Sending Thank You Notes and Gifts

Send a thank-you note for every referral, and a gift for every referral that turns into business.

Thank-you notes should be handwritten, on a note card or postcard that isn't branded with your company advertising. Keep a supply of traditional, fun, theme and plain note cards handy for all occasions throughout the year.

For gifts, don't send the same old thing to everyone. Instead, take a minute to think about what your customer would really like. If they're dedicated wine connoisseurs, send wine. If they're into sports, try tickets to a game. For gourmets or candy-o-holics, food baskets work wonders, and are available in almost any size, style and budget at the click of a mouse.  Gifts for every Reason carries a wide range of baskets including; cheese/crackers/dips, Diabetic, Gluten Free, Arabic and Kosher.

Most sales people send Christmas cards. If you want to stand out and be remembered by your customers, why not try something a little different?  In addition to sending cards out each December 25th, mix a few of the following ideas into your annual calendar:

Valentine's Day candy baskets.

Birthday cakes on their birthday.

Champagne on their company's anniversary.

Thank-you cards or gifts on their anniversary of doing business with you.

Gifts for their children's birthdays.

Plants on the first day of spring, or at Easter.

Candy at Halloween.

Gifts for your clients' admin assistants on Secretaries' Day.

Thanksgiving cards or food baskets.

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One last thing, NEVER send electronic greeting cards. E-cards look like you were too lazy or didn't care enough to do the real leg work needed to honor your customer. Go the extra mile, and write a personalized note. That little extra effort is what will get you noticed - and get you more referrals.

 

Content courtesy of Colleen Francis - http://www.engageselling.com/articles/article-six-ways-to-increase-referrals.php

6 Gifts To Thank a Great Teacher

Healthy Gifts

For some people, school years are but a hazy memory, marked by droll routine, endless homework assignments and castigating exams. For others, though, these same years are some of the most important in their lives, since they put a special person in their way that enlightened, inspired and cared for them – that one unforgettable teacher who instilled a passion for a particular subject or for the process of learning as a whole. Parents of students who may be graduating, ending a particularly significant year of study or even leaving their residence for greener pastures, may want to thank that one special teacher with a gift that highlights their importance and the giver’s gratefulness for their vocational spirit. These are just six special ways you can show appreciation for a truly great teacher:

• Spa baskets: When purchasing a thank you gift for a teacher, it is important to should your thoughtfulness. Teachers (especially primary school or craft/art teachers) often complain of dry, cracked skin, caused by everything from writing with chalk to handling paint and supplies. A guaranteed pleaser is a small but well-packaged spa basket, containing items like lotion, gel or soothing fragrances. We are particularly enraptured by Crabtree & Evelyn’s Nantucket Briar, a blend or rose, citrusy, green and vanilla notes that is somehow delightfully gentle and nutty. Nantucket Briar is one of Crabtree & Evelyn’s most popular scents, which is why it comes in so many individual products – everything from a shower gel to an intensive hand therapy lotion, body lotion and eau de toilette fragrance. You will find these products, set in a beautiful round floral double-zippered case (with a large round mirror on the inner top of the case), at Gifts for Every Reason

• Vegan gourmet items: A creamy artichoke dip, crisp, peppery crackers and dried crispy fruit… these are just some of the many healthy snacks that drive vegans crazy in the best sense possible. If you have had the fortune of getting to know your child’s teacher, and you discover he or she is vegan, a great way to show your support and thoughtfulness is by giving them a gourmet basket they can actually enjoy entirely. Of course, this basket will be appreciated by anyone with a penchant for healthy products, as well as those who are trying to enrich their nutritional uptake following a health issue involving a loss of appetite. Across Canada, a myriad of companies, from the swankiest five-star hotels right through to luxury rehabilitation centers, are waking up to the antioxidant power of superfoods such as herbal tea, fruits and vegetables such as onions, red peppers and olives. These foods help detoxify the body, scavenging free radicals and helping the immunity function at its optimal level. Fruit is another powerful food used to heal and strengthen the body.
  

• Flowers: There is something about flowers that elicits an instant feeling of joy. Yellow roses represent friendship and freedom, light pink ones express fun, peach roses symbolize appreciation… which of this feelings first springs to mind when you think of your child’s teacher?
  

• Baby items: If the teacher is a new mother or father, one of the best things you can do to make their day is to purchase something for the new addition to the family – handy tool kits, useful products (such as bottles and wipes) and cute stuffed toys are gifts that never disappoint.
  

• Sweet things: Mid-morning and midday is always a challenging time for teachers, who need to keep their energy levels up and their calm factor down, despite the plethora of tantrums and/or challenging situations that can threaten their peace of mind. A well-presented assortment of items like chocolate, trail mixes, biscuits and shortbread will be well appreciated during your teacher’s snack time/coffee break. Keep the chocolate dark in order to maximize its benefits – did you know that dark chocolate has been found to promote cardiovascular health and to keep dangerous conditions such as Type II diabetes at bay? This is because the cocoa bean, like other superfoods like berries and red wine, is rich in flavonoids, which regulate insulin levels in the body. A 2010 German study indicated that just one small square of chocolate can lower one’s risk of heart attack by an amazing 39 per cent!
  

• Chocolate Strawberries: Surprise your teacher with something that is full of Nature’s goodness and delightfully sweet at once – a spectacular looking set of 12 strawberries dipped into an array of chocolate types – everything from snow white chocolate to the rick, dark variety!

Content provided by author, Jenni Grayson