Gift Ideas For Clients

Gifts for clients are kind gestures commonly thought about at the end of the year. However, this isn’t the only time they should be considered. Sending a client a gift shows that you appreciate them, that you care about them, and that you’re thinking of them. Additionally, corporate gifts tend to strengthen business relationships, and help maximize return-on-investment. In other words, they’re a smart business move. For many, finding gifts you know a client will like can feel like a challenge. This article will provide some tips on how to choose the right gift, and we include some gift ideas for clients.

Tips for Choosing the Right Client Gift

• Get personal. While it’s likely you’ll be considering gifts for multiple clients at once, you’ll want to avoid doling out a handful of the same gift with the same universal message to the whole group. Personal touches with client gifts can be as simple as including their name and a personalized message on the accompanying note. You can also get more creative and add unique packaging. 
• Create a system for gift-giving. Give yourself a list of circumstances under which you’d like to send gifts to clients. Maybe you’d like to stick to holidays so you only have to think about it a few times per year. Perhaps it makes more sense to link gift-giving to professional landmarks, such as a referral, or a booking. The start or anniversary of a big project is also a great journey-specific occasion for client gifts. Streamlining the process like this will help client gift-giving become like second nature. 
• Make it about them. It’s common for clients to receive traditional gifts like branded pens, branded wall calendars, or other desk supplies. While these may be useful occasionally, they’re more about you and asking your client to advertise your brand than about the client. What you give your clients should not only demonstrate that you value their business, but should be useful to them personally. Put some thought into your client gifts, as you would for anyone else.
• Follow the rules. Guidelines or rules surrounding accepting gifts are not likely to apply if your client is an individual, business owner, or contract worker. If your client is part of a corporate organization or larger company, they might very well have to follow guidelines against accepting gifts from vendors, or partners, etc. If you come across a client with a no-gifts policy, consider a handwritten thank you card or note as an alternative. A thank you note can show appreciation without breaking the rules. 
• Don’t go overboard. If a client pays $300 a year for your services, don’t send them a $400 espresso machine — that’s overdoing it. Try to keep gifts proportionate to what each client spends with your company to avoid making them uncomfortable, or indebted.  

Memorable and Practical Gift Ideas

When brainstorming gift ideas for clients, remember your objective is to leave an impression, so you want them to be memorable. Even with the above mentioned tips, choosing the right gift can be daunting. If you’re still feeling stumped, you’re not alone! Here are some examples of client gift ideas that won’t break the bank. 

1. A Gift Card

Looking for an easy and always-appreciated gift? A gift card is a wonderful client gift idea. Handwrytten has over 25 different gift cards for easy inclusion with your order. Simply choose “add a gift card” when you address your note, and choose from:

• Starbucks
• Home Depot
• Amazon
• Cheesecake Factory
• GrubHub
• Four Restaurant Card (Good to use at Chilis, Macaroni Grill, On The Border, and Maggianos)

2. Tea Subscription

Tea variety boxes make great gifts for just about anyone. Whether they’re looking for energy, health benefits, flavor, or relaxation, a tea subscription can offer your client something for just about any occasion. Most companies have subscription options that can include samplers, green teas, black teas, and herbals, on a monthly or quarterly delivery schedule. 

3. Customized Wine Bottle

Personalized wine bottles are memorable and a great opportunity to get creative! Most companies who offer this service encourage you to curate your own label, using logos, custom designs or artwork, text, even photographs. You choose the wine, create the label, and when the bottle’s empty, your client can keep it, or even just the label, as a memento. 

4. A World Tour of Coffee

Perhaps your client prefers coffee to tea. Though coffee drinkers are a diverse bunch, the morning cup tends to become part of a daily routine — much of the same, day in and day out. A coffee of the month membership that hand-picks a variety of coffees from around the world (complete with informational postcards and brewing tips) is guaranteed to not only leave a lasting impression, but to broaden your client’s coffee horizons as well. 

5. Desktop Succulents

Decorative elements are typically welcomed additions to any office. However, you might not know exactly what a client’s taste in decor is, and finding something that will suit everyone’s aesthetic can be a major challenge. A plant is one of the rare items that meets this requirement, fitting in and looking good anywhere. Unlike traditional flowers or live plants, succulents are low-maintenance. Thus, even if your client lacks a green thumb, a desktop succulent or small succulent garden has the potential to remind them of your appreciation for a long time and is a very unique client gift idea. 

6. Charity Donation in Your Client’s Name

One of the most heartfelt client gift ideas you can send a client is a charitable donation on their behalf. This type of gift can be especially significant if you’re familiar with the causes your client is passionate about or any special interests they might have. Perhaps they love the theater, visit museums often, are environmentally conscious or staunch defenders of animal rights. Whatever it is they care most about, there’s a charity for it, and you can probably find it here. 

No matter which approach you take, always include a handwritten or personalized note with your gift. This demonstrates to the recipient that they’re getting something that’s been put together specifically for them. Additionally, make sure your client information is up to date. This includes addresses, employment status, allergies, spelling, etc. In preparation, have non work-related conversations with your clients every once in a while, so when it comes time for gift-giving, you’ll have at least a basic sense of what they might like. 

Lastly, don’t schedule a sales call following a gift. The last thing you want is for your client to feel like you’re trying to buy their business.