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Never underestimate the power of “thank you.” As businessman and author Harvey Mackay says, “Anyone too busy to say ‘thank you’ will get fewer and fewer chances to say it.” Anyone too busy to thank others will lose opportunities to build relationships and trust.
A “thank you” is important, but it is the bare minimum. It is the least you can do or say. You can do more. You can make your “thank you” even more impactful and make the person feel more deeply appreciated. Here are four easy ways you can say “thanks” and add greater value to the relationship:
1. Write a recommendation.
When someone helps you out or does a good job, thank them and offer to write them a recommendation. It doesn’t have to be a formal recommendation. With LinkedIn, you can take a few minutes to write a short paragraph to be displayed on their profile. Add value to their profile by highlighting the quality of their work. Focus on a particular skill or experience of which you have first-hand knowledge. Sometimes, writing a LinkedIn recommendation can encourage the person to respond in kind and write a recommendation for your LinkedIn profile.
2. Endorse them for a skill on LinkedIn.
Even quicker than writing a LinkedIn recommendation is endorsing the person for a particular skill listed on their profile. In the “Featured Skills & Endorsements” section, click on the plus sign to the right of the skill. It takes just seconds to give an endorsement.
The more endorsements a person has for a particular skill, the higher that person will appear in search results when people are searching for that term. Help them to increase their visibility. Endorsing other people’s skills can also prompt them to endorse you for skills listed on your LinkedIn profile.
3. Make an introduction.
If someone in your network comes to mind that you think the person would enjoy connecting with, mention that you would be willing to make an introduction. If you see an opportunity to help the person expand their network, do it. Become known as a power connector.
4. Ask how you can help.
If you are unsure how you can provide value and want to do more than say “thank you,” ask how you can be of help to them. The person may or may not be able to articulate what they need help with at the moment. Regardless, it is the thought that counts. They will appreciate that you made the effort to ask, which can make them inclined to want to continue helping you.
Saying “thank you” is important. If you want the receiving party to be left with a more memorable expression of gratitude, take it one step further by writing a recommendation, endorsing their skills, making an introduction or asking how you can help. These easy add-ons can also help you to be seen as someone who adds value. Saying “thank you” without expecting anything in return and adding real value will help you to nurture mutually beneficial relationships.
How do you add value when thanking someone? Share with me your stories and thoughts via Twitter or LinkedIn.
