I saw a business article recently with the title: Fake a Handwritten Note with these 4 online services.

Now call me old fashioned, but I think Handwritten notes should be just that...handwritten. Yes there are computer software programs that can generate notes with a handwritten font. And other companies that use a mechanical pen to write the notes. But those aren't genuine and your customers and clients can sniff that out a mile away.

As my mentor Pat Rigsby likes to remind us...should you really be building relationships around faking out your clients and trying to make them believe something that's really not (like sending them a computer generated card)?

No! Cards should always be handwritten. Take the extra time to care about your clients enough to write them a card. After all, if it wasn't for them, you wouldn't have a business.

There’s a platform called Tribute that helps employees celebrate their co-workers with a video montage of their peers telling them why their awesome. When the recipient of the video watches it, you can be sure there will be tears!

Each new day is a “gift” to us and the only appropriate response for this gift is gratefulness, says Brother David Steindl-Rast, a monk. Every breath is a miracle.

The text of Brother David’s A Good Day…

You think that this is just another day in your life…

It’s not just another day.

It’s the one day that is given to you – today…

It’s given to you.

It’s a gift.

It’s the only gift that you have right now…

…and the only appropriate response is gratefulness.

Find a charity you believe in and make a monetary contribution to show your appreciation for the transformative work they do in your community, or nationally. Or roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty. One of my most life changing experiences was building schools in Guatemala. I also had a lot of fun helping to build a playground for abused kids when I lived in Denver. Find a charity that has meaning to you and then support them in whatever way feels good to you.

We all want our customers to help us out by referring business to us. Well some of your customers have their own businesses. Help them out by sending business to your customers. What a way to show them gratitude! You can even promote events they are having, articles they’ve written or anything else you think your audience will like of theirs.

Most people in the workplace don’t feel appreciated or valued, thus don’t feel grateful for their job or their boss. This impacts the customer experience, team spirit and organizational effectiveness. Appreciate your employees regularly. Similar to the 5 love languages, there are 5 appreciation languages in the workplace: Words of affirmation, Quality Time, Acts of Service, Tangible Gifts and Physical Touch. Find out the primary language of each of your team members and appreciate them in that language.

Your employees will also stay longer, saving you money!

Surprising and delighting your customers is a surefire way to have raving fans, and customers for life. Regularly give your customers an announced bonus. A T-shirt, an extra session, or even an upgrade of some sort into a more valuable package of services.

Give Away Cookies: Bring cookies (or coffee) to firefighters and police officers and thank them for their protection and service.

Celebrate Your Wins: Be thankful for your successes. Write down all that you have accomplished this past year, which you may not even realize how many there are and then savor these successes rather than thinking about what you didn’t accomplish.

Hug someone to show how grateful you are to have him or her in your life. A simple hug could be just what a person needs to feel loved and appreciated.