The Simple Power of Heartfelt Gratitude: a True Story

A friend -- a normally very cynical friend -- received a thank you note from Beth Stern he couldn't stop talking about.

First some background: When they were still dating in 2002 Howard Stern and his wife Beth got their English bulldog Bianca.

Howard is a radio personality, America's Got Talent judge, and, well, the king of all media.

Beth is a model, TV personality, author of the bestsellers Oh My Dog and Yoda: The Story of a Cat and His Kittens, and an extremely active spokesperson for the North Shore Animal League, the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption agency. (Let's just say that if this was a trial all parties would immediately accept her credentials as an animal lover and activist.)

Sadly Bianca the bulldog died in July. North Shore set up an In Memoriam page to mark Bianca's passing and recognize her efforts as a spokes-dog and fundraising calendar model. Since the shelter is a non-profit charity that relies on donations to fund its operations, the page also included a link visitors could use to make a donation in Bianca's honor.

According to North Shore, hundreds of people did just that.

My cynical friend was one of them. He made a contribution, felt good about it, and -- as we often do when we make charitable donations, however heartfelt -- forgot about it.

Until he received a card in the mail, that is.

On the cover of the card was a photo of Bianca. Inside was a handwritten note from Beth. Her thank you wasn't canned or formulaic; she was obviously touched by his expression of sympathy and his donation and took the time to reach out in a personal and individual way.

"I still can't believe it," he said. "I've donated to plenty of causes. I wasn't looking for recognition, even though I appreciate when an organization sends a thank you card. But for her to take the time to hand write a note to someone she doesn't even know and will never meet... that just blew me away."

It was a simple gesture, one he and hundreds of other people will never forget... since Beth personally thanked everyone who made a donation in Bianca's honor.

And it's also a simple gesture that provides a great business lesson.

Say you land a new customer. Appreciation is the one thing that should never be scaled or automated. If you're truly grateful (and you should be!) why not take the time to personally express your gratitude in a heartfelt and genuine way?

You'll be truly memorable, if only because so few people do -- and you'll spark a real connection and take a big step towards building a long-term business (and potentially personal) relationship.

Or say a friend helps you land a new job. If you're genuinely grateful, shouldn't you find a way to express that gratitude in a sincere way?

You'll be truly memorable, if only because so few people do -- and you'll help build an even stronger relationship.

And can't we all use stronger relationships?

That's why a sincere thank you isn't just good manners -- even though good manners is reason enough.

It's also good business.

Now it's your turn. What things have you done to show you were sincerely grateful... or have people done for you?

I also write for Inc.com:

• 8 Ways to Make an Unforgettable First Impression
• 10 Habits of Remarkably Giving People
• 9 Things Only the Most Successful People Say Every Day
• 7 Habits of People with Remarkable Mental Toughness
• 10 Things Exceptional Bosses Give Employees

Check out my book based on four years of personal and professional advice, TransForm: Dramatically Improve Your Career, Business, Relationships, and Life -- One Simple Step At a Time. (PDF version here, Kindle version here.)

Here's the deal: If after 10 minutes you don't find at least 5 things you can do to make your life better, I'll refund your money.

That way you have nothing to lose... and hopefully plenty to gain.