Playing the Long Game of Kindness

One of the hardest things for anyone to do is to accept "charity" from another.  It might mean they'd have to admit a defeat or maybe they'd feel that they just weren't good enough to make it on their own.

As the owner of a small business, it's important to recognize when someone just needs help and it's within your reach to make a difference.

It's the woman going to a job interview who has to "settle" on clothes rather than an outfit that makes her feel empowered.

Or the mom who is trying to put food on the table and gas in her car but she knows her children need clothes for the upcoming season and just can't see how to stretch her budget that far.

Or even the young couple just starting out who have their parents coming over for the first time and have just enough money to buy the couch and tables, but not some of the little things that make their house feel like a home.

And what about the flip side?  The consignor/supplier who you know is going through medical treatments and the money she makes is helping her pay for her medicines.  

What they all have in common is a need to be filled.  A need to get the job, a need to cover the basic necessities for their children and the need to create a home they're proud of.  But what holds them back, is the absence of money.

Sure, we could go up and give them the money to buy what they needed - that's easy...on our part.  Difficult to accept on theirs because even though our intentions were so incredibly good, we may unintentionally make them feel broken in the process.  And that is never our goal.

But you, the owners out there, can break that barrier.  You can help your customers keep the pride they cherish with one simple act...a scratch off card.

You may be scratching your head instead of card at me right now, but think about it.  If you kept blank scratch off cards, you could create something incredibly kind as you needed.

That's why I believe in kindness cards.  When you see that mom struggling trying to figure out what she can buy for her children, you simply & casually ask " did you get one of our scratch off cards yet? No?  Here's one - you just scratch off the circle to reveal the $ amount you won - you could win anywhere from $5 to $50 off your purchase today!  Good Luck!" OR "we're doing a special promotion today to show our appreciation for our consignors - since we accepted items from you today, you get a scratch off card for an additional amount added to your account - you can win anywhere from $5 to $50!  Good Luck!"

The feeling when you walk away is almost giddy-like because you know deep down how you just made her day.  Will she ever know?  Nope.  Because you make other ones to give out to those around her.  Could it cost you a few extra bucks, sure.  But we're playing the long game...not the short one.

And the long one brings you so much more kindness than you ever give out.

xoxo,
Angie