Shoot! I missed it. January was National ‘Say Thank You Month’! Now, before you go off and roll your eyes about lame holidays, let’s think about this one for a sec.

Thank you is important. Super important. Sure, our parents try to teach us all about manners when we are young. Those of us that have children drill it into their little heads so they say thank you automatically. We die when they don’t in some socially awkward situation and we look down our noses when someone else’s kid forgets. Yep, thank you is super important. Does anyone remember this little diddy?

Thank you and please​

are the two little keys​

that open the doors to politeness.​

What about from a business perspective? No, I am not suggesting that clients thank you. It’s always nice when they gush over their clean windows, but they thank you by paying you. I am talking about you thanking them.

What do you do to show your appreciation to your customers? Have you said thank you? Have you sent a thank you note? In this day and age of fast lanes and drive-thrus, twitter feeds and FaceBook status updates, self checkouts and phone automation systems, texts and emails … a thank you note speaks volumes. Volumes.

A simple pack of thank you notes from your nearest stationary store costs very little. Why not get in the habit of writing – yes, HAND writing – one thank you note after work each day. Pick one client from your busy schedule and jot down a few words. It doesn’t have to be complicated or artfully crafted, you can’t fit much on those little cards. Just tell them you wanted to take the time to personally thank them for their business.

Pick the client who was cranky. Pick the one who spends her birthday money every year by splurging to get her windows done. Pick whichever one you want. You will do three things:

1) Surprise the heck out of them.

2) Make their day.

3) Have a client for life.

And, hey, thanks for reading

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