I hope you’re buying holiday gifts for your referral sources as we speak. If not, get going.

Quick story:

I spent Thanksgiving with my son and his girlfriend. It was her first trip to America. She’s Thai.

She’d never had a Dr. Pepper. It’s not something they sell in Thailand. She loved it and mentioned it at some point over the days we spent together. She ordered Dr. Pepper quite a bit.

While she was in town, I happened to be in a CVS pharmacy. I noticed and bought a 20-ounce plastic bottle of Dr. Pepper. I stuck it in the fridge and presented it to her the next time I saw her.

Her eyes lit up. She was thrilled. The drink cost me $1.79.

Her reaction to that drink reminded me of what works with respect to gifts.

It’s not the cost of the gift. It’s not the big, splashy impression it makes. It’s not that it’s the latest gadget or the best of the best.

The perfect gift is the one that demonstrates that you’ve been listening. It’s the one that shows you care. The perfect gift might be a Dr. Pepper.

Before you buy those referral source gifts, spend a few minutes thinking about what would be special for each particular person. Show them you’re listening. Show them you care.