Referral thank-you gifts

Speed is the secret. Send your thank-you within a few days of the introduction, not after the deal closes. It rewards the act of referring, which is exactly what you want more of, and you can always follow up later when the work is won.

Match the gift to the referrer, not to the deal. A bourbon fan will put the Old Fashioned cocktail kit to work: three handcrafted jars of dried fruit, spices and infused sugar. A coffee person will enjoy Red Bay’s Tanzanian dark roast, with notes of blackberry and dark chocolate, or a handmade glass pour-over server with ceramic cups. For someone with a sweet tooth, a Granny Smith apple hand-dipped in homemade caramel and covered in peanut butter cups is hard to forget.

For a repeat referral partner, the person who sends you two or three clients a year, choose something that lasts. The handmade CASUPO leather bifold can be monogrammed, and the Blue Norther Damascus steel knife suits a collector who admires craftsmanship. A peony Private Reserve candle arrives gift-boxed and ready.

• For a first referral: coffee, matcha or a box of coconut milk bonbons.
• For an office that refers often: mushroom jerky or bourbon-smoked sugars to share.
• For a long-time partner: a monogrammed bifold or a handmade knife.
• For a quieter kind of thanks: a six-blend herbal tea sampler.