There are plenty of ways to show your clients that you care about them and their businesses.
You can provide them with amazing customer service, for example. Or give them the chance to join your loyalty program and earn discounts when they make purchases.
Here’s another idea: send them personalized client gifts that they’ll actually use.
Thoughtful client gifts show customers how much you value their business. They also have the potential to keep your brand top of mind, which can lead to more sales. The only problem with client gifts is deciding which ones to send.
That’s why we decided to write this article! Keep reading to learn 10 exceptional client gift ideas and three tips to help you choose the right gifts every time.
Your favorite clients deserve the best — but the best of what? The type of gift your corporate compadres will appreciate likely depends on the industry they work in, how close your relationship is with them, and their own personal preferences.
Everyone has a different approach to gift-giving, but when you’re at a loss for what to give to those special customers, consider exploring one of these categories.
Business-minded gifts are an excellent way to maintain professionalism while giving clients something useful that will make them think of you and your brand daily.
Consider the things you and your clients use regularly in the office, from pens and stationery to water bottles, tote bags and even stress balls. A classy collection of branded products combined with a personalized note can help you deliver a practical and thoughtful present that’s festive any time of year.
If corporate logos are a bit too impersonal for you, why not address your gifts to the client they’re meant for? Monogrammed or custom gifts leave no room for questions that you took the time to think of a gift specifically for your client.
Luckily, today we have the technology to personalize almost anything. Coffee mugs and pens are classic personalized gifts, but you could also think outside the box and order custom artwork, clothing, signs, and more.
Whether you order the gift with custom designs or do it yourself after the product arrives, your client will appreciate the extra time and effort you put into making their present just for them.
These days, many people value practical gifts above all else. They want something functional that makes their lives easier or contributes to their everyday needs. Practical gifts may not be as flashy as other gifts, but they’re likely to be more helpful to the recipient.
Consider gift cards to grocery stores or gas stations, office supplies, food, and other necessary items. Your clients are sure to appreciate your attention to their needs and remember it the next time your services can help them.
When you’re truly lost on what to gift your most eccentric or most prepared clients, take a risk and opt for something unique. Novelty gifts and fun knickknacks can be the perfect gift for the right people.
If you deliver something they’ve never seen or heard of before, you’ll make a strong impression that will be on their mind every time they get any gift in the future. If you have a client who loves keeping people on their toes, make sure you do the same for them with an inimitable delivery.
How do you feel when you receive a gift? Appreciated? Surprised? Cared for? For most of us, getting a gift, expected or not, is a pleasant experience that leaves us feeling warm inside.
Your clients are no different. Sending them a gift for the holidays, their birthday, or any time you think of them is an excellent way to increase the benefits of your relationship and maintain it for many years to come.
At the end of the day, everything your brand does is about building relationships with clients and ensuring you both can benefit from said relationship. Here are just some of the ways the occasional gift will nurture this feeling.
When you go out of your way to do something nice for someone, their natural feeling is that they owe you something. This is true whether it’s a personal or professional offering, and it’s especially true when it comes to gift-giving.
Sending your favorite clients a gift shows them that you support them and care about their happiness. You’re also subconsciously encouraging them to extend you the same courtesy.
The easiest way for them to repay the favor is to continue supporting your business, going above and beyond the average customer by subscribing to your lists, keeping up with your news, and buying your product or service whenever they’re able to.
By showing clients that you care about them, you’re making an emotional connection they’ll respect for as long as you can do business together.
What is a gift? Aside from being useful, beautiful, and considerate, a gift is a tangible symbol of your commitment to a relationship. It’s something your client can use or display and remember every day that they’re more than your client — they’re your friend. They’re someone you want to stay in touch with and ensure they have everything they need. Showering them with gifts can only strengthen your bond and make them feel like a valued, integral part of your team.
Say one of your clients places a larger order than usual — one that gives a pleasant boost to your profits and secures their spot as one of your best customers. This is the perfect time to send them a gift of appreciation.
As you prepare to deliver their order, you can sneak in a gift bag or thank you note letting them know how much their order, along with their continued support of your business, means to you.
When you set yourself apart by offering your customers a gift, they’ll remember it. When they need your products or services again, they won’t even consider looking at your competitors. Why would they, when they have a thoughtful team that knows them personally?
While many brands may offer form thank you notes or freebie “gifts” with certain orders, few go out of their way to deliver individualized gifts catered to their clients. From the very first gift you send, you’ll be making your mark and converting an everyday shopper into a loyal supporter.
Creating a positive brand perception starts with providing top-quality experiences for your clients. When clients are delighted with your products or services, they are more likely to share their positive experiences, naturally becoming advocates for your brand.
The key lies in going the extra mile, such as surprising clients with thoughtful gifts when they least expect it, creating a memorable “wow” factor that encourages them to spread the word about your business. This approach not only shapes how clients view your brand but also transforms satisfied clients into enthusiastic advocates, attracting new customers for you.
