Gratitude Defined and Applied to Marketing
What does gratitude have to do with business success? Gratitude is defined as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” Embracing and expressing gratitude attracts attention, builds bonds, creates connections, and strengthens relationships. This sounds like the perfect recipe for customer acquisition and brand loyalty to me!
To achieve these desired outcomes, you must first adopt the attitude of gratitude and then intentionally prioritize it, proactively practice it, and purposefully express it.
Intentionally Prioritize Gratitude
Married Entrepreneurs
Steven and I recently celebrated our 39th anniversary. When I share this with colleagues, some ask “How can you work with your spouse?” Running a business is not for the faint of heart, and married entrepreneurship requires extra fortification. It has its pros and cons. As noted in this Wall Street Journal article, “There is always someone to talk about the business, day or night. You have someone who understands what you’re going through at work and at home. But a business can be all-consuming. When both spouses are involved, it is tough to find any room for ordinary life or personal space. Couples who go into business together have to be very careful not to lose themselves entirely in the startup, or the relationship can suffer along with the business.”
Our faith forms the core of who we are. We first met at work over forty years ago and have spent the last nine years enjoying our collaboration. Adopting a common mission and vision for our business and life together, we cherish our strengths and consistently support each other’s contributions. We truly appreciate the opportunity to work together and actively seek meaningful ways to show gratitude to each other and those in our sphere of influence.
Employees
We’re grateful for our employees and work to build a culture that makes them feel valued and appreciated. We strive to provide opportunities that challenge them to be their best selves, celebrating their giftedness and encouraging continuous improvement. Especially in creative and collaborative environments, showing gratitude to the team cements our awareness that we are better together while valuing and recognizing each person’s unique contributions at every opportunity.
Now, to be sure… work is work and, at times, work can be stressful. Yet, studies on gratitude and stress “provide evidence to support leading theories on how gratitude can reduce stress and promote well-being…” and that “…engaging in gratitude can lead to a positive shift in cognition or a change in the appraisal of a situation whereby an individual will be more likely to have a less stressful interpretation of an event.” We intentionally express gratitude to our employees to make work more productive and pleasing.
Clients
The trust our clients place in us fuels us to bring our “A” game every day, as we purposefully help them build their brands and achieve their mission. We express gratitude from the first interaction… “thank you for calling Riggs Creative Group. How may I help you?” to a handwritten note expressing our “thanks for choosing Riggs Creative Group for your marketing communication needs” and in every interaction in between. In doing so, we improve customer interactions by moving them from transactional to relational engagements. We intentionally express gratitude to our clients to strengthen our bonds with them.
Partners and Associations
We carefully analyze and selectively choose to work with partners and join associations that embrace our mission, align with our goals, and promote our success. We’re grateful for their support and share that gratitude in tangible ways including writing thank-you notes, referring our clients to work with or to join them, and supporting their outreach events.
Proactively Practice Gratitude
The biblical teaching of love being an active verb (1 John 3:18) applies to gratitude. It must be shared. How do those who support you know your appreciation without your expression? Gratitude shouldn’t be limited to November and the Thanksgiving season, it should be evergreen. Just as you must consistently express your brand universe (your identity, logo, trademark, personality, position, and promise) to maintain brand trust, gratitude is not seasonal or based on circumstances. It’s something you practice daily in good times and in tough times.
References and Testimonials
I’ve heard it said that the highest form of compliment is when people say your name when you’re not in the room, and make introductions based on their positive experience with you. In her study of gratitude vs. indebtedness, Dr. Stephanie Mangus explains “Word-of-mouth communication is one of the most cost-effective forms of marketing; however, it is extremely difficult to receive this positive marketing if one has poor relationships with customers. Knowing and paying attention to these emotional states can help salespeople strengthen and improve buyer-seller relationships. Relationship quality is the overall strength of the relationship between two parties. It can drive various financial outcomes such as increased sales, premium pricing, and more. Gratitude increases the quality of relationships by strengthening the bond between two parties…” Need I say more?
Flexibility and Agility
Life comes at us fast. Without warning, we get the call with an unexpected diagnosis, a loved one’s passing, or some other calamity. Ours or an employee and their family’s life is suddenly altered. We are in the human business… and people and their needs come first. We are grateful to support our team at times like these with prayer and flexible schedules. And, as we want to remain in business, these times require us to internally share loads and engage partners to ensure our clients’ needs are met. In this sense, being small and agile has its benefits. We’re grateful for our team’s commitment to cross-train as needed to support our workload.
Giving to our Community
Doing good leads to doing well. We’re blessed to be a blessing. Just common sayings? Not for us. We truly embrace generosity as a form of expressing gratitude. Furthermore, we believe giving with willing hearts and open hands propels wellness, growth, and emotional (and sometimes financial) prosperity.
Purposefully Express Gratitude
In addition to our faith, we, like most businesses, understand the importance of community in bolstering our foundation. We, our employees, and our company thrive when our community thrives. Being purposeful in expressing gratitude strengthens our community bonds. A recent Baylor University study on gratitude’s impact on health, resilience and community bonds explains “When individuals move from general gratitude to appreciating specific “givers” in their lives, they experience increased empathy and generosity, often feeling a desire to “pay it forward.” Engaging in deliberate acts of gratitude boosts the well-being of both the sender and receiver, fostering positive ripple effects that strengthen community connections.”
To not leave you with theory, here are some practical ways you can purposefully express gratitude:
- a simple but impactful verbalized “thank you” goes a long way.
- a handwritten note card or gratitude letter engages the senses of touch and sight. As shared in this recent Harvard Health Article, “It can have a strong psychological effect for both the sender and receiver.”
- an act of kindness – completing a survey, providing feedback, leaving a positive Google review, and/or shouting a local business out on social media all boost brand awareness and engagement.
- A special offer that recognizes your relationship, such as a discount code or a loyalty or referral program, is a tangible way to thank your customer.
- a contribution to a cause or support of an event that your client champions, making an “in kind” contribution such as a conversation that shares valuable insights, donating service to a local non-profit, or serving on an industry Board or Committee… leave a legacy of generosity by paying forward what’s been invested in you.
Make Gratitude Part of Your Marketing Strategy
Is expressing gratitude part of your marketing strategy? If not, you’re missing out on engagement opportunities that move you beyond customer transactions to authentic relationships. Intentionally prioritize, proactively practice, and purposefully express your gratitude today!
Author: Claire Riggs
Date: February 27, 2025
