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February 14 — A day filled with romance, chocolates and flowers. While you may find yourself focusing on your significant other, don’t forget this is also a great time of year to spread the business “love” to your employees, associates and colleagues.
Below are some clever and unique ways to say ‘I appreciate you’ to those so vital to your business’s success:
Simple and Direct Thank You Cards: This may seem old fashioned in an era of digital everything, but sincere handwritten notes always convey a sense of commitment and purpose. Make a list of the vendors and partners that have gone above and beyond for you in the past year and send them each a short note expressing a specific way their support has helped your business. Knowing how much you appreciate their efforts will continually build equity in the relationship.
Donate to Causes: If you have a client you frequently work with or a business associate you are trying to contract with, examine which charitable causes those companies support. Scan their social media accounts or email blasts – Are they sponsoring a food drive? Donating a portion of profits to a local organization? Reach out to those charitable groups and make a donation from your company in recognition of that client company’s commitment.
Be Heart-Healthy at Work: Being aware of the needs for safety and knowledge when it comes to CPR or Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) usage in the workplace is a key step to show your employees how important they are to you. If you haven’t done so yet, look to install AED devices in all your work sites and also contact the American Red Cross to come in for CPR classes. It may end up that these efforts save an employee at work or give them the knowledge to assist in a critical situation with family or friends down the line.
Spread the (Reviews) Love: In every industry, reviews count. Whether you are researching a restaurant for dinner or evaluating a vendor for a major print job, online review searching is a huge part of the process. Take a look at your associate network and see which companies you have worked with and could benefit from a review — This might be Google, or maybe an industry-specific platform (think Angi for contractors or Yelp for restaurants, etc.) — Take a little time to write honest and thoughtful reviews that address the specific ways that company excels — They will appreciate it!
Get on the (VIP) List!: If you are attending a trade show or industry event, investigate options to either purchase additional tickets or sponsor a table to invite those within your business network to attend as your guest. Not only does it show the company the importance you place on that relationship, it also provides a unique out-of-work opportunity to get to know your key contacts on a more personal level.
Offer Something Personal: As a way to thank employees or contract workers, offer them a one-time bonus of a fixed dollar amount with the caveat that they spend it on something personal for themselves. One option for this is gift card to something like a local spa or specialty shop, or just a simple bonus payment specifying this is a ‘thank you for all you do — so now go do something for you!’
Maximize Your Referrals: Everyone loves getting a referral saying “X company or person really recommended you.” To take the referral process one step further, make a point to incorporate your key vendors, suppliers and associates into your social media feeds and regularly call them out and tag their accounts. Did a promo supplier hit it out of the park with your new custom imprint swag? Show it off in an Instagram post and proudly tag and thank the supplier — Not only will it highlight your newest swag but it will boost SEO and social ranking for the vendor — which is always appreciated!
Most importantly when it comes to thanking your vast business network is to never let the opportunity to say ‘thank you’ pass you by — Even if there isn’t time for a grander gesture, the simple action of an email or call to just let the company or person know you appreciate their work always goes a long way — Regardless of the time of year!
