Start making a list of those you’d like to give a holiday gift from your business this year and your list may be as long as Santa’s in no time. Here’s a little tip: focus your holiday gift giving on the people who make your company great.
Your business certainly wouldn’t be what it is without the people who support it–your clients. And it definitely wouldn’t be what it is without the people who make it work either, so don’t forget about your employees. Those two categories of people are essential on your business holiday gift giving list. You may even feel that some service providers, potential clients, resources, consultants, contract workers, guest speakers, those who have referred clients, or other people associated with your business warrant a gift as well.
When it comes to client gift giving, things get complicated in a hurry. Maybe you have a lot of clients who pay only a small amount of money to your business each year. In this case, you’ll want to give smaller, more general items as gifts to your clients. That doesn’t mean a pen and notepad with your logo on it, or something cheap bought in bulk from Oriental Trading. This isn’t about promoting your business, it’s about strengthening that relationship you’ve worked so hard to form.
If you’ve got too many clients to manage individualized gifts and would rather not send an actual item (inexpensive or not), a handwritten card is a genuine gift that shows your client that you care about them as an individual. Think about the message you want to convey, make it personal, express your gratitude, and hand write it. A personal message directly from you to a client occupies a larger space in their mind than a plastic yoyo with your company name on it.
Or perhaps you have only a few clients with large accounts. In this case, you may want to invest more money in holiday gifts that show you care and value the business relationship you’ve formed.
Regardless of your situation, cost is undoubtedly on the forefront of your mind when it comes to gift giving. We’ve compiled a list of ideas, categorized by cost just for you. Simply pick your price range and start shopping!
Gifts Under $15
- Candy, such as a small box of chocolates, peanut brittle, gourmet butterscotch hard candies, or fudge
- Refillable water bottle or insulated mug
- Page a day desk calendar
- Your favorite business book (ordered from Amazon at a discounted price)
- A small bouquet of flowers or holiday arrangement, hand-delivered (maybe even handmade!)
- A desk toy such as a kinetic motion toy or a clock
- A potted plant such a poinsettia
- A gift certificate to a local ice cream or cupcake shop
- Electronic cleaning kit, complete with microfiber cloth and cleaning spray
Gifts under $25
- Small meat and cheese tray with fine mustard or dipping sauce
- A set of personalized stationery
- Amazon gift card
- Gourmet cookies
- A subscription to a business magazine or website that interests them
- iPad case or cover
- Engraved and/or personalized pen
- Movie tickets
- A gift certificate to their favorite restaurant
Gifts under $50
- Digital photo frame
- Large box of chocolates (suitable for office sharing)
- Carry on bag for business trips
- Sporting event ticket(s)
- Any gourmet food basket
- A messenger or laptop bag
- Wrist or clip-on fitness tracker/activity monitor
Entertainment Gift Ideas
If you read our last post on holiday gift giving, you’ll remember that “entertainment” gifts can actually be deducted 50% no matter the cost, rather than the $25 per recipient limit. Here are just a few ideas of gifts that fall into this category.
- Sporting event tickets
- Theme park tickets
- Restaurant gift cards
- Movie tickets
- Vacations/hotel stays
- Ski lift tickets
- Golf cart / green fee passes
- Play/show tickets
- Concert tickets
Keep in mind that not all holiday business gifts are created equal. You don’t have to give your $100 a month client the same gift you give your $1,000 a month client. It’s ok to send some clients cards and others gifts. Select a price range that feels right to you based on your relationship with each recipient and go from there.
View the complete holiday gift giving guide in these posts:
