Nothing goes further in business than taking the time to say 'thank you,' and a thoughtful business gift adds an extra level of gratitude to the sentiment, right? But do you ever find yourself challenged when looking for a good and appropriate business gift? Maybe you are thanking a client, a vendor, or strategic partner for their service, friendship or referrals. Like me, you've probably considered everything from gift cards, bottles of wine, a nice meal or something similar, yes?

Of all the corporate gifts, 'thank you' gifts, and other thoughtful remembrances we have ever received as a company, there is one gift which outshines them all, has an unlimited life span, and is, surprisingly, FREE.  Further, I'd wager that this gift would be priceless for ANY and EVERY business.

Have you guessed it?
I'm talking about public endorsement (recommendation) posted via social media.

Why is this so great?
Well, for starters, there is no higher compliment for a company than having a happy client or esteemed colleague or vendor sing your praises publicly.  And there is no more public forum than social media. Better still, depending on which social network is used for providing the  endorsement, the posting will be permanently attached to the company's profile and is likely going to be indexed by the search engines.  In short, the endorsement provides an ongoing 'thumbs-up' for the company which will no doubt become a factor in helping win more business, while providing  the opportunity to share the public praise with  staff.

Givers Gain
Endorsements are also great for the giver, not only because they are affordable (FREE) for any size business, but they also show that the giver is a thoughtful member of the business community, and willing to take the time to share positive feedback publicly. Outside of ratings sites (such as Yelp and Angie's List), few businesspeople actually take the time to provide solid, well-thought-out recommendations without first being asked. The recipient of your time and comments will surely notice and appreciate the extra effort.

Get Your 'Gift' On
Who has gone out of their way to help you or your business this month? Has anyone sent you a referral this week? Or introduced you to a great strategic partner? Take just ten minutes out of your day and give them an endorsement. LinkedIN has built-in functionality for this (they call them 'recommendations'), but you can also simply leave a post on any of the company's social media profiles, or visit ratings sites like YELP .

Who will you gift today?