Ezine Articles on SEO and Appreciation

Several weeks back I received an e-mail from EzineArticles.com asking me for my address so they could send me a token of appreciation for publishing articles on the site. I forgot all about that little interaction until I received a nice little coffee mug and note from Christopher Knight, the CEO.

The best part, Mr. Knight even included a package of Door Country Coffee:

So what does me getting a free gift have to do with SEO? Well to start, EzineArticles and Door Country Coffee, just got a page dedicated to them on the Miva Merchant blog with links. Since links are the de facto component in ranking right now that is a big deal for SEO. I don’t know if Door Country Gourmet Coffee knew about the EzineArticles.com mailing; but if they did kudos for getting in front of a target audience that has never heard of you.

Also, now that I have a coffee mug on my desk everyday with EzineArticles.com printed on it I will be reminded of the good deed for a very long time to come. What kind of token of appreciation could you send customers that might cause them to talk about you?