New ideas for client gifts…
October 8, 2021 4:42 AM Subscribe
I’m in charge of sending client gifts at my office. We send things for milestone birthdays, new homes, wedding anniversaries, etc. I need some fresh ideas.
We already do flowers (when appropriate), jars of locally sourced honey, fruit baskets, yetis with our logo on them and gifts for a client’s interest or hobby, if we know what that is. I’d like to change it up a little. What are some things that you have given (or gotten) that would be client appropriate and made an impression? Our office has a law firm/tax advisor level of buttoned up aesthetic so our gifting needs to be along those same lines. TIA!
We already do flowers (when appropriate), jars of locally sourced honey, fruit baskets, yetis with our logo on them and gifts for a client’s interest or hobby, if we know what that is. I’d like to change it up a little. What are some things that you have given (or gotten) that would be client appropriate and made an impression? Our office has a law firm/tax advisor level of buttoned up aesthetic so our gifting needs to be along those same lines. TIA!
Coffee. One of our local coffee roasters will do custom branded coffee for corporate gifting.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:04 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by DarlingBri at 5:04 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Last fall we received a caramel apple making kit which was fun.
posted by metasarah at 5:38 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by metasarah at 5:38 AM on October 8, 2021
Coffee, spices, selection of teas, fancy hot chocolate mix. Similar to cupcakes, many places will do branded sugar cookies. Possibly museum (zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, etc etc) passes. If you are in a winter place, actual high quality gloves because those disappear as if they are consumables.
posted by jeather at 5:52 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by jeather at 5:52 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
The best thing like this I've ever received was a big assortment from Woodhouse Chocolates. Not particularly innovative, but extremely delicious.
posted by magicbus at 5:58 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by magicbus at 5:58 AM on October 8, 2021
Sturdy umbrellas and waterproof picnic blankets have recently gone over well as company swag where I am - your climate/clientele may vary?
posted by february at 6:08 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by february at 6:08 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
I attended a product demo recently where we were overnighted a kit for making lobster rolls -- a New England summer tradition. It was sooooo good: https://getmainelobster.com/collections/lobster-seafood-rolls
Less perishable would be locally-roasted coffee (though that can be taste-dependent) plus a fancy cup. Lately, Yeti has been doing land office business as a corporate give-away, as you note. Their cups are a poor fit for many car cupholders, though, so something more useable would be a good upgrade.
I got a gift certificate for a pair of AllBirds shoes in 2019. It seemed ridiculous, but they are like the softest slippers, and have lasted well. In retrospect, it was great.
My financial planner sends out a pair of tickets to a local theater. His kids used to perform there, but he just likes to support them. *shrug* In the age of COVID, could you possibly substitute an online source of culture, like Audible or PBS Passport (which is usually a membership benefit, but maybe you can gift it)?
posted by wenestvedt at 6:10 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Less perishable would be locally-roasted coffee (though that can be taste-dependent) plus a fancy cup. Lately, Yeti has been doing land office business as a corporate give-away, as you note. Their cups are a poor fit for many car cupholders, though, so something more useable would be a good upgrade.
I got a gift certificate for a pair of AllBirds shoes in 2019. It seemed ridiculous, but they are like the softest slippers, and have lasted well. In retrospect, it was great.
My financial planner sends out a pair of tickets to a local theater. His kids used to perform there, but he just likes to support them. *shrug* In the age of COVID, could you possibly substitute an online source of culture, like Audible or PBS Passport (which is usually a membership benefit, but maybe you can gift it)?
posted by wenestvedt at 6:10 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
We had this conversation with a family member a couple of years ago, whose company was hitting the fifty-year mark.
The consensus among a bunch of us (who get sent stuff often) was that a cheaply-made gift is worse than no gift, and that practical is better than flashy.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:14 AM on October 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
The consensus among a bunch of us (who get sent stuff often) was that a cheaply-made gift is worse than no gift, and that practical is better than flashy.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:14 AM on October 8, 2021 [5 favorites]
Nice pens. Not, like, a ballpoint pen with your logo on it that you can get at three for a buck from corporatelogos.com or whatever - but a nice pen, something that comes in its own little box like this.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:17 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:17 AM on October 8, 2021
I live in New England, and making sure that people are prepared is always good. Here, a nice wool hat & mittens would be good.
Looks like you aren't up in snow country. If you are willing to spend on decent products, sending a storm/hurricane kit (rechargeable lantern, blanket, battery radio, power bank for the phone, good rain jacket) seems relevant these days, and shows concern for their well-being.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:23 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Looks like you aren't up in snow country. If you are willing to spend on decent products, sending a storm/hurricane kit (rechargeable lantern, blanket, battery radio, power bank for the phone, good rain jacket) seems relevant these days, and shows concern for their well-being.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:23 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
We get little gift things where I work sort of regularly, and the ones I've gotten that have been cool for me have been little tech objects -- a bluetooth speaker that's halfway decent, or a powerbank battery for recharging devices. You can get them printed with logos, and they're quite useful.
posted by hippybear at 6:27 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by hippybear at 6:27 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Either a backyard weather station, or a decent pair of binoculars with a class from the Cornell School of Ornithology and a simple bird book would be very cool ways to re-introduce people to their own environment -- very relevant after an extended period of EverythingFH.
posted by wenestvedt at 6:29 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 6:29 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
The law firm I used to work at did logoed reusable coffee cups and insulated thermoses. They were great quality ones, though - Frank Green for the coffee cups and similar for the thermoses, in nice colours. People loved them. They seemed to hit the sweet spot of eco friendly + practical + cool-looking.
