Whether you are giving a client a thank you for a referral, a gift for an occasion such as a new house, wedding, holiday, or birthday, or sending out a promotional item to advertise your business, here are the top client gift ideas for 2022.
Client Gift Ideas $10 and Under
Gift Cards: Let your clients choose their gift with a $10+ Amazon gift card, give them a "sweet treat" on you with a Starbucks gift card or any other gift card to support a local business. Gift cards can be given in person or send electronically through e-mail. You can also use your wholesale membership at Sam's Club or Costco to purchase discounted gift cards.
Frame Meâ„¢ Postcards are a great way to keep in touch with clients with a frameable postcard that does double duty - home decor + promo mailer. At $.78 apiece (50 minimum order), visit The Shop to view all the designs.
Thank You Gift Card Holders exclusively from Core Marketing Now. Show your personalized appreciation for their business, referrals, or as a birthday/occasion gift. These unique, homemade cards come in a variety of styles.
Aprons are a great gift for men and women. They can be given alone or paired with:
cooking items
barbeque accessories
gardening tools
arts and crafts
woodworking
... and more. I love a good apron and recommend the NLUS aprons linked here for their quality, style, variety of designs and colors.
Books - Whether you are sending your client a book you personally recommend, a motivational quote book, a classic like The House at Pooh Corner (enjoyable for all ages), or one of Amazon's must-read books Man's Search for Meaning by Vikto Frankl, books are another great personalized client gift option.
Journals make great client gifts because they have a variety of uses: log memories throughout the year, plan activities, jot down recipes, take notes, use as a diary and more. You can even leave a personal message on the first page of the journal for your client! This 10 pack from Amazon is a bargain and offers you the option to order 10 different colors so you can personalize the gifting experience even further!
Scented candles always make a great gift. When I owned a photography studio, I sent homemade fall scented soy candles to my clients in September to remind them to schedule their fall family photo session. The note read: "You really AUTUMN know... I'd like to LIGHT UP your fall and capture your GOURD-geous faces! Until we see each other again, here's a little gift to keep your home COZY AND WARM. How do you like them APPLES?"
If you don't make candles, here is a 12 pack of soy candles I found on Amazon with beautiful Moroccan style containers and great reviews for under $25 (that's under $2 per candle!).
Bottle Bags with Logo - another CMN offering in The Shop. Celebrate an accomplishment, the completion of a project or a special occasion with your clients with these personalized drink bags. Reusable and durable.
Client Gift Ideas $10 - $25
Bath Bombs - help your clients unwind with these environmentally friendly, handmade gifts. Whether you gift a complete set of bath bombs or break up your bath bomb set into multiple gifts, they make a great gift. Support a small business on Etsy, Amazon or a local artisan!
Aromatherapy Diffuser - when candles are not the ideal gift option (talking to you, insurance agents!), an aromatherapy diffuser is an alternative way to bring aroma and, depending on the oil used, health benefits to the user. There are many types and styles of diffusers on the market. This one is recommended for its low noise, BPA free properties and auto shut off feature.
Book Bags - why not let your clients take you with them wherever they go! Pair a personalized book back with a a gift card (Amazon or favorite book store), a book or gift alone. The Shop offers Book Bags with your logo or brand message.
Grocery Bags - similar idea to a book bag, but can be paired with any number of items, from promotional, holidays, homemade, food, garden or any other interest your client may have. The Shop offers Grocery Bags with a 3" gusset and webbed handles for extra support for bigger shopping hauls!
Metal Monogram Signs - give your clients a personalized metal sign they can hang indoors or outdoors, and that is sure to invite attention from their guests. There are many manufacturers of these signs - AJD Designs' signs are made in the USA and their customers think they're pretty awesome too!
Specialty Tea Set - a cup of tea always makes you feel warm and helps you wind down for bed, calm your nerves, upset stomach or cold symptoms. Sampler packs make a great gift so every cup is a new adventure! This 130 year old family business has a 93% 4 star and above rating from almost 24,000 consumers on their specialty tea box.
Spice Variety Set - this is a gift that can be enjoyed by the whole family (even those picky eaters - I have personal experience with this) and it can be enjoyed over and over! You can pick up any spice variety set, but I am going to recommend Fresh Jax - a family operated business out of Florida that is vegan, organic, gluten free, MSG, GMO and preservative free. And it tastes... YUMMY!
