One of the most powerful phrases is “thank you.”
With those two words, you can express appreciation for a kind gesture or service someone has done for you. These words have the power to make someone’s day. As a small business owner, saying thanks is a part of my brand. I want to be thankful for the work that people do for me and with me. Whether it’s thanking a nurse after a birth, or a midwife for sending me a doula client, or even a client for choosing me to be their doula – it’s an important part of who I am as a doula business owner.
So what can you do when you want to say thank you? I’m a huge fan of simply sending a note. If you’re short on time, it’s still meaningful and heartful. If you’re shy, you may find it easier to express yourself in writing. If writing intimidates you, simply write a short note expressing your gratitude. Your sincere words will mean more to the recipient than the most beautiful prose or poetry. If this is how you like to say thanks, you could even stop reading now and walk away happy.
However, if you’re inclined or when you want to go the extra mile in expressing gratitude, try one of these 10 other ways to say “thanks.”
Try these gratitude expressions to get you going:
- Buy a unique gift. Look for a small item that you can give as a token of your appreciation. If you’re unsure of what to get, try buying them coffee or sending them chocolates or a small gift card to a local store. If you know them well enough some birth art or jewelry is always good.
- Invite them out. Say “thank you” with a coffee or time together doing something together. This can be a quick networking or catch-up, and it’s always good to connect personally.
- Share your story. Brag to others about what someone has done for you. They’ll likely hear about how highly you’re speaking of them. Better yet, brag about them to others in front of them. This will improve their reputation and their confidence at the same time. And if someone you want to thank works in a hospital brag to their supervisor (particularly in written form).
- Offer a favor. Let the person choose what kind of favor they’d like from you. A small favor can often help someone out in a big way.
- Buy them a ticket to an event. While you could find a local concert or show that they would enjoy and buy them tickets for, that’s not necessarily what I mean. An example from a few years ago, there was a pediatrician a local birth network worked with frequently and the pediatrician was really trying to get better at giving lactation advice. The network bought the pediatrician a ticket to a lactation event. That was the thing that pushed the doctor over the edge into becoming 100% helpful in all things lactation.
- Contribute to a charity. Find out what your recipient is passionate about and then make a donation to an appropriate charity in their name. This can be a birth or parenting-related charity or maybe one that the person is involved with locally.
- Add a personal touch. Say “thank you” with a homemade gift. The person will recognize your thoughtfulness and appreciate the gesture. You can handcraft a card or make a photo slideshow of them at work. (I’m thinking of a doctor some doulas had a lot of photos from at births and they gave him a photo album – he loved it! (No clients in photos!)) Create something sentimental that truly shows your appreciation.
- Phone call. Sometimes a simple phone call is all you need to get your message across. In addition to a phone call to say “thank you,” call on a regular basis to see how they’re doing.
- Give a gift certificate. If you’re having trouble figuring out the perfect thank you gift, consider a gift certificate to a local mall or online store that sells a variety of different merchandise. That way, they’re sure to get something they like.
- Bake some cookies. If you love to bake, your talents can be a sweet way to show your gratitude. Everyone appreciates delicious, homemade desserts.
The only limit is your imagination. If you go the extra mile to show someone you’re genuinely grateful, the gesture will be remembered for a long time to come. Strengthen this business relationship in your life today. Choose one of these ideas or come up with your own, and say “thank you” to someone who has helped you in your doula business in a meaningful way.