Thank You Matters
I recently had one of those experiences when some one who I really admire, who is everything that I want to be when I grow up, was gracious enough to give me 30 minutes of her advice and mentorship over the phone. I felt lucky to even get time on her calendar, much less get off that call with such priceless insights that would have taken me years to figure out on my own. I left the call gushing with gratitude and knew right away that I wanted to send a personal thank you that would elicit that same joy in her.
Beyond the Thank-You Note
Whenever I can afford to, I like to take my thank-you game to the next level - beyond a heartfelt note. And don’t get me wrong - there’s nothing wrong with a note of appreciation. In our digital world, snail mail is still a total delight and a thoughtful card will help you stay memorable in a major way. But when I really want to show my appreciation, there’s nothing like sending a small thank you gift.
One of my absolute favorite options - which I turned to in this particular case - is sending a “bento box” of oh-so-cute candies from Sugarfina. They have decorated gift boxes of all sizes for all kinds of occasions, and in this case I opted for the yellow “thank you” set and picked out some cute candies I thought would resonate with this particular strong, Texan woman. I knew the gift had gone over well a few days later when I got an email from her with the subject line, “Wow.”
Not only did she appreciate the “incredible gift,” but her daughter “says it is the cutest thing she's ever seen and so tasty!”
She even included this snapshot to show me how cute it was:
An Investment in Friendship
All in, the Sugarfina bento box cost $26 + shipping and I paid $3 extra to include a handwritten, personalized note along with the shipment. For me, the relationship forged out of that call and follow-up is worth so much more. The advice and guidance I gained from her generous mentorship already was so valuable, and the potential for us to stay in touch and continue to be of support to one another down the road is something I’d like to invest in.
Give When You Like To Most
If you’ve ever taken Gary Chapman’s five love languages quiz, you might already recognize that gift-giving is TOTALLY one of mine. I love sending a thoughtful gift and knowing that it resonates with the person on the receiving end. The key here is to know your audience, and know when to push it over the top. When I was hired to co-host the Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast, I sent a dozen cupcakes to the network’s headquarters in Atlanta from a local bakery to show everyone there how excited I was to join the team - even if I couldn’t be there in person.
A year later when a major producer met with me and generously spent hours of her time brainstorming with me on what would become the Bossed Up podcast, I sent her a bouquet from UrbanStems so show my deep appreciation. I try to never spend more than $30 on any one thank-you gift, and to only send it when someone really goes out of their way for me. But when they do, a token of appreciation goes a long way to brighten a person’s day and engender serious, long-lasting support. Just make sure to do your due diligence and don’t send unsolicited gifts if you risk violating regulations or ethical standards for your industry.
What’s your favorite way to show your appreciation when someone does you a favor?
What’s your take on corporate gift-giving beyond the annual holiday basket? Have you seen it done well? Seen it done terribly?
I’d love to hear about it on social media at @emiliearies and @bosseduporg, or in the comments section below. I can’t wait to hear what you think!