Recently, we were approached by a successful head-hunter, who had placed a new client into a six-figure position and wanted to send a gift to celebrate. While he usually sent wine or bourbon, this time he wanted to give something a little more special – not only was this one of his biggest placements, but the client could also bring him substantial work in the future.

During lockdown, we were contacted by a busy doctor who was struggling to find a gift for her young niece. Not only did she have very limited free time to search for a present, but she also felt that she wasn’t really in tune with what young children were into, since she didn’t have any of her own.

Last year, we were approached by a boutique travel consultancy who were keen to elevate their gift-giving over the Christmas period. Each year, they would send their most important clients a festive hamper filled with olive oil from Umbria, wine from Mendoza and pecan nuts from Chihuahua. To them, the gift was thoughtful and on-brand, but it wasn’t making an impact. There were no thank-you emails, no sudden referrals, no Christmas cards.