a great marketing tool, which is free of charge. When one refers a customer to your organisation it is prudent that you show them appreciation. A referred client is likely to become a client. So, when we thank people that refer customers, we are likely to get more referrals.

1. Strategy Number two 
   Physical Gifts 
   The concept of giving gifts to customers is not just a marketing gimmick. Throughout 2021,
   Organisations that have a data base of their customers buying behavior can also attest their customers spending habits within the organisations. The information can also point out to key customers that have been anchoring the business in a difficult 2021, which was plagued by lockdowns.
   These gifts could vary from one client to another. Be sure to give a customer something that will be useful to them and not something that they will give a way and forget about. For instance, one customer maybe interested in golf that they play it during their social hours, hence, the company may decide to buy them a golf kit or give them a ticket to a major golf tournament. The gift may be accompanied by a note that is written like this:
   Hie Tawanda 
   This is to say thank you for your support and encouragement during 2021. We really appreciate your help and it made a big difference. We have just sent you a small parcel and hope you will enjoy it. It’s a golf kit and a ticket to next year’s Zambezi Golf Tournament 
   Thank you again. 
   Kind Regards 
   Cresencia 
   Such thoughtful gestures to people who helped you to carry the business will entice them to extend their help into the next business year.
2. Strategy Number Three 
   Use Digital Space 
   Although the new normal limits face-to-face interactions, organisations can still appreciate their customers on the digital platform. For example, an organisation can use email or business WhatsAppspace to send business ideas to their contacts. It could be small notes with positive ideas that may be of use to clients in their various business lives. These ideas could just be general topics and not even about the organisation’s offerings or products. Thus, the ideas can be made into digital booklets, branded with the organisation’s name. So, whenever one is reading this branded booklet, they are likely to also see information about the organisation, which will be branded on the e-booklet. Hence, the brand will be promoted also.

   ***Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing enthusiast with a strong passion for Customer service. For comments, suggestions and training, she can be reached on [email protected] or on 0712979461