How good are you at acknowledgement?
One of the cornerstones of organisations like BNI and Toastmasters is the importance placed on recognition. And rightly so! I don’t know anyone who does not like to be recognised for things they have done well.
Yet it is a skill sadly lacking in the business world today.
Somewhere along the road of experience I learnt the skill of valuing others. Of recognising something in others that was worthy of praise… and then giving it! And here is where many of us let ourselves down and miss a marvellous opportunity to build better relationships.
An enduring memory of mine is a BNI chapter with serious businessmen in suits literally running out the front to get their 5 year pins. They wanted the recognition and were not afraid to show it.
So what are you doing to incorporate a recognition programme into your word of mouth marketing efforts?
Here are some ideas……
1. Find a way to capture birthday information and send a birthday card – it’s an old idea that the internet makes easy through companies like SendOutCards. Give me a call and I can show you how?
2. Phone a client and ask them to tell you one success they have had in the past week or month… and then send them a congratulatory card or present.
3. Write to 5 of your top clients telling them about the success of another client…… and copy it to that client.
One of the reasons many people do not acknowledge others is that they themselves rarely get acknowledged. Unfortunately this is exactly the wrong thing to do. The best way to start being acknowledged is to start acknowledging others. The law of reciprocity ensures that it will come back to you.
So if you currently don’t acknowledge people in a planned, positive and personal manner now would be a good time to start!
