Q&A: Thank You Gifts – What, When, How

Posted by: Karen Renzi
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Hello Beyondus,
I have a question regarding customer appreciation and how best to show it.

Going beyond Thank you notes, what do you think of thank you gifts? After the sale and at holiday time? Is it appropriate to ask for referrals at the same time that you deliver the gift.

Generally speaking what is most appreciated? Food? Flowers? Coffee cups, pens? Is there a wrong way to give a thank you gift?

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WHAT
Obviously thank you notes are a great way to express appreciation to your clients. And in this age of electronic communication, a handwritten note can be a great way to stand out and it shows clients that you took that extra little bit of time and effort. As for thank you gifts, when choosing what to give, think about what you would appreciate receiving as a client. Most likely it is not logoed mugs, pens or other items – I would save those for tradeshow giveaways or possibly as leave behinds at meetings. I think food is generally appreciated, but you need to keep in mind that unless you know what a client likes, it might be safest to order something that has a combination of healthy foods and sweets. Or something like an assortment of coffee or tea. Also, in most cases a gift of food delivered to an office will be shared with co-workers, so make sure there is enough to share at least with the immediate team of your contact, or your nice gift will start to seem chintzy.

Other things to consider would be something that relates to your client’s industry or work style. For instance, if your contact travels a lot, perhaps a unique travel accessory. Or an interesting book that relates to their business or business in general. If your client is the kind of person who has everything or if you’d just like to do something different, maybe you could consider making a donation in their name to a charity – even better if you’ve found out enough about the client in your conversations to be able to select a charity that supports a cause that is important to them. Or if you let them choose a project (see some ideas below).

WHEN
Now, as far as when to give gifts. First of all client gift-giving should be part of a larger client marketing plan. Some components of the plan might be simple – like a welcome packet, regular thank you notes, or holiday cards. Other components should be regular scheduled checkpoints like email newsletters and client satisfaction calls or surveys. Gift-giving can fit in on top of that for even more impact. You may actually wish to give gifts NOT at the traditional holiday season of December. Sending gifts or cards for other holidays can leave more impact because there won’t be as many competing. Think Thanksgiving or their anniversary as your client.

HOW
Lastly, I personally would not recommend tying a request for referrals or more business to giving a gift. The point of giving a gift is to show your humble appreciation and gratitude for being able to work with the client. Asking for something in return may come across as less than sincere and leave the client feeling like you had an ulterior motive. Your gift will leave the client with a positive feeling about you – so the next time you DO ask for referrals, they’ll be that much more likely to help.

Some interesting options for charitable donations, these are one-to-one opportunities:
www.donorschoose.org - Support a specific school project. Gift Certificates available so recipient can choose the project!
www.globalgiving.com - Support grassroots charity projects around the world. Gift Certificates available so recipient can choose the project!
www.kiva.org - Lend money to a specific entrepreneur in the developing world – withdraw funds when the loan is repaid or re-loan.