Gifts for Clients (The People Who Pay the Bills)
Appreciation that's tax deductible.
Why It's Tricky
Clients are the reason you have a job, which makes gift-giving both essential and terrifying. Go too cheap and you signal 'you're not that important to us.' Go too expensive and you trigger their compliance department's gift policy alarm bells. Go too funny and you risk offending the one stakeholder who doesn't get your vibe. The goal is professional appreciation with a hint of personality—enough to be memorable, not enough to be forwarded to legal. It's basically a bribe but make it classy.
Gift Ideas
- -High-end branded items that don't look like swag from a 2008 trade show
- -Gourmet food baskets (everyone eats, offends no one)
- -Experience gifts like fancy dinners or event tickets (bill it to client entertainment)
- -Premium desk accessories with subtle branding that actually looks good
- -A charitable donation in their name (for the client who has everything and needs the tax write-off)
Things to Consider
- *Check their company's gift policy—many have strict limits ($50-100 is common)
- *Avoid anything that requires them to disclose receiving it to their compliance team
- *Multiple stakeholders? Equal gifts or nothing—don't pick favorites in their org
Get Gift Ideas That Actually Land
Get client gift ideas that won't trigger their compliance department.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How much should I spend on client gifts?
- Match the value of the relationship—major accounts get more attention than one-off projects. Generally, $50-150 is the safe zone. Above that, you might trigger their corporate gift policy. Below that, why bother? Just send a nice card.
- Can I give funny gifts to clients?
- Only if you have an established rapport and you're absolutely certain of their sense of humor. A safe funny gift: a clever industry-related item. An unsafe funny gift: literally anything that could be forwarded to HR with the subject line 'is this appropriate?'
- Should I give the same gift to all clients?
- Tiered gifting is common—top-tier clients get premium treatment, everyone else gets a nice card and maybe branded cookies. Just make sure clients in the same tier get equivalent gifts to avoid awkward comparisons.
- When should I send client gifts?
- End of year/holidays is standard, but consider milestone moments instead: contract renewal, successful project completion, their company's anniversary. Standing out from the holiday gift pile is half the battle.