The Power of the Thank You

​I have built almost my entire career on referrals. And when I say almost, I mean almost. At this point, I would guess that 99% of the people who find me come because somebody told them about me. Maybe 1% found me on social media, Googled me, or stumbled across my website.

Today, people definitely aren’t just walking by and popping in. My business is tucked inside a medical office building. We are a destination. You have to intentionally find us. But referrals aren’t something new for me. They’ve been the foundation of my business for 20 years.
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When I first started in esthetics, I worked in a busy salon, and I learned very quickly how valuable relationships were. Hairstylists referred their clients to me. Nail technicians referred their clients to me. Clients referred their friends, sisters, coworkers and daughters. I learned something very early in my career that I still believe today: when someone sends you business, make them feel appreciated.

That’s really it. We make referrals way too complicated. Start a referral program. Give them $20. Give them a discount. Create a points system. If they refer three people, they get this. If they buy this service and refer someone else, they earn that. Listen, kudos to you if you’ve built a referral system and it works, but sometimes I look at all of it and think, who has time for all of this?

Because I think we’re missing the most powerful part. People usually aren’t referring you because they want $20. They’re referring you because it feels good to share something they love.

Think about how naturally we do this. Someone says, “Your skin looks amazing,” and immediately you’re saying, “Oh my gosh, you HAVE to go see my esthetician.” Someone says they’re looking for a massage therapist and you’re like, “I know the BEST person.” Someone compliments your shirt and you immediately tell them where you got it. We love sharing our discoveries.

There’s a reward component in our brains tied to sharing information about ourselves and our experiences, but you don’t need to understand the neuroscience to understand the behavior. You’ve experienced it. When you know something good, you want to tell people about it.

And when someone trusts you enough to recommend your business, they’re doing something incredibly valuable for you. They’re lending you their credibility. They’re essentially saying, “I trust this person enough to attach my name to the recommendation.” That’s a big deal.

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So when that referral walks through your door, don’t just celebrate the new client. Go back and thank the person who sent them. Send a text. Make a phone call. Write a card. It doesn’t have to be some giant gesture. “Hey, Sarah came in today and told me you sent her my way. I just wanted to say thank you. I appreciate you thinking of me more than you know.” That’s enough.

Another thing I love is giving people a shout-out on social media, especially when another business sends someone your way. Thank them publicly. Tell people how much you appreciate them always thinking of you. Do you know how good it feels to have another business acknowledge that you support them?

And there’s another benefit to doing that. Everyone watching gets to see businesses supporting businesses. They see that relationship and think, “Oh wow, I love that these guys refer business back and forth to each other.” You’re not just telling people you’re connected to your community. You’re showing them.
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If someone consistently supports your business and you want to give them a free service or do something extra for them, absolutely. Do whatever feels good and genuine to you. But don’t underestimate the power of a simple thank you.

Because you know what I hate hearing? “I’ve sent her SO many clients, and she’s never even acknowledged it.” And every time I hear that, I think, wow. Usually that person wasn’t expecting money. They weren’t waiting for their points. They weren’t trying to earn a free facial. They just wanted to know you noticed.

I think that’s where we’ve gotten a little lost in business. We’re so busy designing systems, automating everything, building loyalty programs, creating funnels, tracking points and figuring out what somebody “gets” for sending us three people that somewhere in all of it, we’ve forgotten one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do in business: be grateful.

Take really good care of people. Give them something worth talking about. Build relationships people genuinely want to share. And when they share your name, acknowledge it.

I’ve built businesses this way for 20 years. Not by paying people to talk about me or creating some elaborate points system, but by doing work people want to talk about, building relationships people want to share and remembering that nobody had to say my name. They chose to. So notice it, acknowledge it and say thank you. Because I’ll put a genuine thank you up against a points system any day.