Submitted by Jackie Nees on | 0 Comments
Last week I was delighted to go out to the mailbox to find that one of my clients had sent me a package with some of my favorite candy. It was totally out of the blue and totally “just because.” I can tell you that something as simple as a bag of candy put a huge smile on my face all day. Not just because I happen to love the brand of candy she sent (Twizzlers), but also because sometimes the smallest efforts make the biggest impact.
I’ve been lucky enough during the course of my years in business to get appreciation gifts from several clients ranging from elaborate bouquets of flowers, to food, to magazine subscriptions. All of them meant a lot to me and made me feel valued and appreciated but I have to say that receiving those Twizzlers last week probably topped the list of favorite gifts.
It was unexpected. Many of the gifts I’ve received have been because it was a holiday or my birthday or I’d helped a client reach a major milestone in their business. In this instance my thoughtful client took the time out of her uber busy schedule to let me know she was thinking of me and wanted me to know she appreciated the work I am doing for her.
It was fun and unique. Anyone can log onto a florist website or gift site and choose a gift or bouquet, enter their payment information and the recipient’s address and hit “send.” This was something out of the ordinary, yet simple and super thoughtful.
It was inexpensive. I have received expensive gifts from clients before and although they were lovely, quite honestly this gesture meant just as much, if not more to me. I think some people have a misconception that the higher the value of the gift, the higher the level of appreciation they are showing. So not true. My client made the extra effort to send something personal that she thought I would enjoy. I got the same exact message regardless of the dollar amount. “I appreciate you. Thank you for what you do.” Besides, who doesn’t love getting a little happiness in the mail?
It was inspiring. Receiving that small token of appreciation last week inspired me. My amazing client understands the value of relationships and that there’s more to maintaining good business relationships than an annual Christmas card. It really inspired me to want to emulate that in my own business. Whether your relationships are valued employees, virtual assistants, vendors or clients and customers, you can always make an extra effort to show your appreciation and that you value that relationship and want to make it long lasting.
It was motivating. The days of a busy entrepreneur can blend into one another and become quite hectic. It’s so refreshing to get a little surprise in your day that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to keep going. It was validating to me and definitely made me want to continue to do great things for my client (Not that I wouldn’t want to anyway, but a little incentive never hurt anyone!).
One of the biggest things that stood out for me with this gift was the way it was presented. The envelope was in one of her branding colors and inside, the Twizzlers were beautifully wrapped with a fabric ribbon and a hand written note on gorgeous stationery to accompany it. Her personality and brand oozed with every detail of this seemingly small gesture. I love that! Her brand is not simply colors and a fancy logo. It’s who she is. It’s her style, personality and how she relates to other people and the way they relate to her. She is totally aligned with her purpose and her business and it was such a huge lesson and inspiration for me.
I’d love to share more insight but I’ve run out of time, out of room and out of Twizzlers so I will sign off for now which reminds me, I haven’t checked the mail yet today!
