It may be hard to believe, but in a matter of days many of us will rise out of our turkey comas only to setup camp outside of Target or Best Buy in anticipation of Black Friday deals. 'Tis the season of giving and who better to give to than clients who gave all year long. Repaying their business, referrals, or contributions to your reputation with some holiday giving is a must.
Ebay has constructed a basic guide to corporate giving, composing a list of those who should definitely receive a gift during the Holiday season:
- Former clients you haven't heard from in a while
- Long-term clients
- Sub-contractors you work with regularly
- Inside collaborators and "point people" with whom
you work closely
- Your postal carrier
- Your accountant and any other professionals who keep you legal
But there is more to the art of client gift giving than merely knowing who to give to. Whether you have five clients or five hundred, you don’t want to break the bank! Also, you have to be careful about gift disparity. Giving one client a Starbucks card and another a paperweight from Tiffany’s might come off as favoritism or even bribery.
Here are a few gifts that will go over well with clients regardless of gender, age or relation to your business:- Engraved coffee mug
- Books
- Gift baskets such as chocolate or fruit
- Restaurant gift card
- Gift certificate for a free service that you provide
- Wine
- Candles
- Baked goods
- Plants
Knowing who to give to and what to give will remind people you are grateful for their patronage and their assistance, and will allow you to ultimately build your reputation and business relationships over the festive period.
