When people take the time to comment, answer or participate, for friggin’ sakes, please say thanks – perhaps the way David Meerman Scott does.
Notice that Meerman Scott doesn’t just thank those who commented. He even suggests his readers hire some of those PR agency folks who did comment. Cool.
Recently, we read a blog article titled something like “Convince Me I Should be on Twitter.” The author begged her readers to give reasons why she might want to join Twitter. Her post got over 90 responses. I wanted to write a 91st:
Dear _______ You should NOT be on Twitter. You’ve not said “thank you” to even one of the folks who’ve taken the time to answer your question. So, please, stay away.
Social media is not about the business you can get, the books you can sell and the money you can make. It’s about the relationships you can develop.
If you ask a question on Twitter, start a discussion on LinkedIn or send out an invitation on Facebook – please say thanks to those who participate. You’d do it in real life. And in case you didn’t notice, even though it’s online, this is real life.
Other Ways to Say It
Or, give your thanks up front, the way Seth Godin does. Every so often he writes something like “Thanks,” telling why he doesn’t “monetize” or put ads on his blog:
Every time you read something I write here, you’re giving me a gift… attention. It’s getting more precious all the time, you have more choices every day, and it’s harder and harder to find the time. I know. I’m grateful. I’m doing my best to make your attention worth it.
With apologies to the scads of other people who do – be like Shep Hyken, who takes the time to write, “Great info today. Thanks.” Or, Ruby Newell Legner, who thanks us for a tip with, “You guys so rock.” Or, Eric Chester, who just wrote, “Can’t thank you enough!“ Makes us feel good. Makes you feel good.
So, David, Seth, Shep, Eric and Ruby – Thanks. There should be more like you.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
There are only two reasons we do anything besides eat, breathe, and pay tax; acceptance and appreciation. We want to feel accepted, and we want to know we are appreciated. The bad news is that in today’s hurry-up, me-first world, most people just don’t get it. The good news is, it doesn’t take that much to stand out from the crowd. Thanks for recognizing that and reinforcing it, Michael!
Thanks Eric,
That may be the fastest thank you we’ve ever gotten on this blog. Thanks for the appreciation. Your last blog article about work/life balance has us all thinking, so thanks for letting us know about that, too.
Michael.
Fascinating. Spot on post.
Well, firstly thanks for mentioning me.
I think good manners extend to social media. My grandmother was a big thank you note writer. Taught me to be as well. I’ve carried that forward.
We should all play nice, it goes a long way.
Thank you Mr. Scott,
Seems sort of odd for thanking you for a thank you for a thank you, but heck.
And, even though no one called me on it – social networking can help you sell books, if you do it right. For example, David right now is giving away his newest book as a free download to your Kindle. Um huh, the whole book. Amazing. Or, as Chris Anderson would say, that’s “Why $0.00 Is the Future of Business.” But, really, it can help you sell books, too. Just ask David, or Chris.
Michael,
Thanks for the great reminder. We get so busy we forget our manners, and even more importantly, our gratitude for relationships and connections.
Michael is one of the last of the *Gentlemen of the New Frontier*. Thank you, Michael.
Thanks Christine and Pat,
Two of the smarter women in the world saying nice things about our article is a cool thank you in and of itself. Thanks!
I know it’s from last month but was looking through your site again. This article I totally appreciate. I bet the people your are highlighting are the same people that don’t respond to e-mails either! A pet peeve, you ask for information that is needed “right now”. You get the answer and then some, and you don’t even acknowledge. Now that is rude.
Oh, and thanks for making such a great site!
Megan
Thanks Megan,
The best thing ever for a blogger is to get a note like yours some time after the article is posted. Made my day. And, yes, we probably should have said that folks don’t say thanks in email anymore. But, hey, they don’t send thank-you cards, either. Want to really make someone’s day? Send them a real live paper (made from trees) thank you card – and they will positively freak out.
Michael: THANK YOU. For what? For visiting my site faithfully and leaving comments. For mentioning my site on twitter. For reminding us of the value of a simple but profound statement such as: “Thank you.”
Folks, I’ve never “met” Michael. But I feel as if I have. And a large part of the reason why is that he’s been such a generous gentleman on the social media sites we both habituate.
This is the true value of this brave new world.. connecting in ways and with people we never could have before.
Well done, Michael.
Ellen
Thanks Ellen,
I only wish I did have the time to read The Same Rowdy Crowd every single day. It would be my new newspaper. Hmmm… For those of you who don’t know, Ellen is writing about newspapers these days on the Crowd blog – particularly about saving the Minneapolis Tribune. But, she writes about a ton of things, and I always learn something – like the great journalism blog mentioned in this post about Ariana Huffington giving a huge slug of money to support investigative journalism – http://tinyurl.com/rowdyhuffington
I’d say a lot more about the Rowdy Crowd blog, but my brother is one of the writers, and I don’t want to be accused of favoritism. Go look at the section called “who are those guys?”
If you don’t have enough time to write a blog, consider getting together with a bunch of people you know and write about what you know. It’s one of the best group blogs I know about anywhere on the web. But, then, my brother writes for it – so consider the source.
No matter what – read Ellen.
Hi Michael. I’m a twitter newbie and of all the 400 + I’m following, you’re one of two who responded with a personal direct message.
I’m learning the ropes, and will say that your response and acknowledgment of who I am definitely got my attention.
I’ve been in a speaking whirlwind, but when my feet hit the ground, I will review my followers, thank them for picking me and find a point of connection. And I’ll tell the one’s I’m following why I think they’re cool.
Thanks Meryl,
An NSA friend, we bumped into Meryl again on Twitter. She wrote, oddly enough, about David Meerman Scott in a recent post on her blog, which is how we sort of re-connected in this weird online social networking world. Kind of cool.
Here’s her blog post about Meerman Scott – http://tinyurl.com/merylmeerman
Thanks for the article and the reminder. I disagree with you on one point. You wrote “say thanks to those who participate. You’d do it in real life.” Unfortunately many people do not do it in real life.
As an achievement and business speaker, I cannot tell you the number of times I have mentioned the importance of saying “thank you” during a speech and have gotten loud applauses as if I had said something revolutionary. After the presentation, people will approach me to talk specifically about that one message. Their remarks include comments like “Yes, you are so very right”, “I wish my manager could have heard you”, “Can you PLEASE come to my office and tell that to everyone I work with”.
Unfortunately, common courtesies like saying please, thank you, holding the door open for the person behind you, and other signs of good manners are becoming a lost art. Thanks for reminding all of us to be more conscious of saying thank regularly.
Hi Donna,
You are so right to correct me about how necessary thank-you’s are in real life. It’s SOOOO welcomed. Recently, we wrote a thank-you email to someone and did the traditional thank-you yadda yadda. But, we also included a note to him about how great two of his employees were. One of those employees wrote back to us, “That call-out to my boss – WOW!! So nice.”
Sort of reminds me of something I learned so long ago I can’t remember who said it, but it goes something like “Thank and recognize in public – reprimand in private.”
Your note is a good reminder to do it online, or offline. Thanks.
Hi Michael,
I like the quote and the principle “Thank and recognize in public – repimand in private”. That’s a great practice to remember.
Last year I wrote an article titled STOP – Stop Treating Other Poorly. If interested you can read at http://www.JustGetserious.com/STOP.htm
Number 12 on my list is “Forgetting or deciding not to say ‘Congratulations,’ ‘Great Job,’ or other appreciative and complimentary comments to those who deserve hearing them.” Of course “Not saying thank you” is on the list along with 24 other behaviors we need to stop doing.