Are You a People Pleaser? Here’s How to Use It to Your Advantage in Business.

Look, if you’re a people pleaser, you probably already know it. You say yes when you mean no, you over-explain why you can’t attend that thing you never wanted to go to in the first place, and you wake up at 2 AM replaying a conversation where you might have accidentally offended someone (spoiler: you didn’t).

While you work on setting boundaries in therapy (which, yes, is important), let’s talk about how to strategically channel that superpower into something that actually makes you money: an exceptional customer experience.

People Pleasing = Customer Success Goldmine

People pleasers have a built-in radar for anticipating needs, reading between the lines, and making sure no one leaves unhappy. That’s exactly what makes a killer customer experience. Businesses that prioritize CX bring in 5.7x more revenue than those that don’t. Why? Because customers who feel understood, appreciated, and supported stick around—and tell their friends.

Instead of spiraling because you “took too long” to text someone back (again, you didn’t), focus that energy on:

• Anticipating customer pain points before they even mention them. If you notice common questions, create an easy-to-follow FAQ, automate a friendly email response, or tweak your process so they never have to ask in the first place.

• Following up like a pro. Your people-pleasing instincts already have you checking in on friends who never text back. Apply that same skill to your customers. A simple, thoughtful follow-up can boost conversions by up to 80%.

• Making customer interactions feel effortless. If there’s a confusing step in your sales process, fix it. If customers have to work to give you money, they won’t. And no, “it’s on the website” isn’t an excuse—make it obvious and easy.
  
  

The Boundary Problem (and How to Fix It)

The dark side of people-pleasing? Overcommitting, over-delivering, and ultimately resenting the very people you’re trying to help. In business, that looks like:

• Saying yes to every custom request, even when it drains your time and energy.

• Undercharging because you feel bad about “charging too much.”

• Offering endless support without clear boundaries, turning one-time clients into perpetual inbox squatters.
  

To counteract this, take a page from customer success pros: set expectations early and often. Create clear boundaries around response times, deliverables, and pricing—because when customers know what to expect, they’re happier. And when you know what you’re delivering (and getting paid accordingly), you’re happier. Win-win.

Bottom Line: Use It, Don’t Lose It

Your people-pleasing tendencies, when aimed at the right target, can be the reason your business thrives. Keep the empathy, lose the over-extension, and make sure you’re getting paid for the value you bring.

And if you need help creating a seamless customer experience that doesn’t run you into the ground? Let’s chat. I promise I won’t people-please you into anything you don’t need. 😉