when you hire your CPA or your Attorney to prepare a will or other document for you, do you get gifts?

I would think your client would be very pleased with a smoothly run deal... with no glitches and never any gaps in progress....

that quality service will result in repeat business and future referrals.... long after the whiskey bottle is empty....

With genuine sincerity I ask this question . . . are you a relatively new agent? I used to do stuff like this all the time. Then getting a deal to the closing table often took decades of experience to make it happen and I was just happy for them that we were sitting there together and they were getting the keys to their new house. It's a lovely gesture and one that many agents do, but doesn't make any difference in their opinion of you or the transaction. It is what happens during that they will remember.

I like 'random' myself . . . I have all kinds of gift cards for lunch, dinner or ice cream I might shoot off without any 'occasion' . . . or deliver tequila (my main libation).

But those are lovely and thoughtful items you have listed.

Even a handwritten card showing appreciation can be treasured by a client who knows you care.

HAVING SAID THAT . . . the BEST WAY to surprise and delight is to anticipate what is needed and cover it beforehand. ESPECIALLY in commercial when there is so much to stay in front of!

I don't suprise and delight clients with gifts... I simply provide world-class, 5-star service and that surprises and delights them enough. Do your doctors, dentists, attorney, cpa,  financial advisor surprise and delight you with gifts?

I am my gift to my client. They aren' going to get any better (although they may temporarliy believe they are if they drank a bottle of whiskey given to them by another agent... they will wake up to reality with a big RE hangover and then call Dr. Realman).

Some things I've seen agents do that were really appreciated during transactions — gift cert for meal delivery service like Door Dash etc for sellers, agent taking care of coordinating and paying for one or two inexpensive "to-do" list items after listing agreement/before photos/showings, agent giving buyers a "welcome to your new home" gift of one or two hours of handyman work (someone they used repeatedly and trusted to do good work), agent delivering a gift basket after a few days of buyers being in the home (they appreciated the Realtor being so thoughtful even after the transaction). 

A simple email noting updated information on the transaction is probably most appreciated.   If you begin doing what you suggested, what happens if a deal falls through at the last minute (buyer's financing fell through, etc..)?  People appreciate communication and professionalism.  

Nope, not from me. Sounds corny I'm sorry. I'd like it if someone would buy me some whiskey for getting a buyer to sign a contract. Wouldn't be my broker lol. I know that Candice A. Donofrio would.

This sounds like a spin off of Buffini's pop by's. It makes me cringe.

Why not just ask for referrals at this events? OH's for brokers are a waste of time. Never ONCE did one of those folks sell my listings. They can go to the movies themselves.

Money can't buy love some say. Can it create "surprise and delight".  I wonder.

Holiday candies in a bowl- right now candy corn

Would you like to be my agent?

".....surprise and delight at every step..."  & Inexpensive.

What do you expect the outcome of your effort to be? Are they going to add 1% to your compensation? Will the bottle of bubbly convert to a "I want to buy the house across the street too:"

Is not all of your 'stay in touch strategies going to do exactly the same thing?

I do have transformative ides, but they do take work, and in the opinion of many. work/time equals expensive.

I delight my clients by giving them great service, no need to shower someone with "gifts".

Barbara Todaro NAILED THIS !!!

My clients give me thank you gifts.  

Wow and delight with service that no one in your market will beat! 

Our clients are surprised and delighted by our great service...we don't need to surprise and delight them...A

To me that's overboard. Just be yourself and bring the best service they have seen. You're their representative in a business transaction

A good handshake & eye contact.

If you really want to create a raving fan, give them wonderful service.  Make sure they know what's happening at every stage of the transaction. Make sure you have competent professionals (inspectors, attorneys, lenders) to refer them to as needed.  Make sure their questions are efficiently addressed.  I do believe in a celebratory token of celebration around closing but that's not necessary... Your professional competence and service is key.  And then stay in touch with "fun" stuff after.  :)

Your ideas are great but, rather pricey. Also, have a backup plan for those who do not drink. I have a lot of clients like that. I have at time given swag bags when a buyer signs their buyer agency agreement with me. It has useful tools to use during the transaction. I'd have to think on other ideas but, I like the direction you're going.

Another thing to consider, is gifts don't delight everyone. There's a book called, "The Five Love Languages" that talks about things that are important to different people. For example, if you gave my husband a gift, he'd say (to me), "that's nice but I'd rather them just put it toward what I'm paying or pay for some of my repairs". Me on the other hand, I like gifts but, I really like words of encouragement. Some people will delight in a gift while others would rather you spend the time and take them to lunch. So, if you do this, you might want to have some tricks in your bag that fit different clients. If they're in to their pets or kids, give them something for the pets or kids.

Service, communication - repeat as necessary!

Make the transaction go smoothly 

Slàinte!  I'm Irish too, just 2 generations removed from the Emerald Isle.  What part are you from?

Jameson is a blended whiskey, so it isn't hit by the tax on Single Malt, so you're safe there.  A huge tarrif went into effect on that a few days ago.  Something like 18%!  A wee dram just got a lot more expensive.  :(

So I'm not a fan of closing or "step of the process" gifts, this being the first I've heard of someone doing the latter.  I'm working with a couple friends now who are extremely thrilled with the level of service and knowledge I'm providing them.  I'll get them some form of a house warming gift, because they're friends.  One will be hard to shop for, the other not.

I assume that the contract Jameson is the generic stuff and not the specialty blends like "The Blender's Dog" or the Game of Thrones blend... I mean that you're talking about listings, not buyers.  I do like the moving boxes for escrow, but I'd probably wait until contingencies are removed.  I've had a few fall out early on.  Could be a lot of bubbly there...

Go above and beyond what they think you should do, and above all keep communication precise and current.

I like to give a give at the end to thank my clients for choosing me among the ocean of others out there. Otherwise...the steps in the process of the transaction are their own rewards.

I have never thought about doing things like that, perhaps always answering my phone, asking how high when they say jump and keeping them in the loop through the whole process is not enough these days, haha.

I think it's great that you want to go above and beyond and make it fun for your clients. For me I try to come up with things that facilitate what we will be doing that day. For buyer tours I bring little packaged snacks and water and always have a roll of TP in the trunk for those emergencies - your clients will remember that kind of rescue.  On inspections I get bids for the significant items that come up so we have that data when going over the inspection report and working out how to respond. Have food delivered on move in day (whatever food & beverage that is appropriate for them). Those kinds of things.

I surprise my clients by bringing Coffee and Dognuts if meeting in morning or a bottle of wine and cheese board in the afternoon, they all enjoy...!

Wow, I like what you do, I need to think about something like this.