Has someone ever given you really valuable advice and you wanted to get them a memorable gift, but you had no idea what to get?

Gift cards run out of money, fancy pens eventually run out of ink, and notebooks usually get filled up and put aside.

Then a week goes by and now it seems silly to even send a gift.

I’m going to share with you a gift that I have been giving for years and how you can make it memorable.

I have found great books to be the perfect gift.

When was the last time you threw out a helpful book? The key to making it memorable is writing a note with a date on the inside cover. I picked up this technique from my grandma. We shared a love for reading.

Every time she gave me a book she wrote a note on the inside cover, and put the date at the top. Even to this day, when I pick up a book I think of my grandma and remember what was going on in my life.

I always envisioned someone picking up a book I sent them years ago, reading the note and reaching out to catch up. It finally happened when my good friend Jenny Blake sent me the email below.

Jenny is a career and business strategist, the author of Life After College (an awesome book that I highly recommend), founder of JennyBlake.me, and much more. She is one of my favorite people in the entire world and I cannot say enough good things about her.

I attended a mastermind Jenny hosted in NYC. She delivered so much value during the first day of the mastermind that I wanted to get her something to thank her. I recently read The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Barchard and I knew she would love it.

I wrote a note inside of the book and hand delivered it to her on the last day of the mastermind. As you know, I am a big fan of unconventional networking strategies.

Before you say that you can’t afford to do this for everyone let me explain a couple of things.

This is only for special occasions:

• When someone you hire to help you on a project goes above and beyond.
• Someone takes an hour out of their day to give you advice with something you’re struggling with.
• Someone introduces you to a new client.

You need to realize that spending $20-$25 is a bargain. If you had to hire a coach, purchase a course, or buy a couple of books it would cost you much more than $25. The person is also saving you a ton of time.

Remember, when people take time to give you advice, it’s extremely expensive for them! (click to tweet)

People are taking time out of their day (which they will never get back) when they could be writing a blog post, coaching clients, getting ahead at work, or relaxing with their family.

 You Can Do The Same by Following The Acronym “O.W.L.S”

Order 5-10 copies of your favorite book on Amazon, so you have them when he occasion is right.

Who in your network has recently helped you or would enjoy the book? Make a list of 5-10 people.

List the reasons why you’re sending the book. Write a little note why you are sending the book. It could be as simple as “I knew you would love this book, because….” Include a way the person can contact you. I always put my email address.

Ship the book. People love to get packages, especially when they are not expecting them. If you can’t find their home address, send it to their office.

Below Are Books That I Love To Send To People

• Life After College by Jenny Blake (recent graduates)
• Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuk (people who work in social media)
• The Millionaire Messenger by Brendon Burchard (entrepreneurs who have online businesses)
• The Power Of Habit by Charles Duhigg (people who are trying to make changes in their life)
• The Compound Effect by Darren Hardy (people who are overwhelmed by their big goals)

Just remember, people are always willing to help you, but if you are ungrateful they probably won’t help you again.

Who are you going to send one of your favorite books to today? Let me know in the comments below.

P.S. Please share my article with your friends on social media if you found it helpful. It means the world to me when you share my articles.