Give gifts that show your appreciation

Giving clients a holiday thank-you gift this season? Take the time to ask clients what they really want.

Mark Nash, a REALTOR® and author in Chicago, said after years of sending his clients a nice calendar for the holidays he realized that in this digital age, many people don’t use paper calendars any more.

“I surveyed my clients and realized they don’t want a refrigerator magnet or a pen with my name all over it,” Nash said. “I recognized that we as consumers are often inundated with what other people think we want but rarely does someone ask us what we want. When I questioned my clients, they wanted a small remembrance but not something with my name all over it.

“I decided the perfect thank-you gift was a Starbucks gift card. This way they can treat themselves and take a break from the harried holiday season,” he said.

And the customer response was overwhelming. “I got a lot of e-mails from my clients thanking me and telling me how much they enjoyed it. The gift really was about them,” he added.

The gift certificate idea could work well for places like a local bakery, ice cream shop, movie tickets or other restaurants.

“Your family doctor or attorney doesn’t market to you every month,” he noted. “Your clients want to know that you’re thinking of them, that you appreciate their business and that you’re there when they need you.”