If I’m being honest, the first time I sent a client a gift, it was it because it felt like a cool, consultant/freelancer thing to do. It was a $100 gift certificate to Goldbely, which, thinking back, was probably overkill.

They were my first big client though, and I wanted them to know just how much I appreciated them having faith in me. While that reason was wonderful and real, there are so many other reasons to send gifts.

This year, I learned that a gift can restart a conversation about a project that fell off and get you some very useful information as to why. I learned that a gift can open a door to be a contributor on a large platform. I learned that a gift can be a reminder to mention your name in a conversation that can turn into a lucrative word-of-mouth referral.

I only spent about $30 each on my gifts this year, but a conversation with a client I had about using $5 Starbucks gift certificates to get executives to answer surveys reminded me that you don’t even have to spend that much. If your budget is tight, a card alone can be a powerful way to keep a client thinking about your work and how great an asset you are to them as a freelancer.

Megan.