Client Gifting Strategy & Ideas
Gift-giving is my love language and recently I started showing my clients some extra love! Because who doesn’t like getting presents, right?!
In this post, I’ll tell you the exact gifts I’ve given my clients as well as some general tips for memorable gifts they’ll appreciate!
There are three separate times when I gift my clients:
At the beginning of a BRANDING project
At the end of the BRANDING project
During the holidays
PRO TIP:
CLIENT GIFTS ARE A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE BUSINESS EXPENSE
UP TO $25 PER GIFT
gift #1: given at the beginning of a branding project
This is the first and most simple gift I give to my clients and it’s intertwined with my design process. When a client books me for their brand design, I send them an extensive questionnaire that asks about their mission, values, ideal customer, and aesthetic preferences. Because my process is rooted in strategy, this questionnaire is a little lengthy and it really allows my client to dig deep and get to the heart of their brand. This step is crucial to my design process as it lays the foundation for the whole strategy!
To show that I appreciate them taking the time and putting in their best, honest effort, I send my clients a gift card to a coffee shop! If a client is local to me here in Southern California, I’ll give them a gift card to a local coffee shop like Bear Coast Coffee (my fave!). If my client is not local to me, I’ll send them a gift card to a chain like Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts, or Peet’s Coffee. Most of these coffee chains let you send a digital gift card via email which is so easy.
I’ll add a note along the lines of “here’s a little something to help fuel your creative juices while you fill out the questionnaire!”. This is a simple, easy, affordable way to show my clients that I appreciate their commitment to my process and the project as a whole.
gift #2: given at the end of a branding project
Honestly, I don’t have a “go-to” gift for the end of a project — I like to switch it up depending on each individual client. This gift is more substantial and I usually spend at least $25. This is a heartfelt “THANK YOU!” that I send to my clients because, without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love!
Even though I switch up the actual gift itself, I try to include at least one part that is branded with their new logo. It’s so exciting seeing your beautiful new branding in real life, and I love being the first one to give them a branded item. I also try to give them something that they’ll really appreciate, so I’ll make mental notes throughout my conversations with them. For example, if they mention that they are a huge note taker and need to write down their to-do list every day and check off tasks — then I’ll try to find them a really cute note pad or to-do list in their brand colors.
HERE ARE SOME GIFT IDEAS THAT I’VE SENT TO CLIENTS IN THE PAST:
a nice candle (especially if they mention a certain candle or scent they adore)
a bouquet of flowers (I try to use my local florists but there are also companies that ship nationwide like Farmgirl Flowers)
a cute curated box from Box Fox (they have such unique and quality items to choose from!)
a custom tote bag with their new logo on it
a custom return address stamp with their logo and address on it
gift #3: given during the holidays to all my clients from that year
Holiday gifting is something I make sure to budget for every year. It’s the perfect time to reconnect with my clients that I maybe haven’t chatted with for a few months. It’s another opportunity to show your appreciation for the projects you’ve worked on that year.
This year (2020), I had the pleasure of designing for several small businesses and I realized that’s my passion! Helping fellow entrepreneurs up-level and grow their brand makes me feel really fulfilled. I wanted my end-of-the-year holiday gifts to reflect my love of and commitment to small businesses so I called in one of my clients (and favorite baker) Confectious Pastry Shop. Nicci, the owner, has been an ongoing client of mine since 2017 and she is so incredibly talented in the kitchen! She also baked my wedding cake and all the desserts for my big day!
For my holiday gifts, I had Nicci bake her specialty cookie flavors, including her famous almond sugar cookie in the shape of my logo. She uses sugar paper to actually print an edible image of my logo!
I then found cookie boxes that matched my brand colors, tied cute silk ribbon around them, and attached a note! You can see more photos of my branded holiday cookie box below.
The front of the note leads with “It’s been so SWEET working with you this year!” (I can’t resist a good pun!). The back of the card talks about my passion for designing for small businesses and introduces Confectious Pastry Shop, my client and fellow entrepreneur!
GENERAL TIPS FOR CLIENT GIFTING:
First and foremost, make sure to budget for client gifting when you evaluate your finances for the year.
Stay on-brand with your packaging and presentation, but don’t make it all about YOUR brand. This is an opportunity to connect with your client and celebrate them and THEIR new brand.
Add a personal touch like a handwritten note or your client’s favorite color/flower/etc.
Use client gifts as a way to reinforce your values, especially if this will resonate with your client. For example, I love working with small businesses so I supported a small business through my gifting. Similarly, if one of your core values is sustainability, you could send an eco-conscious gift or plant a tree in your client’s name!
Document and share! Show off this thoughtful aspect of your client process. Take photos of your finished gift and share them on social media. Look back on what you’ve gifted in previous years, write down your clients’ reactions, and determine what was a success and what could improve for future giftings.