Over the years I have used thank-you's to cultivate more futile ground for business. Although not everyone mines for gold this way, there are many who understand the value of being pleasant and letting everyone know who you are and what you do.

When you leave a tip after a good dinner you are thanking them for good service. When you leave your tip and your business card you are thanking them and offering the same good service in return.

This technique has proven to serve me well. I sell real estate in Metro Detroit. I was asked to speak with my friend, Dave Beson, at an event in Atlanta, Georgia. The host was paying for dinner but I asked if he would mind if I left my card. I wrote a quick thank you on the back. The waiter was originally from Metro Detroit and ultimately referred two clients that turned into sales.

When I had a listing appointment and knew that the homeowner was also interviewing another agent I would have a hot pie delivered during their interview. This led to a thank you of another kind. The competing agent from the night before would call and say, "Hey Ralph, you got the listing and all I got was a piece of pie. Nice job. Next time the pie will be from me!"

Olivia Barker wrote in USA Today that today, when gratitude is expressed in writing, it's often done grudgingly, as obligation rather than art. The trend is a reflection of how Americans' short attention spans and electronically wired lives -- combined with a diminished mindfulness of etiquette -- have made the United States, well, a pretty ungrateful nation.

We live in a time when we are too busy to notice or we take things and people for granted. Thank-you's just aren't said enough.

Recently I have discovered the pure joy of receiving and sending the unexpected genuine thank you.

I received a delivery one day. I went out to greet the driver and a few of my office staff helped unload the truck. We couldn't get the boxes open quick enough. We took pictures and we included the driver in the fun. He went on his way and I never gave it another thought until I received a letter from his wife. She took a long time to personally write me and tell me how much that visit had impacted her husband.

Calling the boss to complain seems to be the thing to do however, we rarely make it a point to call and tell them what a great job their employee did. We need to recognize someone's great customer service and what better way then to send a thank you to their boss.

I send old 45's with an appropriate message as a fun and inexpensive way to let the person know that I appreciate what they do. Imagine "What a wonderful World" by Sam Cooke arriving in the mail can for someone's day.

I now have the exciting problem of getting thank-you's for my thank-you's. It has turned into a great fun.

Thank you may not lead to world peace but it certainly will cast long rays of goodwill to people who do their part each day.

I challenge you to figure out creative way to say thank you! Remember add your personality and be sincere. Get ready to be amazed by the reception!

Published: March 1, 2006

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Once dubbed by TIME Magazine "the best-selling REALTOR® in America," Ralph R. Roberts, CRS, GRI is an award-winning and internationally recognized real estate agent, author, coach, and speaker. Throughout his career, Ralph has proven his commitment to helping other real estate and sales professionals build upon their past and present success, grow and expand their businesses, and provide a rich and rewarding future for themselves, their customers, their employees, and their families. As president and CEO of Ralph Roberts Realty, Ralph has personally helped thousands of consumers realize their dream of homeownership. While selling over 10,000 homes (and buying and selling over 3,000 investment properties) throughout his 30-year career, Ralph has made the time to mentor and coach hundreds of professionals in real estate, sales, and a host of other fields. Ralph is a recognized authority on Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud; Residential Real Estate; Personal Salesmanship; and, Sales Force and Office Management, Motivation, and Design. Ralph's numerous websites, blogs, seminars, and speaking engagements engage, entertain, and educate both consumers and professionals. Ralph is also an accomplished author with several successful titles to his credit, including: Power Teams: The Complete Guide to Building and Managing a Winning Real Estate Agent Team Mortgage Myths: 77 Secrets That Will Save You Thousands on Home Financing (John Wiley & Sons) Foreclosure Self-Defense For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Protect Yourself from Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud: Preserving the American Dream of Homeownership (Kaplan) Foreclosure Investing For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Advanced Selling For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Flipping Houses For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman (HarperCollins) Real Wealth by Investing in Real Estate (Prentice Hall/Penguin Group) Sell it Yourself (Adams Media) 52 Weeks of Sales Success (HarperCollins) To learn more about Ralph, visit AboutRalph.com or check out his daily insights on real estate and mortgage fraud prevention at FlippingFrenzy.com. You can reach Ralph at RalphRoberts@RalphRoberts.com or by calling (586) 751-0000.