There are two basic reasons to consider giving a gift to a business client. First, showing appreciation is good manners; and second, it will reflect favorably on you for the client to do business with you again in the future. Both of these reasons are equally important.

If you are new to the idea of presenting gifts to business clients, you may not know where to begin in selecting something that is appropriate. One key point to keep in mind is that while you hope the client will generate more business for you, a gift should not convey that this is its purpose, or that you expect it in return.

When you are considering what type of gift you wish to give, the best frame of reference is to choose something that will be useful to your client, yet not personal. Selecting a gift that is appropriate to the situation and done in good taste and not extravagant are also factors to keep in mind.

While these may seem to be an overwhelming list of requirements, it does not need to be difficult to find the right gift. The gift should express your appreciation, as well as your desire to maintain and continue a good business relationship with this person. Although standards vary by geographical location, a good rule-of-thumb is that a special item he or she can use in his or her everyday work life would be the most appropriate. Depending on the scope of your business, something such as a specially-designed or engraved item for his or her office would fit into this category.

If you know your client well enough to be aware of his or her particular tastes, a bottle of good wine would also make a nice gift. Again, the scope of your business is an important factor in such a choice, so it is clear that this type of "thank you" gesture does not appear as an extravagance to gain more business.

Instead of purchasing a gift for your business client, you may decide that dinner is a preferable way to show your appreciation. This is one of those subjects that vary by location; in some areas it is thought to be too personal, whereas in others it is a widely-used practice in professional relationships. You are the best judge as to which way your particular community sees a dinner arrangement, and whether formal or informal is the most acceptable in your location.

When you are in business, you are probably quite aware of how important it is to maintain good relationships with your clients. Taking some care in selecting gifts or other appropriate means of expressing your appreciation to them is a great way to start. While a sincere "Thank you" is direct and to the point, including a gift to the person will let him or her know that this business relationship is really important to you; and equally important, regardless of the specific type of business you are dealing with, it will also make it clear that you appreciate him or her being there.