One of the best feelings is getting to a drive-thru window only to realize the person in front of you has paid. Or maybe it's a surprise cup of coffee or flowers from a friend. No matter what brightens your day or how you show love, random acts of kindness will leave an impact.

This year, show your customers a little appreciation with our ideas for Random Acts of Kindness Day, which falls on Feb. 17. For outdoor brands, there are plenty of ways to do this! Check out these ideas to pay it forward:

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Promote the Environment 

Mother nature does a lot for us, so if you're looking for a low-cost way to spread love, turn to the great outdoors that you already know and love. Consider hosting an event for your local community, like a clean-up at a beach or park or even a free hike, and provide people with the necessary equipment to participate. Make sure to take lots of photos!

Alternatively, you could also use social media to encourage users to get out on their own and share the word. Whether it's creating a custom hashtag, activity, or even photo challenge, try to think of ways that your brand's community can enrich itself, share Earth's beauty, and give back.

By organizing these events, you not only help improve the environment but also strengthen your brand's reputation as a responsible and caring organization.

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Encourage Donations

Another great way to celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day is to partner with an organization, big or small, that aligns with your values. Similar to our previous point, it's a way to show you care rather than just say it. You could find an area of need in your community and donate unused products or gear or even make a financial contribution. 

If you don't have the means to sponsor a project or donate money to an organization, consider creative ways to promote the charity or mission. Or share it with people who can – like your own customers!

This could mean custom creative assets or promotional materials to advertise the organization and inform people about the importance of giving if they have the means. Consider a discount on your own products and services if people are willing or able to donate to the charity of your choosing on the day.

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Share Stories of Kindness

Another low-cost way to inspire kindness is to spread stories and awareness of the people in our lives that go above and beyond. If your outdoor brand hasn't already done so, this is an excellent way to explore content marketing, and it's a nice way to build community and connect with your customers. Whether you focus on spotlighting your brand (like employee profiles and testimonials) or curating user-generated content, there are plenty of ways to go about this.

Consider asking people to submit stories with a custom hashtag about moments that touched or moved them. Then, you could share the best of these experiences, whether as a social media post, blog article, or even home page feature, tagging the user and inspiring others to do the same. Bonus points if they can tie in your product, gear, or brand in any way!

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Run a Flash Discount or Giveaway For Popular Products

If your brand has the budget to do so, a flash sale or giveaway is a solid way to generate buzz that could convert into customers. While your most loyal shoppers will likely snap up this deal, it is also a great way to engage and convert customers who may have considered your brand but were hesitant to pull the trigger. If broad audiences interact or see these products, a discount could be the perfect nudge to get them into the funnel and make an active purchase.

An especially effective strategy could be an online discount or social promotion that people must share with friends to redeem (such as tagging x amount of users), bringing even more prospective customers into your funnel so that you can focus on up-selling at a later point.

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A Free Gift or Service 

One of the biggest ideas behind Random Acts of Kindness Day is to promote the idea of paying it forward. Offering a small gift or service to customers, and encouraging them to pass it on to someone in their lives, is a smart strategy for a few reasons.

Primarily, it's a clear way to express your gratitude and maybe even surprise your customers with something they weren't expecting. Even better, though, you can use it as a way to engage with prospective customers who you may not normally reach or even target. Think how far your brand could go if a quarter (or even a tenth) of your existing customers spread the word, let alone an actual product, with just one person! 

Also, you don't have to give something like this to all of your customers – after all, it's random acts of kindness day.

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No matter how you celebrate, make sure to take time and appreciate your community, from your team to your clients (and yourself, of course). With these tips, you're sure to leave a lasting impression and show your customers just how important it is to pay it forward – leading by example!