Living with an attitude of gratitude is a surefire way to have a better business and a better quality of life. Studies on the benefits of gratitude practices show that sharing gratitude via journaling and thank you notes can improve long-term happiness by more than 10% (Conscious Lifestyle Magazine). Both acts of kindness and feelings of gratitude stimulate the release of dopamine in our brains. Dopamine is a chemical linked to the way that we experience pleasure. When we allow ourselves to truly feel gratitude for something or someone, we feel a natural high from both internalizing the gratitude and expressing our feelings. (@dianaanteshair) Research shows the benefits of gratitude to include many health perks - like decreased pain, better sleep, lower levels of anxiety and depression, stress relief, energy, and vitality. We can all use this during the holiday season - which can be a busy and challenging time. So send your clients gratitude this holiday season. It will be returned to you tenfold in the joy of giving and health benefits of a gratitude practice; not to mention, return customers and improved salon loyalty. Gratitude tends to be a win-win-win all around. Give yourself and your biz a boost with these 4 great ways to express gratitude this holiday season: 1. Write a traditional thank you card 📝 When was the last time you sat down and wrote a good old fashioned, handwritten thank you card? Because of the extra time and energy it takes, sending a handwritten thank you note to your clients is a powerful, heartfelt way to express gratitude for them. Pick up a pack of thank you cards and go to town writing personal notes. Another potentially quicker way to spread holiday cheer is going the digital route. Consider making bulk cards with a custom design on Canva.com. You can easily get these cards printed and then add a handwritten personal touch on the card. A quick note saying, “Thank you! Your business means so much to me. Happy Holidays!” can go a long way in both client retention and acquisition from increased referrals. 2. Send a thank you text 📲 Did you know 98% of text messages are read within 2 minutes?! This is a big difference compared to emails which today have at most a 20% open rate (Rebrandly, 2019 ). Text messages also tend to feel more intimate and personal and are a great way to communicate when no response is necessary. Send a gratitude text to your clients letting them know how grateful you are to have them in your studio and potentially include any holiday specials, holiday schedule updates or reminders to book their holiday appointments. SolaGenius's text message marketing tool makes sending a text to your clients simple! Choose from pre-written templates or craft your own, and then choose who you want to send to! You can send to all or filter your clients by how recently you've seen them. (@glory_hair_studio) 3. Offer holiday discounts to loyal clients 🎁 Only offer discounts during the holidays if you are not so busy that you are turning away clients! If you do have openings, think about filling up your schedule by offering holiday gratitude discounts to your clients. Holiday offerings may include a 2-for-1 holiday service bundle for bringing in a friend or family member, or perhaps a percent