With Thanksgiving a few days away, it's important to take time and reflect back on everything positive and amazing in your life. In the business world that means your employees, customers, and support team that makes the magic happen everyday. So, what is the appropriate way to say "Thank You"? Below are a few ideas that will make you look great, but more importantly, let your people know how much you care.
1. Employees: Each company has various departments that should be recognized for the help they provide day in and day out. Whether you have HR, Support, Sales, Executives, Customer Service, or Administrative teams, it's important to say thank you in a meaningful way. Some ideas to keep company culture thriving is: Throw an office pizza party, offer 1/2 days for employees to scoot out early and have a "team building" day, have chach (t-shirts, koozies, hats, etc) made for employees and departments that highlights strengths they bring to the table, have a catered dinner or event at the office that's more upscale, send flowers, make a charity donation in your employees name for an organization they are passionate about. Whatever you choose to do, make it heartfelt. Your employees will appreciate the gesture, and in the long run these behaviors will lead to increased happiness, productivity, accountability, and revenue for the company.
2. Customers: If it weren't for the people you do business with, there would be no business! Below are a few customer appreciation ideas that will resonate long term, and have a lasting impact on your brand. As a business you can: Throw a VIP customer party, let them network with each other and fill the room with your biggest promoters so they can talk about how awesome an experience it is to work with you and your team; have custom swag made for them to carry the company culture and brand in their everyday lives (notepads, pens, mouse pads, iPhone cases, chap stick, stickers, coffee mugs, etc), create a video montage to highlight each customer and feature it on your website, create a custom hashtag customers can use whenever they have a great call/experience with your brand (collect and monitor this and create an online community around it). By doing large and small gestures of thanks, you in turn will see referrals, loyal spending, and up-sell opportunities. Lastly, never underestimate the power of a handwritten snail mailed note.
At the end of the day it's all about the people you work with. By saying "Thank You" proactively it sets the tone on how you conduct business. There has never been someone who said: "please, don't appreciate me"...if for nothing else, just make someone's day. Need help articulating your company culture? CLICK HERE
