6 Tips for Client Holiday Gifts

As a business owner, you have a million things on your plate at any given time. From design work to administrative tasks to tackling your inbox, there’s no shortage of to-dos to keep you busy throughout December. But as the end of the year approaches, taking the time to organize client holiday gifts can go a really long way. In an age of digital everything, a physical gift and a handwritten note is an incredibly thoughtful way to let clients know how much their support means to you personally. It’s also an excellent opportunity to extend your brand experience.

We know curating the perfect client holiday gift might sound like quite the task, but it doesn’t have to be. To streamline the process, we’ve outlined six simple guidelines to give back in a meaningful way — no stress purchases required.

Design and Styling: The Identité Collective | Photography: Madeline Harper

1. BUY QUALITY OVER QUANTITY

This rule applies to pretty much everything, but here especially. Your clients are likely going to be inundated with gifts over the next several weeks, so keep it simple. Get a high-quality crowd pleaser so that you don’t have to stress over super specific gifts. Get something well-made that will match any style and serve a purpose. Bonus points if you can shop small and shop local — more of that later. Our suggestions? A beautiful dish towel, candle, coffee table book, throw blanket, cutting board, or any other luxury goods to help make their house feel like a home.

2. SUPPORT LOCAL

Shopping small and shopping local has never been more important than in a year like 2020. That’s why this year’s IDCO holiday gift guides include more small business selections than ever before. When you purchase client holiday gifts from a small, local maker, you’re not only lifting up other businesses in your community, but you’re also showing clients that you’ve chosen to gift intentionally. What may seem like a small decision speaks volumes about your core values as a brand.

3. BE PRACTICAL

Minimal is the new black. The New Year is just around the corner, and everyone is on the organizing and purging train. Choose a gift that doesn’t add clutter, serves a purpose, and can be used up or repurposed. Another great approach is to choose a gift that ties into the practicalities of COVID-friendly living. Think an extra warm throw for outdoor entertaining or even a set of luxury hand soaps and sanitizers.  

4. MAKE IT PERSONAL

Even if you buy all your clients the same thing, you have an opportunity to make it personal. Our recommendation is to hand-select one or two beautiful items to gift all of your clients and include a handwritten note on branded stationery. The time and effort it takes is so worth the payoff for your professional relationships! We all find ourselves busy at the holidays, but making time to send out gifts for clients shows that you really value them and the role they played in your success this year. It’s also a fun opportunity to reflect on all the people who were willing to invest in your services and allow you to do what you love.

5. DON’T FORGET AESTHETICS

Keep your brand and audience in mind as you shop for holiday gifts. Think about what will complement the colors and textures of your branded collateral that will accompany the gift, like stationery and shipping materials. We have heavily emphasized practicality, but buying a gift that is pleasing to the eye is equally important.

6. REMEMBER: CLIENT GIFTS ARE YEAR-ROUND

These tips can all be applied to year-round gifting at the end of big projects or for client referrals.  A gift is such a thoughtful way to say thank you and celebrate your partnership. It ends the project on a high note and extends the client experience just one step further. 

Worried you’ll miss the holiday shipping deadline? We LOVE New Year gifts for clients. It’s a great point-of-contact as people gear up for a new year of business and keeps your services top of mind. We’ve rounded up a few favorites below to get you started:

SHOP OUR 2020 CLIENT HOLIDAY GIFTS IDEAS

Looking for more holiday inspiration? Here’s a few posts we think you’ll love:

• The Ultimate 2020 Holiday Gift Guide
• A Designer’s Guide to Holiday Content
• Holiday Home Tour 2020
• Thanksgiving Table Design, 3 Ways

IDCO Studio is a full-service creative studio for interior designers and boutique lifestyle brands. Offering bespoke branding, web design and social media content creation, we help brands built around beautiful living elevate their digital presence to represent the physical spaces they design. Our recently launched limited-release website templates are the perfect way for interior designers to get a luxury website on a budget. These templates allow designers to maintain control of their content. Want to work together? Shoot us an inquiry here.