One year they also did hampers made by a local company that included all locally-sourced, small-batch products. The ‘hampers’ themselves were recycled cardboard and contained things like a bag of nougat, roasted flavoured nuts, a 100%-cotton dish towel screen-printed by a local artist, chutney, olive oil and shortbread. All top-quality consumables and again a good corporate ‘look’ (supporting local small producers).
posted by Salamander at 6:50 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
One year they also did hampers made by a local company that included all locally-sourced, small-batch products. The ‘hampers’ themselves were recycled cardboard and contained things like a bag of nougat, roasted flavoured nuts, a 100%-cotton dish towel screen-printed by a local artist, chutney, olive oil and shortbread. All top-quality consumables and again a good corporate ‘look’ (supporting local small producers).
posted by Salamander at 6:50 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
Because of your location, monogrammed things? Glassware, stationery (maybe with address for a new home), golf towel if that’s their hobby.
Localish treats like nice pecans, divinity, cheese straws, king cakes, whatever your particular area does.
posted by momus_window at 6:53 AM on October 8, 2021
Localish treats like nice pecans, divinity, cheese straws, king cakes, whatever your particular area does.
posted by momus_window at 6:53 AM on October 8, 2021
Personally, pastries and baked goods are the only ones I'm actively annoyed to receive. They're never something I actually want to eat, they don't last long enough to re-gift, and I feel obligated to pretend to be grateful. (I've got several gift certificates for cupcake shops that I should bring to the next meetup and give away while the shops may still be in business.)
There's a machine/composite-fabrication shop in Italy I often deal with that has been giving out really nice, silkscreen-labeled, external usb phone-chargers to visitors. It's quite thoughtful as a thing to hand someone who's about to get on a train or plane. It's the only branded thing I actually use regularly.
The best swag I can think of are incredibly industry specific: astronomical map beach balls and potted and mounted examples of failed microscopic devices. If your industry is specific enough that most of your recipients do similar stuff, something that's a fun conversation starter for your colleagues' office isn't a bad idea.
posted by eotvos at 7:12 AM on October 8, 2021
There's a machine/composite-fabrication shop in Italy I often deal with that has been giving out really nice, silkscreen-labeled, external usb phone-chargers to visitors. It's quite thoughtful as a thing to hand someone who's about to get on a train or plane. It's the only branded thing I actually use regularly.
The best swag I can think of are incredibly industry specific: astronomical map beach balls and potted and mounted examples of failed microscopic devices. If your industry is specific enough that most of your recipients do similar stuff, something that's a fun conversation starter for your colleagues' office isn't a bad idea.
posted by eotvos at 7:12 AM on October 8, 2021
If you know the client well enough; a gift for the family pets is always welcome.
posted by mightshould at 7:13 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by mightshould at 7:13 AM on October 8, 2021
Custom inflatable solar Luci lights https://mpowerd.com/pages/custom
Luci lights are great to have in the car, take camping or have on hand for power outages.
posted by jointhedance at 7:18 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Luci lights are great to have in the car, take camping or have on hand for power outages.
posted by jointhedance at 7:18 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
I really like wenestvedt's suggestion of a weather station!
I have never sent professional gifts to a single person or family, just to other businesses, so maybe these won't work; but the best things we ever got at our office were both food- Fairytale Brownies and Racine Danish Kringles.
posted by bijou243 at 7:54 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
I have never sent professional gifts to a single person or family, just to other businesses, so maybe these won't work; but the best things we ever got at our office were both food- Fairytale Brownies and Racine Danish Kringles.
posted by bijou243 at 7:54 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Not exactly sure how this scales but I got a client a Corkcicle as a one-off thank you gift and she was over the moon about it.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:10 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:10 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Good suggestions here--I still have swag chargers and umbrellas. I'd add high-quality reusable bags. So, not cheap flimsy ones, but heavyweight cotton canvas or something like the Tom Bihn Pop Tote (which I believe was actually born as a swag item for some entertainment industry event). Finance folks often go with the gym bag, but you may find that too informal.
posted by praemunire at 8:17 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by praemunire at 8:17 AM on October 8, 2021
if these gifts go to your clients' home and not an office, then I have to say there is a stampede every time we have received an Edible Arrangement. It's not a pretty sight, but everyone is noisily delighted.
And it looks like they have a Partner Program if you want to add in something local, too.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:41 AM on October 8, 2021
And it looks like they have a Partner Program if you want to add in something local, too.
posted by wenestvedt at 8:41 AM on October 8, 2021
We use Alyce for prospect and customer gifts. You choose something you think they'd like, and it sends them an email with a personalized note from you, but they can also go in and choose something that they like more. When we were evaluating the platform, the rep sent me a gift email with a fancy dog bowl, noting that he saw my pup in the background of one of our Zoom calls. I ended up getting a light-up dog leash, but I could have chosen from 100s of other gifts.