Decorative Pillow - decorative pillows are a great gift for any homeowner. Whether you're a realtor, contractor, mortgage broker, or house cleaner, this is a cozy gift for any entry, overstuffed chair, couch, bed, or porch! Send in the mail as a decorative cover only, or purchase a pillow insert and hand deliver to your clients. You can insert a note or special card inside the pillow for your clients to find. Amazon offers the largest selection of premade decorative pillow covers. Here's a farmhouse style cover for under $10 - purchase the insert and you have a gift for under $20!
Plants - plants are a common gift, but imagine if you gifted a sustainable plant, like a tomato, basil or cilantro plant? Help your clients start their own garden and add to it every year! These American made, RealSteel powder coated steel stakes will last through many seasons. Just add a live plant or start some seeds for them.
Client Gift Ideas Under $40
Charcuterie Board - charcuterie boards are easy to assemble and allows you to serve a variety of different foods from one plate. A charcuterie board with 96% (5,600+) 4 or 5 star ratings is doing it right and you can feel comfortable gifting it to your clients.
Chunky Knit Blanket - these are popular and top selling gifts. Be careful though, you'll want to keep one for yourself so you may want to buy an extra! This Angelhood chanille chunky knit blanket is a top seller!
Assorted Chocolate Gift Box - chocolate boxes are one of the most tried and true gifts. Most people love chocolate and if they don't, they probably shouldn't be your clients anyway! Support a local Sees Candies fundraiser, or check out the Godiva Chocolatier Shop.
Coffee Gift Set - the only thing better than a box of Godiva chocolates would be a Godiva coffee and chocolate gift set! Run, don't walk, to order these gift sets! If you have a local coffee shop that offers these types of gift sets, I always promote shopping local first.
Door Signs - very popular on most neighborhood front doors, you can find these wreaths on Etsy, Ebay, Amazon and more. Make sure you order a weather-resistant material made for outdoor use. This sign from Joyseller has multiple colors, sayings and positive reviews!
Spa Gift Set - whether you make your own or purchase a gift set, a spa experience is always a welcome gift. Spa sets may include any combination of soap, candles, bath salts or bombs, scrubs, sprays, lip balms, brushes or loofas and lotions. There are many small businesses with great gift sets on Etsy. Hemlock Park offers a 5% off purchase of 2 or more sets. It is encouraged for you reach out to artisan sellers if you are placing a larger order to see what discounts may be available and their delivery times.
Client Gift Ideas $40 - $50
Personalized Decanter Set - it is important you know your audience when giving alcohol for a gift. If you don't know them well, it's best to stay away from alcohol or alcohol related gifts. That being said, I don't drink alcohol more than a couple times a year but I love my decanter set. And this set is beautiful with customized monogram and name laser engraved.
Personalized Cutting Board - another tick in the personalized gift column with a handmade, personalized hardwood cutting board. Use it for an occasion, client appreciation or a holiday gift. The Walnut Artisan Gallery has been in business since 2017 and offers boards in a variety of styles, sizes and wood types.
Again, there are many small businesses with great personalized boards on Amazon and Etsy. It is encouraged for you reach out to artisan sellers if you are placing a larger order to see what discounts may be available and their delivery times.
Fresh Flowers - this makes a great gift for any occasion, holiday, or to show appreciation. They can be customized, they look beautiful, smell good and elicit emotions. For the con list, they don't last as long as some of the other items. Visit your local florist or send a Benchmark Bouquet!
DIY Gifts
Whether you make your own products or purchase a set of products, divide up the products and turn them into multiple gifts, there are opportunities to make your own client gifts. Here are some additional ideas:
Never underestimate the value of a handwritten note.
Ice cream sundae kit
Homemade body scrub and spa set
Tea or coffee sampler set
Pet gift basket
Best of {Your City} gift basket
Game night set
Date night set
How Much Should I Spend?
How much you choose to spend on your gift will depend on a number of factors: the purpose of the gift and the value of the relationship to your business both in terms of longevity and income. While the IRS states "you can deduct no more than $25 of the cost of business gifts you give directly or indirectly to each person during your tax year", this doesn't mean you can't give a gift of more than $25 - it means you can only deduct $25! There are exceptions to this so please visit the IRS website linked above and/or speak to your CPA.
You also want to consider whether this is a promotional item, or a gift for an occasion. If you are looking for an immediate return on your investment, you would use lower cost items and send them to more clients or prospects. Many businesses have a Top 10 or Top 100 client list which you can opt to spend more per person for clients in those categories.