On Monday I mentioned that I spent the day in the mountains of Colorado - Frisco to be exact.

While I was there, I spent some time in my friend Ash's art studio called The Sunny Side Up Studio. They have drop in workshops and scheduled art classes for toddlers, kids and adults.

It's just a great place to be creative, and Ash even sells a lot of her handmade art there, which is pretty fantastic.

The fact that I can call Ash a friend is also fantastic, especially since I only met her a handful of times.

In fact, the first time I wandered into her store, Ash instantly welcomed me and treated me like a friend.

She took the time to get to know me, and learned about Say It with Gratitude.

She was so warm and welcoming and full of positivity.

My type of person! :)

It's the way you should feel when you enter someone's store.

Have you ever walked into a business and felt like the people that worked there didn't care about you?

No hello.

No warm greeting.

This is the exact opposite of what you'll feel when you walk into The Sunny Side Up Studio.

You'll feel like you've walked into an old friend's house.

And that's how you should be making your customers feel.

Like an old friend.

And guess what?

I'm a sucker for art with positive sayings.

But usually when I leave a place that sells this type of art, I leave without buying anything.

Well I've been in Ash's studio a few times and have bought 3 pieces of her art and a gift card.

That should tell you something.

It's all about the way she has made me feel.

Now go out and make someone smile today! :)

A gratitude wall is an effective way to express appreciation, either at home or in the workplace, by displaying your gratitude visually. To make a gratitude wall, write down the things that you are grateful for on sticky notes.

Then, stick the notes to a designated area either on a wall, or a door, or a mirror to provide visual reminders of all the good things that you have in your life. You could even use a bulletin board on which to create a visual representation of the things you are thankful for.

You can also include brief notes, such as simple words, like Lake and Mom to remind you of the things and people who you are grateful for.

Gratitude rocks (or stones) act as reminders to be thankful. For example, one use of a gratitude rock is to keep it in your pocket to remind yourself to be grateful. Melody Beattie (n.d.) explained that this idea was portrayed in the movie called ‘The Secret’ – Lee Bower describes that every time he touched the small rock, he would identify something, or someone, he was grateful for. In the morning when he places the rock in his pocket, he thinks about what he is thankful for, and then in the evening when he empties his pocket and takes out the rock, he reflects on those things that he is grateful for once again.

Alternatively, you could place the gratitude rock around the area in which you work and, every time you notice it, take the time to pick up the rock and think of one thing in your life that you are grateful for

Hug Your Customers!

Maybe not literally, especially if you have an online business.

That would be hard.

But Hug Your Customers is the name of a book I'm reading, and I'm recommending it to you.

The book is written by Jack Mitchell, the Chairman of Mitchell Stores, a three-generation family business that operates men’s and women’s specialty stores in Connecticut, New York, California, Washington and Oregon that are nationally renowned for their personal service touches and strong relationships.

(let me share with you the description of the book from Amazon, since I just started reading it)

Mitchell, whose father started the business, shares the secret of his success in this unoriginal but cheerful guide to keeping customers happy.

Hugging your customers, he says, has nothing to do with being touchy-feely around them and everything to do with offering them over-the-top service.

For Mitchell, that means literally offering a customer the coat off your back, if that's the only one left in the store in the customer's size and preferred style and color.

It means going to customers' homes to tie their bow ties for big events.

It means serving coffee and bagels in the store and giving away hot dogs in the parking lot on summer Saturdays.

Some might view this as fawning, but for Mitchell, it's the best way to keep customers coming back.

I love the message in the book.

For one, it aligns with much of what I talk about in The Grateful Entrepreneur.

But it also can be summarized into this simple concept: be kind to others and make them happy.

Which is the foundation of a successful business.

OK you know by now how much I love handwritten notes, and I believe everyone should send them, both personally and professionally.

I mean, wouldn't that make the world a better place?

But if you're a business owner, and you've been sending handwritten notes for awhile now, what can you do to go beyond that?

What can you do to keep your clients and customers surprised and delighted?

Include package inserts!

Adding something small to an order that’s heading out the door is a great way to say thank you.

You’ve already paid for the shipping and the box, so this is one of the most cost-effective ways to give customers a little extra delight.

Packaging inserts are all about exceeding customer expectations.

Unboxing is an experience in itself, and customers look forward to the moment they get to hold their new product in their hands.

You can surprise and delight them with just a little extra effort.

For some of the card orders I ship out, I've been putting a fun sticker in with the shipment.

People love putting stickers on laptop cases and it's just fun to get a little something extra with your order.

Sticker Mule is a cool business where you can have custom stickers, magnets and coasters made, and it's who I've been using for my stickers.

Don't have a business where you're shipping anything out?

No worries.

How about creating a personal video for your customer?

Or surprising them by mailing them a favorite book?

The ways to surprise and delight your clients and customers are endless.

You just have to sometimes be creative.

And that's the fun part!

I stumbled upon this quote the other day and it really resonated with me.

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

Mother Teresa

Sometimes, we can forget how easy it is to make someone’s day.

A simple thank you, smile or personal note can have a lasting and meaningful impact on a customer, and help create an emotional connection they won’t soon forget.

Heck you should be doing this to all people...all humans.

Not just your customers.

But let's focus on your customers for the purposes of this message.

You should really be thanking your customers and clients all year round, not just when they purchase something or in December around the holidays.

But what's the real reason behind this?

1) Your customers want to feel valued.

I speak about this all the time in my gratitude talks around the country.

We're human.

We all want a feeling of acknowledgement, belonging and connection.

That means we want to feel valued.

