Providing positive feedback to each of your clients could dramatically improve your business relationships – and ultimately, your bottom line.
Lynda Bayada, a coach, consultant and facilitator, asks small to medium business owners to ponder what would happen if they paid at least one compliment to any number of suppliers, contractors or vendors they dealt with in business.
“How would your relationship with them change? How would the energy between you shift?” she ponders on the Flying Solo website.
Ms Bayada cites the example of introductory classes at the university where she teaches. There new students are asked to compliment their fellow new arrivals who they’ve just met.
While they are uncomfortable at first, within a short time the students become effusive in their praise of each other and the energy within the room lifts markedly.
Using this example, which she has seen repeated on numerous occasions, Ms Bayada, argues that:
- Offering praise becomes easier the more we do it
- That it is possible to find something to appreciate in everybody we meet; and
- Offering compliments also makes us feel good.
But showing appreciation to clients can do more than just improve business relationships.
The positive lift in your own feelings that comes with being complimentary to clients will also to lift your own energy levels.
“And when your energy is lifted and spirits are high, that translates into more action, more productivity and more efficiency,” Ms Bayada said.
These are qualities that every small business owner or manager wants to bring to their organisation. And you can bring to yours with just a few positive words to your clients.