Who doesn’t love gifts? It means that someone else was thinking about you, and took the time to immortalize that thought with something tangible. In the business world, gifts can have a variety of meanings, but when it comes to your clients, here are three points to keep in mind to make sure you are really speaking their love language.

Make It Personal

There’s no better feeling than someone remembering a small detail about your life that’s important to you. If your client has mentioned that they love elephants, a small token like an elephant paperweight serves as a reminder that you care and are paying attention.

A gift can even come in the form of information, like sending a relevant article. You might send a video from your team saying how much you enjoy working with them. Or, you might send a photo of your team in front of a whiteboard while discussing their project. These personal touches are great ways to create a lasting impression.

Make It Last

Give your client something that they will use for a long time. For example, if they are an avid golfer, you might be tempted to send a dozen golf balls, but those are easily lost. They aren’t the kind of gift that finds its way into every day lift like a wine opener or picture frame.

The gift doesn’t have to be expensive. A gift with heart and reason behind it will always make more of an impact than a gift just for gift’s sake. But keep in mind that if everything in your business is considered “high-end”, your gift should reflect that. It might be better to send nothing at all, then leave a touchpoint that isn’t up to your typical standards.

Fit Your Personality

As much as a gift is about the recipient, it’s also about you. The kind of gift you give speaks volumes to your attention to detail and how you ultimately want to be remembered. If your brand is fun, make sure that there’s a sense of celebration when the gift is delivered. If your brand is all about the details, make sure that it’s clear why this particular gift was chosen.

As a company, you might want to come up with a standard gift that really fits who you are, and then customize it depending on your client. Make sure that it’s not branded, however. Your logo should be nowhere to be found. The gift itself should be enough to have someone ask, “Oh, where did you get that?” Now it has become a talking piece instead of something that feels promotional.

What Are Your Ideas?

Share in the comments when you have received something that really made you feel appreciated. What made it special and why?