You know you should send your clients the occasional gift to strengthen your relationship with them. You just don’t know what kind of gift to send them. Sound familiar? Don’t worry. Just send one of the 11 client gift ideas below and you should be golden.
Who doesn’t love free food? Answer: nobody. Because of this, a gourmet food basket is a fantastic client gift idea that can really help your company stand out in your clients’ minds.
We suggest going beyond the typical sausage and cheese log arrangement. There’s nothing wrong with these foods, they’re just overused. Instead, try something that includes premium steak cuts, exotic coffee flavors, or scrumptious holiday treats.
Remember to check for food allergies and eating requirements before sending your clients a food basket. The last thing you want to do is send a fancy nuts package to a client with a peanut allergy. Or an assortment of meats to a hardcore vegan. Yikes!
Did you know that indoor plants somehow boost productivity by as much as 15%? You can send your clients a gift of desktop foliage and you might even be helping them become better at their careers.
Desktop terrariums and succulent arrangements are great because they add a welcoming flair to drab office spaces, are very easy to maintain, and will remind your clients throughout the year of your company and the amazing success you can achieve together. Yes, please!
Plus, most client gifts of the botanical variety can be had for under $30, allowing you to enjoy all the benefits that client gifts provide without forking over a week’s worth of pay.
Subscription boxes are immensely popular—and why wouldn’t they be? Cool stuff gets shipped to their recipients’ doorsteps every month like magic. All they have to do is open the box and enjoy new surprises.
There’s a subscription box service out there for just about everything. Clothing? Check. Makeup? Check. Dog toys, cheese samples, comics? Check, check, check!
The key to succeeding with this client gift idea is to know the person you’re sending it to. What do they like and how do they spend their free time? If you can answer these questions, you should be able to choose a subscription box service that they’ll really love.
Note: Most subscription box services will allow you to choose how many boxes you purchase at a time. So, you could give each of your clients one box then give them the option to pay for the subscription themselves if they want to continue receiving the goodies.
Looking for a classy gift to give to your clients this year? How about a fancy pen and/or notebook? A custom calendar is another client gift idea that fits into this category.
The best part is that all of these gifts will be used on a regular basis.
When your client needs to sign an important document, they’ll reach for the fancy fountain pen you gave them. When they need to plan out their work month, they’ll turn to the quality notebook or custom calendar you sent them.
This means that your company will stay top-of-mind throughout the year.
Nobody needs another cheap water bottle. But a high-quality drinking instrument? Your clients would love to have one and will probably end up taking it everywhere.
Brands like S’well and Hydroflask make top-of-the-line water bottles that also serve as status symbols. Corkcicle makes killer coffee mugs and stemless glasses. You can’t go wrong with any of these options, especially if you have them monogrammed.
First question: what’s your favorite book of all time? Second question: would any of your clients appreciate a copy of your favorite book with a personalized memo on the title page?
Okay, maybe you’re not a reader and don’t have a favorite book. Or maybe you don’t feel comfortable sending your clients a copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. No problem, you can still capitalize on the client gift idea by getting them a coffee table book.
The best coffee table books are ones that have eye-catching covers and discuss something your client finds interesting, such as their home state or a personal hobby.
Sometimes the best client gift ideas aren’t sent to the client at all. If you know that your clients support certain charities, consider donating to these causes in their name.
This is a great way to show your clients that you care about them and make the world a better place at the same time. Trust us, your clients will definitely appreciate the gesture—especially if they’re more well-to-do and can afford to get themselves the gifts mentioned in this article.
If you really want your client gifts to make an impact (and, seriously, who doesn’t want that?) give the gift of knowledge via an online class or subscription.
What are your clients interested in? Photography? CreativeLive has an awesome library of photography classes. Cake decorating? A subscription to Craftsy would definitely be appreciated. And LinkedIn Learning has tons of business-related classes.
Basically, if your clients want to learn about something, there’s an online class that will teach it to them. Make their day by giving them knowledge.
E-readers like Kindles and Nooks are incredibly handy. With this kind of tool, users can store dozens of books in a single backpack or briefcase. Because of this, e-readers make great client gifts. We especially recommend them for clients who travel on a regular basis.
Just be aware that e-readers aren’t the cheapest client gift on this list (though you can usually find a deal on a Kindle if you look hard enough.) So this idea is best suited to those who only have a few clients to send gifts to, or are working with a large budget.
Gift cards aren’t the most creative client gift idea in the world, but they might be the most practical. Especially if you know your clients well and can get them a gift card to a store, restaurant, or website that they are completely in love with.
Most people enjoy eating at nice restaurants. A lot of folks indulge in the occasional Starbucks run. And as a fallback, EVERYBODY shops on Amazon. A gift card to one of these places would almost certainly be appreciated. So choose one and send it off.
