In life and in business there is always something to be grateful for. In theory, many people believe that gratitude is a positive thing to implement in your life and business if you want to succeed. In reality, some people may not actually believe that practicing gratitude can change things in your life or in your business for the better. An attitude of gratitude can be very beneficial for your business.

Think of it this way, business owners who exude happiness about their work and appreciation for their customers typically are very successful. On the contrary, business owners who display a disgruntled attitude and don’t show their customers any appreciation, typically are barely surviving and certainly not thriving.

Gratitude breeds loyal and happy customers. Not only that, loyal and happy customers are inspired to talk to their friends and family about pleasant experiences they have had with their favorite business. The simple act of getting referrals and recommendations for your business that you don’t have to ask for or pay for is a beautiful thing. And that is what practicing gratitude in business looks and feels like.  It simply feels good.

Let’s discuss the advantages of practicing gratitude in business.

1. It is scientifically proven to help reduce stress. -Studies show that grateful people are happier people. Dr. Elizabeth Scott says you don’t have to wait for certain experiences to bring you happiness, you can create that on your own. Of course, “there are things you can do in your life to proactively create feelings of gratitude for yourself with the experiences you already have in your life, and create new experiences that will bring more feelings of gratitude to your life and to the lives of those around you. And with this gratitude comes several benefits, among them an increased resilience toward stress,” said Scott.

2. It encourages you to live and work in an abundance mindset. Having a positive, grateful attitude is likely to position you to receive more of everything you desire including more money so your business can grow.

3. Helps you to appreciate what you have. Gratitude helps you to look at what you have as opposed to what you do not have. There are people who see the glass have empty and people who see the glass as half full. Those people who appreciate what is right in front of them are undoubtedly happier.

4. Helps you to focus on what is most important. Gratitude helps you to put things in priority terms and focus on what is most important. Have you ever started complaining about something and then realized that someone else out there is probably wishing they could trade places with you? Gratitude helps you to think about the things that money can’t buy like health, strength, love, and family.

5. Helps you recognize your growth. Practicing gratitude as a habit is a great way to develop personally and professionally. The leaders who exemplify an attitude of gratitude have undoubtedly achieved a certain level of emotional intelligence as opposed to those who have not. Taping into gratitude as a way of life is an example of developing mental fortitude and personal resilience in spite of what problematic circumstances may be around you.

There are probably more advantages to practicing gratitude but now I’d like to discuss the science behind why this topic is necessary for business.

UC Davis psychologist Robert Emmons has been at the forefront of this research on gratitude for decades.  In an interview with Biola University, he contends: “People are consumed by the pursuit of happiness, and gratitude is a reliable pathway to increasing one’s joy. Gratitude is also a spiritual practice. Even in their busy, distracted lives, people want to connect with their spiritual side, and gratitude offers a way to do that, incorporating it into daily life. Whether we use controlled clinical trials or survey methods, the evidence is clear: Gratitude is good for us and for society.” I agree with Prof. Emmons wholeheartedly.

When it comes to business, for starters: gratitude builds trust and practically ensures customer loyalty. Buyers choose where they do business, and it’s far easier to retain them than to continually find new ones. Think about your favorite business when you enter the door or make the call and the person at the door or on the other end of the phone greets you by name. Think how you feel when you get a card in the mail that simply says thank you. It’s a great feeling, isn’t it? How about this one? Think of how you feel when you receive an email or a flyer in the mail with a coupon or perks that informs you about a sale ahead of the general public. Once again, you feel special and it is a great feeling, isn’t it?

As we all know putting gratitude into practice is where the rubber meets the road. So what does it look like when you actually practice gratitude in your business?

  1. You appreciate what you have created. Showing appreciation for your business means that you value your business with an attitude that it is a privilege to do the work that you do rather than acting as if you’re obligated to it.
  2. You appreciate your clients. Showing appreciation for your clients means that you do more than simply say thanks. You actually allow your gratitude to permeate throughout everything you do from thank you cards, to thank you statements on emails, invoices, contracts, and more. Your clients should never feel as though you take their business for granted.
  3. Recognize your team. There is no business owner who succeeds by himself or herself. You need people to help you succeed in business because no man is an island. When you take the time to recognize those who help you succeed it creates greater morale and team spirit. Creating a positive work environment is priceless. Not only do positive work environments produce greater productivity, but they also produce greater profitability. Happy employees get more work done than stressed and unhappy employees. A great example of this is when Sara Blakely, CEO of Spanx gave each one of her employees two round-trip tickets to anywhere in the world plus $10K each.  This simple act of appreciation and recognition had most of the employees in tears of joy as well as shock. However, I’d be willing to guess that the turnover rate at this Spanks is pretty low.
  4. Offer special deals and promotions. One of the best ways to practice gratitude in business is to pass savings and deals along to your target audience. Most people love a good sale. Most people love the idea of saving money. Why not mix something that people already love along with your business offerings? Think of a product or service that isn’t selling that well. Now how can you improve it and then promote a special offer for it to make it fly off the shelf? Sometimes, it simply takes a little creativity with the message or the pricing to make people want to buy something that perhaps they have overlooked in the past.
  5. Celebrate your success.  Take the time to reward yourself and your team for your accomplishments by showing appreciation for the work you have put in. People don’t mind working hard if they understand that it will be recognized and appreciated. Allow your team to take personal time off and leave early on a Friday with pay. As the owner or operator of the business, take time off when you need to handle personal business without feeling like you have to make up the time the next day or the next week. Give yourself a break. Celebrate your wins and every success by taking the time to reward yourself and your team.

This article was written by Lori A. Manns, President of Quality Media Consultant Group. 

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This article was written by Lori A. Manns. President of Quality Media Consultant Group.  Lori is a multi-award-winning marketing mentor, sales coach, and trailblazing business strategist who works with small business owners and entrepreneurs to help them grow and scale their businesses. She specializes in sales and marketing strategies that result in her clients attracting their target market, gaining brand visibility, and growing revenue. Lori is President of Quality Media Consultant Group, a consultancy firm specializing in media, advertising, marketing, and sales. She is the founder of the Trailblazer Business Academy. where advancing entrepreneurs go to learn growth strategies and how to run a profitable business the soulful way. Lori is also the creator of the Sponsorship Sales Secrets.