Did you know that expressing employee gratitude can result in 38% higher engagement and an 18% greater likelihood that they’ll go the extra mile? Additionally, showing customer appreciation can lead to increased loyalty and referrals. Take gratitude to the next level by using customer and employee thank-you gifts to create an appreciation experience your audience won’t soon forget.
Useful (and reusable) gratitude
Reusable gifts get users seeing your name over and over. Give back to loyal customers by handing out reusable grocery totes with each purchase. Slip in a handwritten thank-you note and a coupon good on a future purchase. They’ll see your logo every time they hit the store.
Thank employees for their hard work by setting up a complimentary coffee bar for the day. Provide them with vacuum mugs to use for the day and beyond to encourage the use of reusable drinkware.
Show gratitude to friends and followers who actively engage with your brand on social media. Invite them to stop by for a special gift, like a seeded paper bookmark or flower pot mug, as a thank-you for helping to grow your online presence. Encourage recipients to share a photo (and tag your organization) when their seeds sprout.
Health-forward appreciation
Express appreciation by giving wellness-focused employee thank-you gifts. Organize a weekly meditation and stretching session for your team. Give everyone a yoga mat and dice plus a subscription to a yoga or mindfulness app as an extra-special thank-you for everything they do.
Healthy snack baskets can be given out to show appreciation for team members’ dedication during a challenging project. Include a nut tin with mixed nuts plus a shaker bottle. Tuck smoothie recipes inside so recipients can easily start their mornings off right.
Lavish thank-yous
Host a quarterly recognition day to honor team members who displayed outstanding performance. Give Crystal Awards to show appreciation. For employees who really went above and beyond, offer an extra day of paid time off.
Hold a VIP client event to thank top-tier customers for their loyalty. Invite them to an after-hours cocktail hour with an industry expert speaker or entertainment, like live music or a comedian. Assemble a special VIP gift basket using an upscale duffel bag. Include a travel cup holder, luggage tag and a pair of ear buds to make their next vacation or business trip a breeze.
Good old-fashioned fun
Organize a celebratory game night for teammates who just completed a big project or ended the year with a bang. Get everyone interacting and having fun with game stations. A traditional game set that include dominoes, cards, dice, checkers, chess, cribbage and backgammon has something for everyone.
Need to brainstorm a new concept or come up with a creative solution to a pain point? Get team members in the idea-generating mood with cube puzzles they can later take home as a show of appreciation for their dedication.
Don’t leave customers out of the fun. Offer special discounts when they play and win a game. Use a ring toss game offer tiered discounts based on the post their ring lands on. Or challenge customers to a fun game of bean bag toss. Players get entered into a prize drawing to win a game of their own.
Create an appreciation experience
Incorporating customer and employee thank-you gifts into a memorable experience can transform a simple thank-you into a positive impression. From wellness initiatives to good old-fashioned fun, implementing these ideas can help make gratitude tangible and long-lasting.