Client gift idea · Same for everyone
A gift card
A digital or physical card for a store, a restaurant or a multi-brand catalogue.
Who it suits
Survey or research participants, and quick thank-yous where convenience matters more than meaning.
Why it works
Fast, flexible, nothing to ship.
Risks and drawbacks
- Many corporate and public-sector gift policies treat gift cards as cash and forbid them outright.
- In the US, the IRS treats cash-equivalent gifts to employees as taxable; ask your accountant how this applies to client gifts.
- It says "I didn't have time".
Skip it if: The recipient is in the public sector or a regulated industry, or you want to be remembered.
How to do it well
- Check the recipient's policy on cash equivalents.
- Add a personal message so it isn't only a code.