Do you find it a challenge to come up with gift ideas for clients?
Every year, I wrack my brains for the best gift ideas for my clients.
... Something that's thoughtful, personal, and memorable. Not too expensive, of course, but not embarrassingly cheap either.
Something that says, "I appreciate you and I took the effort to pick this out just for you."
Which means gift cards are out (although if you want to send me a gift, an Amazon gift card is always appreciated! wink, wink!).
And every year, I reach out to people I know asking them for gift ideas for clients, but I still come up empty-handed.
And so, I figured, since I've had clients for 11 years, it's probably worthwhile to look back through the years and make my own list of gift ideas—those that were big "successes," based on the reactions of the recipients.
Watch the video where I talk about my rules of thumb when for gift ideas for clients.
What to Look for in a Client Gift
Before we get to the gift list itself, let's back off a bit and talk about a few criteria.
For me, a terrific client gift has these characteristics:
"Looking for gift ideas for clients? Don't spend more money; spend more time thinking of something that will resonate with each client."
Personal
The gift mustn't be a generic gift that you could've sent to almost anybody else. Examples of impersonal gifts are gift cards (as I've mentioned).
For a gift to be great, the choice needs to be informed by your knowledge of the client. If you've been working with them for some length of time, you ideally know what their interests and tastes are.
If not, this is a good time to do low-key research by looking at their social media posts. Skim their Facebook and Instagram posts; those seem to be the most personal of all. You're not stalking; you're looking for something to spark a terrific gift idea.
Long Lasting
I like giving gifts that my clients will be looking at for months, if not years, to come. This way, they'll be thinking about me in the future and, hopefully, bring more business my way.
Food and other perishable items may be what your client will appreciate the most. I certainly have not always followed this rule and I've given a bottle of wine and tea to some clients. That's because they truly were wine and tea lovers, respectively.
Just make sure, if you do give food items, that you're not doing it just because you couldn't come up with any thing better!
Intrinsically Valuable
I avoid very expensive gifts because I don't want the recipient to feel obligated to me.
That's why the gift idea for clients should be intrinsically valuable, not valuable because of its price tag. It should either help make my clients' life easier or give them delight.
Physical
Finally, I always give physical gifts, not digital ones. Physical gifts stand out because, firstly, who doesn't love getting stuff in the mail?
Besides, a physical gift is more likely to be "experienced" by the recipient. A digital gift, on the other hand, is easily forgotten in the recipient's hard drive or in the cloud.
10 best gift ideas for clients (my clients raved about these!) #freelancing #homebiz #wahm
10 Best Gift Ideas for Clients
With the above requirements in mind, here are client gift ideas I've given in the past that have gotten rave reviews from the recipients.
1. Mug
This print-on-demand mug was a big hit with my client, a blogger and self-employed business owner.
One of the first client gifts I've ever given was a custom-made mug. My client was so pleased that she posted a picture of it on her social media accounts, complete with a shout-out to me.
Now, a mug may not strike you as being personal. It's not, if you just picked up any mug from the store shelf. I'm talking about a unique mug with a hand-drawn image and text that specifically resonated with my client.
You don't have to gift a custom-made mug for it to be personal. I myself have received a store-bought mug that I used every day for years. It had a simple design and a quote that spoke to my heart. Moral of the story: Spend time looking for just the right mug that would be perfect for your client.
Buy It From: I've ordered print-on-demand mugs and other items from Zazzle. There are many others.
2. Tote Bag
Tote bags for book lovers from the site, Outofprint.com
I recently gifted a tote bag to my client, who's also a writer and editor. It was a simple tote bag with an image of books, obviously a terrific gift for any book lover.
I guess I made the right choice because my client emailed me: "Thank you so much for the bag—such a thoughtful gesture! The bag is even more appropriate than you realize, since I recently joined a book club. I can't wait to show it off at the next meeting!!"
Imagine, at least once a week, this client will be thinking of me as she stuffs a book into the tote bag and brings it to her book club. Sometimes, you just get plain lucky with gift ideas for clients!
Buy It From: Outofprint
3. Tea
As a big tea drinker myself, I love giving tea as a gift. It is perishable, so I look for tea sets that will last at least one month of daily drinking. I also look for classy packaging—extra points if the packaging can be repurposed or reused after all the tea is gone. One example is a tea set that comes in a wooden box. The tea may be perishable, but the box isn't, so it still meets the criterion for being long-lasting.
Upon receiving her tea set, a client messaged me, "Thank you for the fun and thoughtful gift! Love it!"
4. Focus Word Jewelry
Focus word twist bracelets from MyIntent.org
Focus word jewelry is usually a pendant or bracelet with a focus word on it. The idea is to help your client remember a value or goal every time they use the jewelry.
I once ordered a focus word bracelet for a client and this was her reaction: "Thank you so much for your wonderful, thoughtful gift! It was not at all expected, yet I appreciate your kindness in choosing and sending the perfect gift of purpose. I will treasure it."
Buy It From: MyIntent
5. Inspirational Posters
Posters for entrepreneurs from StartupVitamins.com
I have to admit, I'm much better at picking gifts for ladies than gentlemen. For the male client whom I knew almost nothing about, I played it safe by ordering something that wasn't very personal but still highly appropriate: a poster with a business-related quote.
These products are popular with people in the tech world (my client was in the SaaS world). My client was moving into a new office at the time and, when he thanked me, he said he was putting up the poster on their office wall!
Buy It From: StartUpVitamins
6. Essential Oil Bangle
Here's a terrific gift idea for clients who are into wellness, yoga, alternative health, and related topics: a bracelet that's also an essential oil diffuser! Your client simply applies a few drops of their favorite essential oil onto the bracelet, and they inhale its healing scent for hours. It's a gift that's inexpensive, unique, and highly appreciated!
Buy It From: Amazon
7. Monthly Positive Messages in the Mail
Send clients positivity in their physical mailbox every month for a year!
I love this gift idea so much that I gifted it ... to myself! It's a year-long subscription to uplifting messages especially for female entrepreneurs. The monthly pack includes one physical card and a sticker. It also has a digital component: an audio recording that goes deeper into the month's message.
Buy It From: Mindset Notes
8. Reusable Yearly Calendar
This reusable year-at-a-glance calendar is also available in a horizontal format.
This is a great gift for any business owner—consider giving this gift to clients you don't know personally. If they run a business, you can be sure that they do a lot of mid- and long-term planning. They'll appreciate being able to see ahead to the rest of the year. The best part? They'll think of you every day for years to come.
Buy It From: Amazon
9. Thinkpak: A Brainstorming Card Deck
Here's a terrific gift to your clients who value innovation and creativity. My client who received this and the related book, Thinkerytoys: A Handbook of Creative-Thinking Techniques, said they were "after my own heart and point of view."
Buy It From: Amazon
10. Tabletop Video Lights
Your client will remember you every time they have a video call and use this light.
Now more than ever, we're doing video calls, and your client deserves to look their very best! Thankfully, photo and video lights have become extremely affordable. This 10-inch ring light clamps to a table or goes on its own tripod. This means it can stay on your client's desk and doesn't need to be put away after each call. Super convenient!
Happy Shopping!
I hope some of the gift ideas on this post would be perfect for some of your clients. Or, that they sparked some new client gift ideas that you otherwise may not have thought about.
Either way, let me know: What gifts have you sent to your clients? Which ones were big hits?
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means I earn a commission when you buy through the links on this page. While I only recommend products I myself use or have vetted, you should always do your due diligence before making any purchases. (Full Disclosure)