The power a simple, please, thank-you, some positive recognition or small act of courtesy can have never ceases to amaze me. Maybe in a noisy, cluttered, fiercely competitive world where everyone is frantically trying to make their voice, their cause, or their message heard, it feels like a breath of fresh air.
It’s the retweet that says you like what someone else has said. The personal reaction to a post that signals you’re listening. The random DM to a stranger to respond to a question or share a piece of information you think might be helpful. And when something bad happens, owning up to it and apologizing. Simple stuff, which unfortunately can also be pretty easy to overlook.
A recent example is one of our clients who had a not so great experience with a reporter. After stewing about what went wrong and owning up to how it could have gone better, they wondered whether it was worth reaching out to the reporter personally, to help clear the air. Even though it was a few days later, that’s exactly what they did. Yes, especially with the time that had gone by, it would have been easier to ignore it, move on, and take the chance that maybe the reporter would forget about it. But in the end, respect and courtesy won out, to the benefit of a stronger long-term relationship.
So many brands make major investments, coming up with massive cause-related campaigns. Certainly, those efforts are incredibly powerful, as well. But they don’t take the place of ongoing common courtesy and respect. After all, at the end of the day, isn’t that how we all want to be treated?
What favorite random acts of kindness have you seen, or experienced yourself, recently?
Tags: campaign, cmd agency, conversation starter, crisis communication, earned media, marketing, social media, tools, Twitter
Social media is so prevalent now that relationships are linked in ways they never have been before. This means that we have new ties to people and companies that we haven’t had before – and in many cases, these ties are stronger than they have been. When we have a good or a bad experience with a person, that experience is more strongly linked to us as well. If it’s a bad experience, it’s harder to ignore. If it’s a good experience, it may stay with that person (and us) for a longer time. If it’s a good or bad experience with a product, letting the world know about our experience is that much easier – and more people than ever are listening – even those who are complete strangers.
Random acts of kindness are seen and felt more widely today – maybe this reinforces them and they happen more often, maybe they’re just more visible. On a blog I was reading recently, someone was sharing their experience with buying a saw at a local hardware store. The store rep took the time to explain to them what saws were best for what types of wood and metal. I didn’t know the blogger, but the next time I need hardware, I’ll be sure to visit that store. I don’t remember much else that I read that day, but I do remember that story. It’ll stay with me and I will pass the word along to my friends and family. The simple acts of kindness and old-fashioned customer service go farther today than ever before.
I think a simple thank you is so often overlooked. I recently sent a blogger a thank you note. She responded with a second post.
Always great to be reminded about civility.
Thanks, Darcie!
And it’s important to remember that these principles apply within an organization, as well as with people on the outside! If a simple please/thank you/kudos goes a long way to a reporter, how much more to a co-worker? Sometimes it can be hardest to show appreciation for the people we work with every day, because we tend to take their wonderful contributions for granted.
I recently received a note from a co-worker, thanking me for my helpfulness on some presentations. Guaranteed, if she needs an assist from me again, I will bend over backwards to help out!
(P.S. I really like the new look of the CMD site! Very cool.)