Everybody likes gifts. They may say they don’t but they do.
What’s not to like? The surprise. The fact that someone thought of you. Gifts are great.
But can we give better gifts?
A few weeks ago we had some friends join us for a little getaway at out cabin. We had brought a new set of dishes with us to replace the ones there and while we were unloading, we dropped two mugs and they shattered. Definitely not a big deal. We cleaned up and moved on. During their stay, we casually mentioned that we wanted to plant some wild flowers in a field below the cabin.
We had a wonderful weekend.
We later received a thank you gift from them, two mugs, exactly replacing the ones that had broken and wildflower seeds!
Their simple and thoughtful gift made my wife and I feel so grateful and important and definitely made us feel closer to our friends.
The gift was over the top because it was personalized.
Similarly when I speak, the client will often send a gift basket to my hotel room to enjoy during my stay. I love a good gift basket.
It always so thoughtful though when they take the time to get to know me and figure out exactly what I like. It automatically makes me feel that much more connected to the client when they customize the gift basket with things that I love like Dr. Pepper and licorice.
Taking the time to personalize your gifts creates a greater bond with those you are gifting. Putting in a little extra effort can go a long way in building relationships. Something to think about, and I am grateful to good friends who both cared enough to give a great gift and reminded me of the importance of personalizing.