Thank the Hook Up

Who doesn’t what a hook ups.  It could be for bottle service or cutting the line.  It could be for a discount on some clothing or jewelry.  It could be on dinner reservations for a restaurant that is hard to get in, help on plane tickets, or even a nice place to stay when in town.  There is nothing wrong with that a penny saved is a penny earned and when you save time you save money.  Yet the most often missing piece is thanking that person who helped you out properly. Some people help others save $1000 and get a handshake.  Now I know some people that’s all they need, which is alright and dependent on the person.  You should know the person who is helping you and see what reciprocation is best.
For example, one of my great friends came to visit, and I took him and his family out for wine tasting.  They thanked me by buying me lunch, which was enough for me, but then later on in his trip he bought me dinner, and then someone from his family wrote (hand written, which is extremely personable and heartfelt) a letter and a card thanking me on behalf of the family.  That was above and beyond anything I could expect. Did they need to do any of that, not at all.  He is a great friend of mine and just him visiting is all that I ask, yet that shows him and his families character, which is among the best I know.  I can’t wait until the next time they come so we can do it all again, and hopefully I can make their trip even better.   So here are a few ways to thank that person who helped you out.


Simple

Buy them lunch.  This is the simplest way to thank someone.  It's easy, can have great impact because you get to spend time with them.  They will appreciate it.  If you want to make more of an impression, bring them to a restaurant they like, it shows that this lunch is really about them.   You should, if at all possible, do it within the first week or so.  Make sure that its in proportion to the discount.  For example, if you got a $200 discount, don’t buy them a happy meal. Remember that the $200 you saved verses the cost of the dinner is not even a factor.  To make it better, you can make dinner, that always is a plus.


Sophisticated

Give specific thanks.  Sometimes you can find something specific to what you got a discount for and give that back to them.  For example, lets say they helped you get a nice discount on a jacket and some sweaters.  You reciprocate and get them a nice sweater, dress shirt or even a gift certificate so they can get something for themselves.  It’s a nice way to show attention, and personalization to that person who helped you out. 


Classic

Do something equivalent.   If you really want to thank them, then do something similar as they did for you.  For example, lets say they took you on a nice wine tasting trip and you knew they liked sailing or fishing.  If you had a boat or knew someone who did, then you could take him or her out on a sailing adventure on the lake or on a fishing trip.  They will enjoy it because it was personalized, something they liked to do, and you can spend more time with them.  The best part is that you will enjoy giving back to someone who was generous to you.