Client Christmas Gifts
Talking about Christmas on June 24th. “Are you crazy?”, I hear you ask.
Actually, no, I’m not. I just got off the phone with my mother-in-law’s favourite florist in London, Ontario (www.posnoflowers.com) setting up a monthly flower delivery which the family decided would be a great 90th birthday gift.
The owner and I were chatting and I told her how much my in-laws enjoyed the Poinsettia they sent to them last Christmas. She was telling me about how they pick about a dozen special customers each year and send each of them a Poinsettia. She commented that most people call and tell them how much they appreciated the flowers, but that usually they never hear from their corporate clients.
I told her that I didn’t think that her corporate clients didn’t appreciate the gifts at Christmas. Having worked in the corporate world, I’ve seen firsthand how many gift baskets, floral arrangements, poinsettias, etc. arrive at that time of year and there are just so many. People are on holidays, dealing with holiday lunches, all the cookies, chocolates and stuff that staff bring in that I really think those gifts get lost in the shuffle and almost, I’m sorry to say, taken for granted.
I suggested that it might be an idea to maybe do a “Christmas in July” thing for their corporate clients – you know, show your appreciation at some time in the year other than Christmas when your gift will really stand out because it’s the only one. June 24 (a little late for 2010) is St. John’s Day (or Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Quebec), June 25th, six months from Christmas would be good, or if you know the anniversary date of your client’s business, send something then.
If your main client contact is Irish, March 17th would be a neat day to send a shamrock.
Earth Day would be an excellent day to send a gift of a plant or small tree to a client in the environmental field. Or you can just send a “just because” gift any time. Use your imagination.
I’d love to hear your creative ideas and dates to let your clients know that you appreciate their business throughout the year.
Some Resources for Client Gifting:
Posno Flowers (London, Ontario)
FTD – send flowers worldwide
Cards & Gifts (to send anywhere in the world)
Twitter
LinkedIn
Facebook
How about sending an “anniversary” gift? Celebrate your company’s anniversary each year by sending a gift to your colleagues. Include a little note saying you’re X number of years in business.
Great idea Kari!
Businesses grossly underestimate how much damage they’re doing to their businesses by not saying thank you with a gift. A survey on real estate agents found most people did not get thanked with a gift when they bought their home, but that 63% would use them again when they bought their next home and 61% would actively recommend them to others seeking a home.
http://www.itsinthestarsonline.com/verve/_resources/Most_real_estate_agents_give_no_gifts_but_most_homebuyers_would_recommend_them_if_they_did.pdf
Very good information Elizabeth! It would seem to me that it would also be a benefit for real estate agents to send an anniversary card to their clients on the anniversary of the closing date of the sale or purchase of their home – just to keep them top of mind in case they need to move or to give referrals.