Apologies might be hard, but there are many benefits to saying “sorry,” especially when it comes to maintaining relationships. However, just saying the words isn’t always enough. What if you apologize, and it doesn’t sound genuine?
If you want them to know that you’re truly sorry, try one of these creative methods to get the point across.
1. Apologize in a Letter
If you’re nervous about apologizing in person, or you feel that you won’t be able to get all of your feelings across, you can write an apology letter or email.
Sometimes, when it’s just you and the paper, it’s easier to put your thoughts down and make your apology more sincere. Remember, honesty goes a long way.
Avoid making excuses when you present your apology. Doing so can make your words less effective. Here’s how to apologize effectively:
- Start with what you did wrong
- Don’t blame others
- Use empathy
- Keep it brief
- Let go and move on
It’s hard to own up to doing something wrong. Even if you think someone else impacted your decisions or words, it’s on you to take responsibility for your own actions. No one can force you to say or do something.
When you write your apology, make sure you use these tips. You can give them the letter (or send it digitally), or you can apologize in person and also hand them the letter to make sure you get the point across.
2. Don’t Use Social Media (Unless It’s a Public Apology)
An apology should come from the heart, and it should remain between the speaker and the recipient. Texts are okay for minor arguments, but you should never put your apology on social media for everyone to see.
Doing so can backfire and make everyone uncomfortable. It’s no way to apologize, and the recipient might not even see the post. Similar to texting, you could send them a private message, though there are often better ways to apologize.
An in-person apology is always a good bet, especially since body language conveys so much.
However, if you have to make a statement on behalf of your business, you may need to send a public apology. Effective apologies reach out to the individual(s) harmed, and if you’ve wronged several people, you need to address them all.
Celebrities, politicians, and corporations may have to make public apologies for saying or doing something wrong. For instance, maybe a company put out an offensive ad campaign, or a celebrity said something distasteful on Twitter.
In this case, it’s key to come across as genuine, or the public might lose faith in you.
3. Apologize When You Respond to Online Reviews
If you’re a business, it’s likely that you’ll receive a negative review at some point. Even if you work hard to provide exceptional service, it’s impossible to please everyone.
You may not feel that you deserve the negative review, but it’s critical to remain professional. It’s also important to respond.
An HBR study that examined TripAdvisor hotel reviews found that hotels saw a 12% increase in reviews and a slight increase in their rating when they responded.
Of course, there’s an art to delivering an effective apology comment. Recognize the individual and their feelings, remain empathetic, and avoid “ifs” and “buts,” which sound insincere.
Here’s an example.
Bad apology statement: “I’m sorry if my words hurt you.”
Better apology statement: “I’m sorry that my words hurt you.”
Also, adding “but” to an apology puts part of the blame on someone else. It undoes your hard work and makes it sound like you’re not as sorry as you should be.
Sometimes, you must let it go and be the bigger person, even if you feel wronged.
4. Send Them Flowers
When you really want to say you’re sorry, flowers can help get the meaning across. There’s a reason that so many people get flowers for their significant other when they’re apologizing for something they’ve done.
Flowers work best when presenting an apology in person or when attaching a card or letter. They emphasize the point.
You can buy flowers in bulk online if you want to create a really memorable apology or if you’re saying sorry to multiple people.
There are a few options when it comes to selecting flowers. You could buy their favorite type, for instance. If you don’t know what they like, you can often find selections of apology flowers pre-selected for you.
Floriography, or the language of flowers, might not be as well understood today as it used to be, but many flowers still carry meanings.
When apologizing to your significant other, red flowers often show off a sense of love and passion. Yellow blooms are commonly gifted to friends.
Of course, you don’t have to think too hard about it. Any type of flower or plant that comes from the heart is a creative way to apologize.
5. Create an Apology Video
Do you consider yourself creative and tech-savvy? Perhaps an apology video will get your meaning across better than a letter, card, or text.
Apology videos are also a great middle-ground between speaking in person and sending a message. It’s a useful way to apologize if the person you’re trying to reach lives in another city, state, or country, too.
Smartphones all have a video function, so as long as you have a phone, you can create a video. You can say all the things you would in person as well.
If you want to get creative, record the video in a place that means something to the two of you. For instance, maybe you take videos of where you had your first date. You could then continue to apologize and mention how much you love them and how much the relationship means to you.
The Art of Saying Sorry
Knowing how to say sorry is an important life skill that will help you to maintain your relationships. It’s important to know when you’ve done something wrong and apologize from the heart. These five tips will help you achieve that. You can find more advice and life skills to learn on our blog. Check out some of our other content before you go.