This self-care-themed gift box promotes wellness and is jam-packed with soothing and fun activities and goodies. Dark chocolate, tea, coloring books, and more, will help even the most uptight people unwind. And what’s more, purchasing this dreamy gift box supports sustainability, employment for women overcoming poverty, women-owned businesses, and more.
Just be sure to not say something like “you really seem like you could use this,” in your delivery note.
If you are not sure about choosing the right gift for your clients, here are some tips to guide you through the process. You’ll realize that not only is the hunt for these gifts easy, but it can also be an enjoyable experience.
Every client gift you send should be personalized to the person you’re sending it to. This doesn’t mean you need to invest in a monogram maker. But it does mean you need to put thought into every gift and make sure your clients will appreciate it.
For example, if you know that one of your clients is an animal lover and has a brood of dogs at home, consider giving them a subscription to Barkbox. If they always have a cup of coffee in their hands when you meet, a customized mug might do the trick.
The point is to get to know your customers so that you can give them better client gifts.
Every client would love to receive a big-screen TV or a paid-for vacation to Cancun. But ain’t nobody got the budget for that, so don’t feel bad for spending less. In fact, we don’t recommend spending more than $100 per client at the very most.
The only exception would be if a specific client was responsible for a significant amount of your company’s revenue in the last year. Or if you really do have a pile of money to burn.
But in most scenarios, $25 – $75 per gift should be ample—especially if you take the time to get to know your clients and give them something they’ll truly enjoy, as we mentioned above. This strategy can make even the smallest of gifts feel special.
Perhaps your business works with clients worldwide, and you want each of them to feel as welcome in your company as if they were your next-door neighbor. But before you place an order and pay to send something halfway around the world, do some research about their country, nationality, or religion to ensure you adhere to their customs.
Certain places and groups have interesting gift-giving traditions and faux pas, and not honoring them may be more offensive than not sending anything at all. A few examples of this include:
Furthermore, many countries and businesses, the United States included, have laws about gift giving from companies. Clients may not be able to accept certain gifts because of bribery considerations, or they have to report the gift’s value on their taxes.
As we’ve mentioned, the choice of what kind of gift you’ll send your client depends heavily on the client themselves and your relationship with them. Although they should always be personal, which direction do you go — one-of-a-kind and unforgettable, or useful and purposeful?
Memorable statement pieces are ideal for the person who has it all. Those challenging-to-shop-for clients will be blown away by your dedication to finding something as memorable as their personality without handing them a duplicate of something they already own. They know they deserve something unique and will be honored that you agree with them.
We can’t discount the value of a classic, practical gift. Have you ever thought that you have enough travel mugs, water bottles, t-shirts, or tote bags? Even if you use them frequently, having multiple lets you keep them at home, at the office, and in your car. Often, a practical gift will get much more use than a novelty item, and your client will be just as thankful to you.
While everyone loves a good gift, don’t try too hard to impress. Giving a large or expensive gift to a client who may not contribute as much to your business can come off as ingenuine or pushy, resulting in the opposite effect you were trying to encourage.
In this world where companies are constantly trying to grab new attention, people can tell when you’re doing too much. Even if you don’t mean to, it can feel suspicious, like you’re trying to make them feel as though they are indebted to return the favor by making a major investment in your company. It may even put them off your brand entirely.
When you’re warring between going over the top or staying understated, in this case, it’s best to be subtle and let your existing relationship fill in the gaps.
Is your client particularly active in their community? Do they have strong values related to environmentalism? Then they may appreciate you donating a gift on their behalf rather than something for them specifically.
Maybe their local school needs new books or school supplies for low-income kids. Or, perhaps they’re starting a recycling initiative and could use a donation to kick things off. You could even order a tree for their community to plant, making a permanent impact on the area.
Finally, a handwritten note can make any client gift (within reason) the right one to send. This is because it will give your gift a personal touch that your customers will remember, guaranteed. Why? Because handwritten notes are so rare these days.
Almost all of our communication with other human beings is digital. We email, text, Slack, and Message each other constantly. But we don’t often send letters (unfortunately for USPS.)
The whole point of sending client gifts is to show your customers that you care and to keep your brand top of mind throughout the year. A handwritten note, in addition to the other goodies you send, will accomplish this goal—without much extra effort on your end.
Your clients are the fuel that makes your company go. Without them, you wouldn’t have… Anything really. So doesn’t it make sense to show them how much they mean to you? And there’s no better way to show them your appreciation than with a thoughtful client gift.
Whether you send your clients desktop foliage on their birthday, a gift card at the end of the year, or something else for some other reason, the 10 client gift ideas mentioned above are sure to go over like gangbusters, leading to more sales in the future.
So what are you waiting for? Use this post as a launching pad and start brainstorming client gift ideas for your customers today. Good luck!
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