We've all heard the question, we were all raised being asked, maybe you've even begun asking the next generation...
What are the Magic Words?
And we all know the answers...
Please and Thank You!
Today, I want to quickly touch on Thank you!
The words "Thank You" really are magic words. The magic is that when I am told "Thank You", I want to do something similar to that, for which I was just thanked, again in the future.
When "Thank You" is omitted, I do not want to do something similar to that, for which I was not thanked, again in the future.
Whether its sending a gift, holding the door open, giving someone a compliment, cleaning the house, remembering someone's birthday, sending a card, making a donation, or attending a performance, "Thank You" goes a LONG way to ensure I will be repeating the action in the future.
"Thank You" is so common in our society. For many people, "Thank You" just rolls of their tongue in all situations: Thank you for coming. Thank you for calling. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for dinner. Thank you for the email. Thank you for holding. Thanks for doing the dishes. Thanks for the shout-out. Thanks for all you do... and the list goes on and on!
Think about it, when you are on the phone and a company has put you on hold, would you have a different reaction if the recording said, "Someone will be with you shortly. We expect you to continue to hold," instead of "Thank you for holding. A representative will be with you as soon as possible."? I have very different reactions to each of these potential messages.
Chris and I have decided that in our house, you cannot use the gift until you've sent a thank you note. It is just the rule. And when we say "Thank you note", we mean OLD-FASHIONED, in-an-envelope-with-a-stamp-on-it, handwritten thank you note.
With the changing age of technology, I will concede that people can express thanks in other ways -- some of which I think are better than others... but seriously a "Thank you" in ANY FORM is better than nothing.
When Chris and I have given baby gifts, I realized my favorite way to be thanked is to receive a text message or email with pictures of the adorable kiddo wearing what we sent him or her. I still think hand-written thank you notes are great, but these text messages have made my day and I've saved the pictures because we could literally see the child wearing what we sent.
Nothing is more awkward than having to ASK if someone received your gift. It is the WORST to be put in that position. At that point, I really almost hope that the gift was lost in the mail because the situation is about to become so incredibly awkward with the huge, unspoken, pink elephant in the conversation being, "Oh, you received it? Then why the heck didn't you let me know so I wouldn't think it was lost in the mail?" "Oh, you received it? But you obviously didn't like it enough to thank me for it."
Seriously, even if you absolutely cannot stand a gift and cannot bring yourself to fib through a thank-you note, thank-you email, or thank-you text. You can at least send off, "Hey, the package you sent arrived today." I would recommend adding a "Thank you." to the end of that message, but even if you are not thankful for whatever they sent, just let them know it arrived.
Growing up, "Thank you" became a common second-nature word. My dad would leave a newspaper article for me to read and then ask me if I had read it. I would say, "Yeah, Dad, it was really interesting"... and behind him, I would see my mom mouth the words "Thank you Dad." So, I would quickly add, "Thank you, Dad for having me read it."
Pretty much every conversation I have with my parents somehow incorporates a "Thanks for reminding me," "Thank you for calling," "Thank you for taking the time to talk"... etc. When "Thank you" is a habit, the people in your life are appreciated and, chances are, they will do something nice toward you again, because you took the time to thank them.
Thank you.
Really simple words.
Really BIG IMPACT.
Thank you for reading this post.
What are the Magic Words?
And we all know the answers...
Please and Thank You!
Today, I want to quickly touch on Thank you!
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| via |
The words "Thank You" really are magic words. The magic is that when I am told "Thank You", I want to do something similar to that, for which I was just thanked, again in the future.
When "Thank You" is omitted, I do not want to do something similar to that, for which I was not thanked, again in the future.
Whether its sending a gift, holding the door open, giving someone a compliment, cleaning the house, remembering someone's birthday, sending a card, making a donation, or attending a performance, "Thank You" goes a LONG way to ensure I will be repeating the action in the future.
"Thank You" is so common in our society. For many people, "Thank You" just rolls of their tongue in all situations: Thank you for coming. Thank you for calling. Thanks for thinking of me. Thanks for dinner. Thank you for the email. Thank you for holding. Thanks for doing the dishes. Thanks for the shout-out. Thanks for all you do... and the list goes on and on!
Think about it, when you are on the phone and a company has put you on hold, would you have a different reaction if the recording said, "Someone will be with you shortly. We expect you to continue to hold," instead of "Thank you for holding. A representative will be with you as soon as possible."? I have very different reactions to each of these potential messages.
Chris and I have decided that in our house, you cannot use the gift until you've sent a thank you note. It is just the rule. And when we say "Thank you note", we mean OLD-FASHIONED, in-an-envelope-with-a-stamp-on-it, handwritten thank you note.
With the changing age of technology, I will concede that people can express thanks in other ways -- some of which I think are better than others... but seriously a "Thank you" in ANY FORM is better than nothing.
When Chris and I have given baby gifts, I realized my favorite way to be thanked is to receive a text message or email with pictures of the adorable kiddo wearing what we sent him or her. I still think hand-written thank you notes are great, but these text messages have made my day and I've saved the pictures because we could literally see the child wearing what we sent.
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| Obviously, we like to give Vail/Ski/Mountain shirts to babies. :-D |
Seriously, even if you absolutely cannot stand a gift and cannot bring yourself to fib through a thank-you note, thank-you email, or thank-you text. You can at least send off, "Hey, the package you sent arrived today." I would recommend adding a "Thank you." to the end of that message, but even if you are not thankful for whatever they sent, just let them know it arrived.
Growing up, "Thank you" became a common second-nature word. My dad would leave a newspaper article for me to read and then ask me if I had read it. I would say, "Yeah, Dad, it was really interesting"... and behind him, I would see my mom mouth the words "Thank you Dad." So, I would quickly add, "Thank you, Dad for having me read it."
Pretty much every conversation I have with my parents somehow incorporates a "Thanks for reminding me," "Thank you for calling," "Thank you for taking the time to talk"... etc. When "Thank you" is a habit, the people in your life are appreciated and, chances are, they will do something nice toward you again, because you took the time to thank them.
Thank you.
Really simple words.
Really BIG IMPACT.
Thank you for reading this post.
You're welcome ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you for writing up this post for us to read it! (we want more!!)
Have a great day today sweetie :)