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Somewhere in my parents' basement is a box of client gifts that I never sent out.
I started buying holiday gifts for my clients a few years ago. I may have gone a little overboard getting custom packaging, custom gifts and custom printed cardsâhence the basement situationâbut I was honestly just so happy to have clients that I wanted to do something nice for them.
I've been on and off with client gifts since then. Some years, I get wrapped up in the pageantry of it and spend way too much money. Other years, I forget until it's too late.
Some of my past client and member gifts
You might think clients won't care about your silly, little gifts, but people mention my gifts years later. They make an impact and they remind people that you appreciate their business.
My longtime go-to for client gifts (Knack gift boxes) was acquired by Thoughtfully last year. So I turned to Reddit, Threads and the depths of Google to dig up some new options. If you are last minute shopping for your clients like me, here's a few potential finds.
Note: I'm not an affiliate for any of these products or shops, nor have I used most of them. I noted services I've used or products I've ordered before below.
Scrappy gifts
Just send a card ($5 a card)
I'm a huge Postable fan, especially now that I'm not physically in the United States, and I've ordered most of my custom cards there over the years. Sending a thoughtful card goes a long way!
Thnks.com ($5-60)
Business strategist Danielle Levy turned me onto Thnks when she sent me a $5 coffee gift card after a meeting we had. Thnks does digital gift cards for nearly anywhere in the world and they also have gift baskets and physical gifts. I use them a lot when I don't know someone's shipping address or when I just want to send a quick appreciation gift. My favorites are the "Thnks a Latte" (coffee at a chain of their choice) and "A Night at the Movies" (2 tickets to a movie chain).
Libro.fm credits ($27 for 2 credits)
Libro.fm is an audio bookstore. One year for the anniversary of my membership, I bulk purchased 1 credit for every member so they could listen to the audio book of their choice and I made a few recommendations related to our membership.
Books ($15-30 a book)
Books are a simple gift, but they are usually appreciated, especially if there's a tie in to the work you do with your clients.
Wildflower packets ($27 for 12 packets)
These are popular for weddings but they work for business too. You can put your logo or a fun saying on them. You can easily send them in the mail and they're whimsical without being bulky or wasteful. Clients can toss them in their backyard or on an abandoned piece of land to grow a patch of wildflowers.
Edible gifts
Personalized M&Ms ($30)
My parents bought me these for Valentine's day one year and they put pictures of our faces on them. It was extremely cute. I don't know if that approach would have the same effect on your clients, but you could upload their logo (or yours) and choose the color of the M&Ms like they're a rockstar.
Cheryl's cookies ($30-75)
I had to add these to the list because my Aunt Jenny passed away this year and these were one of her favorite holiday gifts to send. Cheryl's makes a soft sugar cookie with frosting like you get at the grocery store but here it is GOUR-MET. You can freeze them and they last forever.
Local food from your city ($50-100)
My dad used to get a Texas pecan pie from his boss every year and my uncle once sent us a key lime gift basket when he was vacationing in the keys. Garrett Popcorn is a staple in my family, and if no one sends a giant bucket of popcorn as a gift, my parents order one for themselves. You can also contact local restaurants or bakeshops to see if they'll make and ship a bulk order for you.
Goldbelly gift certificates ($10 and up)
Goldbelly offers packaged food from your favorite local restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. You can get bagels from New York, crawfish from Louisiana or cupcakes from LA. The food is perishable so a gift card is your best bet if you're not shipping to a home address. And the Goldbelly website is a delight which is why it's one of my favorite gift cards to give.
Custom gifts
Custom logo socks ($7 a pair with a 30 pair min order)
The team at Gusto was famous for giving employees and guests custom Gusto socks and I'm pretty sure they used Sock Club to make them. I still have a couple pairs in storage. They're nice because they're one size fits most and you have a lot of room to play with the design. Also, who can't use more socks?
Custom Yeti ($25-100 with no minimum order)
God bless Yeti for letting us do custom mugs and tumblers with no minimum order. I've sent a couple of these to friends and they turn out really nice. I like the 16oz travel mug and you can add custom text to the front and back.
Custom hats ($15-25 a hat)
One year I ordered custom hats with my logo on itâblack thread on black fabric. You can probably find these for cheaper (I'm linking to the shop I purchased from) but my clients dug these. Especially if your logo is nice (mine was just the word "Super Easy" in cursive) and if you make it subtle, it could be a hit.
Small business gifts
Socurious joy gifts ($5-50)
LaShonda Brown turned me onto Justin Shiels, who has a pretty robust online store with mugs, card decks, and something called the Anonymous Joy Mail Club. These are great gifts for coaching clients or clients you have more personal relationships with.
Spectrum glass ($38-102)
It might seem weird to buy clients glassware (and maybe it is?) but when I was in college, one of my sorority sisters used to show up with a gift wrapped fancy martini glass for your birthday and I always thought it was a really cool gift. Spectrum's glassware is absolutely stunning and they hail from my hometown of Atlanta.
The Wax Cauldron ($10-30)
This shop is super fun and they have "tea potions," simmer pot packets, room sprays and more. For your most inventive and delightful clients.
Little Blue Cart and Shop Latte
Little Blue Cart and Shop Latte are directories of small e-commerce businesses. You can shop by region, owner identity, and product type.
Fancy gifts
Blankets from Chappywrap ($160)
These are fancy blankets for fancy people but this company has a charming origin story and they'd make a nice gift if this is in your budget.
Portable speaker from Ultimate Ears ($70)
I stole this one from Wirecutter because I don't think you can go wrong with a portable speaker. They get lost or trashed all the time and they make great gifts.
Wine escape room from Uncommon Goods ($40) + Wine ($15-100+)
Gifting wine in the mail is not that exciting unless you're really good at picking wine and your client appreciates wine, but the wine escape room is pretty hilarious and memorable.
A Chappywrap blanket (left) and the wine escape room (right)
Gift baskets
I fondly remember snacking on office holiday gift baskets from our vendors when I had a corporate job so I don't think you can go wrong with a gift basket if it's in your budget. Here's a few options I found in my search:
- Goody ($15-100) Almost anything you could want in a gift basket and you don't need to know your client's address to sent it. International shipping.
- Greetabl ($35-100) Customize a gift box with food, mugs, gift cards and more. Delivery to the US only.
- Hazelton's ($65-170) Food, wine, plants, coffee and cookies. Delivery to the US and Canada.
- Teak & Twine ($46-118) Inventory's looking a little sparse but worth bookmarking for later. International shipping.
- Olive & Cocoa ($58-200) Perfect if you want a big batch of treats. Delivery to the US only.
- Thoughtfully ($25-50) These are the people who bought my beloved Knack. They still have a few of the classic gift boxes with teas, journals, candles and mugs. Delivery to the US only.
- M&S ($35-350) Wine, fruit and cheeseboards. Delivery to the UK.
Should you even buy your clients gifts?
It's hard to measure the ROI of giving clients gifts but it is a fun way to remind people you exist or to thank them for hiring you. Most of us can at least manage to send a card (Postable makes it so easy. You don't even have to write. They'll do it for you!) but for clients who are paying you $20k or more a year, a little gift basket could not hurt when it comes time for renewing your contract.
The best gifts take into account your recipient and your relationship so it's less about how much you spend and more about the thought you put into what you send. Happy holiday shopping dirtbags!