No one likes being in a one-way relationship - the kind where you’re the only one committing any time or attention to keeping it going.

When you’re always giving and never receiving, it’s easy to feel unappreciated and undervalued.

60% of businesses have lost a customer because they feel the business is indifferent to them.

Clearly customers expect a little gratitude in return for their business.

In order to avoid losing them, the simplest thing you can do to make a customer feel valued is to continually thank them for being part of your community.

Through social messages, personal videos and handwritten notes, you can remind customers that you are aware of their business and appreciate it.

2) Thanking customers and clients have financial benefits.

Studies have shown that 38% of customers attribute a good customer experience to personalization, and a good customer experience is what will keep delighting your customers.

When your customers are happy, they’re bound to come back to your brand, join your community, and make more purchases as a result!

In fact, it turns out that 86% of shoppers are willing to pay more for a better customer experience.

If we put those two points together, we can see that customers want a personal, emotionally driven customer experience.

As a result, building a personalized experience leads to a better customer experience which customers are willing to pay more for.

If you want to increase profitability, start getting personal!

When you acknowledge each of your customers individually for being engaged members of your brand community, you demonstrate a desire to get to know them and continue building that relationship.

So what's the easiest way to start thanking your customers?

Handwritten thank you notes.

You can start by sending a thank you note anytime a customer places an order with you.

This is by far one of the easiest and most effective strategies to start implementing.

Writing a genuine handwritten note will go such a long way.

You can brighten their day by acknowledging their business every time they place a new order.

But don't just send notes each time they place an order.

You want to show gratitude for them all year round.

Remember, your customers want to feel valued.

In a world driven by texts, Snapchat and Instagram, there are few things as exciting as receiving a handwritten card.

There’s something special about knowing that someone took the time to sit down and address them personally that makes it immediately more valuable.

This goes a long way in a world that has become obsessed with automation, and will help you further distinguish yourself from your competition.

Need some cool cards that give back to kids in need? Check these out.

I often think how much joy and happiness animals can bring us.

We can be having a really bad day, and we come home, and our animals love on us. I know that’s how I feel about my cat Mia. She makes me smile all day long!

They can instantly change our mood, and they are such an important part of our lives.

I know there are dogs now that are helping military vets and patients in hospitals.

Last year during our Gratitude Adventure, we spent a day at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah, and believe me, it was a treat to love on the animals over there.

Do you have any pets?

I'd love to see a picture if you do! Shoot me an email at [email protected]

I’ve talked a lot about creating a gratitude habit, and different ways to express gratitude.

Once you’ve established a daily gratitude habit, be sure to fuel the habit.

How do you do that?

Well, we’re going to have bad days or bad situations from time to time.

That’s unavoidable.

So how can you use gratitude to help out during the times where you’re feeling a little down?

My friend Yasmin Nguyen likes the concept of a kick-ass jar as a way to fuel some positive into a bad day.

Have you ever struggled with self-doubt or just felt stuck in a rut?

Of course you have.

We all have.

Life is such a roller coaster ride.

One day you’re on top, with everything going your way.

And the very next day, it can all come crashing down.

Anxiety about life sets in and you’re riddled with worry, depression, and self-doubt.

It’s awful.

That’s where the kick-ass jar comes in, which is really just an empty jar with a fancy name.

Take a little tablet of sticky notes and carry it with you every day.

When something positive happens, write it down, and put it in the kick-ass jar.

It can be anything— having an inspiring conversation, feeling inspired by the scenery on a hike, finishing a project at work or receiving or writing a thank you card.

Record every win from your day, no matter how big or small.

Then when you’re having a rough day—and you WILL have rough days—take out a few of the sticky notes from the kick-ass jar and read them.

This will provide an instant boost in confidence and self-esteem.

In no time, you’ll feel your kick-ass attitude returning.

What about those situations that pop up each day, such as being stuck in traffic?

Believe me, there is a ton of traffic in Denver, so even I need a strategy for this. ;)

My friend Kevin Clayson talks about flipping the gratitude switch - finding the awesome in bad situations.

How do you find the awesome in being stuck in traffic on your way to work?

Well at least you have a car.

Some people don’t, and have to rely on the bus or walking everywhere.

Be grateful that you have a car.

At least you have a job to go to.

Some people don’t have a job and struggle to put food on their plate.

Or are homeless.

Be grateful that you have a job and enough money to live.

When you put things in perspective, it’s easy to find the gratitude in bad situations, right?

Use these strategies to fuel your gratitude habit and you’ll be living with a grateful heart all day long!

A couple years ago, I got to speak at Humanex Academy in Denver about the power of gratitude.

Humanex is not a typical school.

Many of these young adults had not been successful at other schools.

I loved having the opportunity to speak there!!

I'm seeing more schools bring in speakers like me to talk about gratitude and kindness and I love it.

I think kids should learn about gratitude at an early age.

With all of the bullying, violence, anger, anxiety, depression and complaining in this world, gratitude can help lessen all of these.

It must be tough to be a kid these days.

The world is a lot different place than when I was a kid, and there is a lot happening that I don't like to see.

I believe gratitude can give kids a different perspective on life, and will help them have a more positive outlook while being kind to others.

My trip to Guatemala showed me how bad some kids really do have it.

Gratitude can shift your perspective on things.

If you have kids in your life that you love, I challenge you to bring a daily practice of gratitude into their lives.

If you need any ideas, let me know. I'd be more than happy to help out.

And...if you're a teacher at a school, or work for a company and are interested in having me come in to speak about gratitude, please send me an email to [email protected]