`It’s not illegal, fattening or overdone,” Andrea Nierenberg said. It makes people happy, pays you back and your mother would approve. What is it? It’s a “thank you chain”–the latest development in the way Nierenberg, a New York-based consultant, does business.
Last year I wrote about Nierenberg’s “power of three” practice, where she writes three thank you notes a day, every day of the year. In 1999 Nierenberg’s note activity took another form.
“I didn’t realize it was a chain until I was well into it,” she said.
It started when she sent a thank you to the first person who gave her an assignment in a large company, as well as to all the program participants.
Two people from the first session referred Nierenberg to others in the company who booked her for two more programs. Nierenberg thanked the original contact, the two referrals and the attendees from the new programs.
She received another referral, booked another project and you can figure out the rest. Nierenberg now corresponds with a 15-person chain each time she posts a new piece of business in the firm.
Most of the contacts get a personalized e-mail, but the original contact receives a handwritten note. Nierenberg won’t abandon the handwritten note. That’s her hallmark and the postal service’s bread and butter.
What can she say each time? “The original referral learns of all subsequent referrals. I keep the other people abreast of different work I’ve done so they know about me if my name comes up in the cafeteria, and it does,” Nierenberg said.
What’s all this thanking worth? Nierenberg’s business doubled this year and she thanks the chain for that. She’s built an in-house advocacy group, Nierenberg Referral Co., and all by saying thanks.
Thanking is an integral part of Nierenberg’s seminars, too. For small groups she sends out prework questionnaires and thanks the attendees in advance for attending. Then she calls before the meeting, introduces herself and thanks them again. Post-workshop, she calls with a follow-up tip and a thank you.
Nierenberg has done something else new this year. She’s increased her “power of three” principle threefold. Now she sends out three notes, three e-mails and makes three phone calls a day. Sometimes she thanks, other times she says “Hi, thinking of you,” or sends on a bit of news. Nine contacts a day and she says it takes no time.
“It takes about 15 minutes at most,” Nierenberg claims. “With voice mail and e-mail and short notes it’s not really work. And you don’t have to talk to anyone.”
“But what if someone answers his phone?” I asked.
“I use an egg timer when I’m actively talking to someone,” she said, “I won’t talk for more than five minutes.”
“An egg timer,” I said. “That horrid mini-hourglass my father put on the table to limit my telephone time as a teenager?”
“It’s OK to use,” she said, “because it’s an effective use of our time.” She should know, she teaches time management.
Nierenberg said she’s received negative feedback on thanking only once. “The person said, `Don’t call me, I’ll call you. I don’t like getting phone calls.’ ” She didn’t drop him from her list. Just moved him into the e-mail grouping. She is nice.
I might have sent him a package with instructions on telephone etiquette and an egg timer. And a thank you, of course.
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Julie Danis’ commentary appears regularly on Public Radio International’s “Marketplace.” Write her at Jobs, Room 400 Chicago Tribune Chicago 60611 or e-mail jmdanis@aol.com.