In terms of actual swag I have received, agree that bluetooth speakers are great (bonus points if you give them a Sonos, because you can stream audio from one app like Spotify rather than audio from your whole phone, but that's probably too expensive). I also received a Bison waterproof soft cooler recently, it wasn't my thing but a ton of people loved it.
posted by radioamy at 8:44 AM on October 8, 2021
In terms of actual swag I have received, agree that bluetooth speakers are great (bonus points if you give them a Sonos, because you can stream audio from one app like Spotify rather than audio from your whole phone, but that's probably too expensive). I also received a Bison waterproof soft cooler recently, it wasn't my thing but a ton of people loved it.
posted by radioamy at 8:44 AM on October 8, 2021
Oh also agree on quality bags. I love my Rickshaw canvas grocery tote (bought it at a bookstore, wasn't a gift).
Waterproof picnic blankets are nice, it's not something that people tend to buy for themselves but it's great to have when you need it.
posted by radioamy at 8:55 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
Waterproof picnic blankets are nice, it's not something that people tend to buy for themselves but it's great to have when you need it.
posted by radioamy at 8:55 AM on October 8, 2021 [2 favorites]
The thing I never get at conferences but always suggested was umbrellas.
The thing I was recently pleasantly surprised by was when our realtor sent out an invitation to all his clients to book a 15 min free photo session with a local photographer he'd hired out for one day in a local park, to be used for holiday photos, professional head shots, or whatever you like.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:17 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
The thing I was recently pleasantly surprised by was when our realtor sent out an invitation to all his clients to book a 15 min free photo session with a local photographer he'd hired out for one day in a local park, to be used for holiday photos, professional head shots, or whatever you like.
posted by deludingmyself at 9:17 AM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
I just got this nice "tea by mood" assortment from Numi as a work gift, and really appreciate it.
posted by Miko at 10:11 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by Miko at 10:11 AM on October 8, 2021
Response by poster: Wow!!! These are awesome!! Thanks for all the fabulous suggestions so far!! Every one sounds like a good fit. For those that have mentioned location specific gifts, we are in Atlanta.
posted by pearlybob at 11:45 AM on October 8, 2021
posted by pearlybob at 11:45 AM on October 8, 2021
I second the recommendations for small electronics: speakers, USB powerbanks, solar string lights, ring lights for use in videocalls.
I also frequently use an umbrella, several thermos-style mugs, a wine opener/corkscrew and a waterproof picnic blanket I got as gifts of this type. I also use a little organizing zip bag I got as a corporate gift -- it's like a Dopp kit, though canvas.
As a location-specific gift: a small-press book of local interest, such as local history or a botanical guide or similar.
A first aid kit, especially with a good flashlight in it, would be a very fine idea in my opinion.
posted by brainwane at 12:29 PM on October 8, 2021
I also frequently use an umbrella, several thermos-style mugs, a wine opener/corkscrew and a waterproof picnic blanket I got as gifts of this type. I also use a little organizing zip bag I got as a corporate gift -- it's like a Dopp kit, though canvas.
As a location-specific gift: a small-press book of local interest, such as local history or a botanical guide or similar.
A first aid kit, especially with a good flashlight in it, would be a very fine idea in my opinion.
posted by brainwane at 12:29 PM on October 8, 2021
I own a store that carries "the best things I can find" in any particular category. Customers love these:
- Rolling Square Charging Cables
- CW&T salt vessels, Box Cutters, and Pens
- High Camp Flasks and Cocktail Shakers (these can be branded/personalized)
- Orp bike horn/lights
- Lumio book lights
posted by dobbs at 1:13 PM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
- Rolling Square Charging Cables
- CW&T salt vessels, Box Cutters, and Pens
- High Camp Flasks and Cocktail Shakers (these can be branded/personalized)
- Orp bike horn/lights
- Lumio book lights
posted by dobbs at 1:13 PM on October 8, 2021 [4 favorites]
I appreciated being a recipient of Sugarwish because they offered options for different dietary needs and preferences.
posted by Gable Oak at 1:17 PM on October 8, 2021
posted by Gable Oak at 1:17 PM on October 8, 2021
I got a really neat client gift once that I still use -- it's a cozy throw blanket that comes in its own little flat square bag, so when it's in the bag, it's a cushion. It's great for things like outside concerts. It's like this, but higher quality and with the brand logo on it.
posted by Countess Sandwich at 2:25 PM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Countess Sandwich at 2:25 PM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]
Cutting boards
posted by backwards guitar at 5:33 PM on October 8, 2021
posted by backwards guitar at 5:33 PM on October 8, 2021
Bookstore credit.
posted by Enid Lareg at 1:34 PM on October 9, 2021
posted by Enid Lareg at 1:34 PM on October 9, 2021
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posted by nkknkk at 4:54 AM on October 8, 2021 [1 favorite]