The Season of Thanks

In the U.S., we're getting ready to celebrate our annual Thanksgiving holiday. It's the time of year that friends and family gather to celebrate their blessings. Many of us - especially solopreneurs -  are genuinely thankful for our customers and advocates, partners and associates, and of course, the freedom and flexibility we enjoy as independent entrepreneurs.

Giving thanks each November is a wonderful tradition, but it's important to remember that this isn't the only time to be thankful. Appreciation has no season. It's a powerful emotion that should be shared whenever possible.

During the holiday season, business owners often give gifts and share thanks. However, the most sincere and memorable acts of appreciation don't occur during the holidays when they're anticipated, but when they're least expected.

Unexpected appreciation packs a powerful punch. People feel special when they know you singled them out to say, "You matter." You can do this throughout the year in myriad ways. For some novel ideas, see my article on JoeyFerguson.com: Thirty Ways to Thank Your Customers.

Remember the Basics

A few small words have the power to change relationships. "Please" and "Thank you" are three of them. Unfortunately, we don't say or hear them enough.

• Instead of please, people say, "I need..." or "Would you..."
• "OK" and ""Great" substitute for a heartfelt thank you.
• "Sure thing," and "No problem," replace,  "You're welcome."

I'm guilty of these shortcuts myself and I'm not trying to police what you say.  I'm just pointing out that language matters.

For example, I often find myself saying "Thanks" to a sales associate after completing a purchase. Then I wonder, "What am I thinking them for?" Shouldn't they be thanking ME for MY business?

Being conscious of what you say and how you say it can expose wonderful opportunities for more meaningful connections. A simple change in dialog can result in dramatically better relationships with your customers.

Thank You

Following my own advice, I do my best to show appreciation daily. Today, I want to thank you, our Solopreneur School readers. You're priceless, and I hope that you will continue to find valuable information here to help you thrive.

It you think of anything I can do to improve the resources we provide, please let me know. I aim to make Solopreneur School better every day, and I'd love to hear from you.

I also want to thank the wonderful team of expert bloggers who create the content you read here every week. They are all professionals with busy careers and they set aside time to write here because they're committed to helping solopreneurs. It's a way for them to express their passion  and help you grow your business.

They'd also enjoy hearing from readers like you, so be sure to comment on their posts and let them know what you think.

Happy Thanksgiving from us all!

Joey Sargent

Joey is the founder and CEO of Claravon Group and the creator of Solopreneur School. A consultant, business coach, speaker and author, Joey draws on her expertise in strategy, branding and marketing to help entrepreneurs accelerate growth and improve profits.