Freelancing to Freedom

Have you ever had one of those days where the last thing in the world you wanted to do was smile? Of course you have – we all have. And have you ever noticed how on those days, if you find yourself in a social situation and force yourself to smile, you feel a little bit better? Fake smiles are nothing compared to real smiles, but if you fake it for long enough, you can trick yourself into being happier. I’ve been feeling rather corny the past few days and I just want to say it: I love smiling! This does all have a point.

Not only does smiling make you feel happier, it makes the people around you more at ease and more willing to open up to you. I realize this all seems fairly obvious, but it’s astounding how many people don’t utilize the power of smiling, and it can be a very effective tool for business.  Smile at your clients, make them feel at ease, and genuinely listen  to them – if you can build their trust and let them know  you value them, you will likely earn them as a client for life and receive  referral business as well.

Even if you can’t meet with a client face to face, smile on the phone or even over email (just don’t use emoticons in professional emails! Save those for your friends or your mom).  Always come across as pleasant and receptive. Let the client know that you are grateful for his or her business or potential business. A simple smile and a “thank-you” goes a long way.

On a slightly different note, a good friend of mine was having a bad morning a few months ago. She pulled up to the Tim Horton’s drive-thru window to grab her coffee and breakfast on the way to work and the woman in the window said, “The car in front of you paid for your order.” My friend was floored and beyond appreciative. All it took was a simple act of kindness to turn her mood around.

So smile, be nice to people, pay it forward – not only is it good for business, it makes a massive difference in the quality of your personal life.

Namaste 🙂