Suggestions needed for holiday gift for a great client

November 14, 2007 8:21 AM

I do freelance graphics and have one client that has been a monthly, consistent paycheck for most of the year. I've billed them for about $15,000 since March. Most of my clients will be getting a card this holiday season, but I thought it would be a good idea to do something a bit more for this particular client. Suggestions? I'd like thoughts on both price range and specific items. Also, I have two contacts at the company: The big boss (male), who I speak to only occasionally, and the associate (also male) who is my main contact. The boss can be a bit demanding and has very high standards, but is generally respectful. The associate is a very sweet guy who I like on a personal level. He has also gone to bat for me a few times when the boss was being unreasonable. So: Gifts for boss, associate, or both? Thanks!
posted by SampleSize to work & money (22 comments total)

Ah! Why do my paragraphs keep disappearing? They were there when I previewed. I swear!
posted by SampleSize at 8:22 AM on November 14, 2007

Maybe one of those gift baskets for the office with lots of chocolate in it. No need to be extravagant.
posted by Saucy Intruder at 8:25 AM on November 14, 2007

Moo sells different items made from your photos. Stickers from the graphics you've made might be fun.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 8:28 AM on November 14, 2007

Strike up a conversation with the associate and get a feel for what his boss and he like. If you know the boss loves art type movies, get'em a gift certificate to the local art house theatre.

Sending pictures of stuff you've done sounds tacky. It might bring back unpleasant memories or make the boss think "hey, I really don't like that shade of blue!". Don't make it another sales piece show some thought and they'll definitely remember you.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:33 AM on November 14, 2007

We always got gift baskets from marketing suppliers. Lots of little items, easy to divide up amongst people in the office or equally pleasing if simply stolen by the big boss. Focus on non-perishable items. The Harry & David gift baskets have too much fresh fruit. Choclate, crackers, cheeses, tea, coffee, etc.
posted by GuyZero at 8:34 AM on November 14, 2007

We get a lot of these and I think Harry & David = Gross. Around here, we appreciate the wine and chocolates. I would say spend $50-100, and don't forget to write it off as a marketing expense.

In that ballpark, and something which is unusual and wonderful are the pate de fruit from Parisian gourmet store Fauchon.
posted by shothotbot at 8:44 AM on November 14, 2007

Mortgage companies do this for their clients-big gift baskets usually go over really well. Other things my husband has gotten are restaurant gift certificates -and one client sends him a catalog with all kinds of nifty things to choose from -he picks what he wants and we get it free. This is how I got my electric griddle.

Don't scrimp on this gift. It really is an incentive for them to keep using you.

(If I were you I'd do a little something on the side for your main contact. Especially since he has gone to bat for you!)
posted by konolia at 8:45 AM on November 14, 2007

I think you should make sure to give to both of them -- just because the type of guy who is a big boss stickler pain in the ass can sometimes get his feeling's hurt if he feels he's being disrespected.

You probably already know if this is the case, but since I just took a boring ass corporate compliance training, I have to mention it. Depending on company size and rules, spending too much could be a problem. Many companies -- mine included -- have rules against accepting gifts over a certain value from freelancers or contracts -- for exactly the reasons kolonia mentioned above. One man's "incentive to keep using you" is seen as another man's "bribe."
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:53 AM on November 14, 2007

The fact that I am surprised that nobody has yet suggested a stripper gram means I need to spend a little less time over at Fark.

Refurbished Ipod shuffles are only $50, and are very cool little objects.

Speaking as a male who occasionally gets swag, I tend to appreciate anything that can be quickly converted to cash, given to my wife to impress her, something the kids can all play with, or cool little gadgets like leatherman micras, ipod shuffles, tactical sunglasses, etc.

I never get swag this cool, usually it is a nice hat or something boring. Or a tote bag. But if you are going to be hurling the benjamins around like wedding rice, get something cool.

In my opinion, consumables such as gift baskets suck as gifts. You’ve got nothing afterwards but some more calories under your midlife-crisis belt. I guess if you got *real* chocolate, something so outstanding that it would make them weep when they ate it, then you would be ok.

Disclaimer: I am talking about gifts, and their relative desirability, not their appropriateness in a corporate gift setting. You don’t want to look like you’re bribing anyone.
posted by mecran01 at 8:53 AM on November 14, 2007 [1 favorite]

You don’t want to look like you’re bribing anyone.

Such gifts should be directed to the office or the company, never to a specific person, though they do get delivered to a specific person like any package. You can thanks specific people, but it is the company's you're getting, not business from those specific individuals.
posted by GuyZero at 8:57 AM on November 14, 2007

I agree with the non-perishable gift basket idea. I work in IT, and my department generally gets a few of these each year. Usually for the holidays, and sometimes just at the conclusion of a big project (big meaning anything that brought our vendor a lot of revenue). It's always appreciated.

I assume Big Boss and Associate are in the same department, so I'd send a big basket to the boss, addressed to the entire department. They'll know what to do with it (and it covers the people who you might not speak to, but who might still have a say in purchasing and planning decisions).
posted by CrayDrygu at 8:59 AM on November 14, 2007

"Such gifts should be directed to the office or the company, never to a specific person..."

Oh! Yes, I almost forgot. Many companies have policies that don't allow employees to accept gifts over $100/$50/$25 in value from companies they do business with. This usually doesn't include gifts sent to a whole department, though. (My company's phrasing is "...limit gifts to individuals to ... a purchased value of $100.") So, definitely make it a gift to be shared, not ones directly to individuals.
posted by CrayDrygu at 9:04 AM on November 14, 2007

We have done everything from items that jive with our company name - like domino gives dominoes - to hams to fancy cheesecakes to donations to local charities in customers names. (purchasing a brick in the local fundraiser or donating to local school foundation - something where their name shows up) all have gone over very well.

Something that can sit in the office and can be shared is appreciated around here. Bonus points if it doesn't have to be cut or heated or cooled.
posted by domino at 9:07 AM on November 14, 2007

As a pretty typical male, i'd be more than underwhelmed to receive a basket of chocolates

I'd second mecran01's suggestion of cool gadgets, especially if they're male.

One of these would go down a treat with me. Or alternatively a nice personally designed poster that you created yourself that they can mount on a wall in their office. Or iTunes store vouchers

Oh, and get gifts for both as well
posted by derbs at 9:40 AM on November 14, 2007

Gifts for both of them.

Think about:
Cheryl and Co Cookies - cookies often individually wrapped
Morelye's Candy - candy towers and other fun stuff
Wine Country Gift Baskets - not all the baskets have wine, if you don't want to go that route.

Or, the charity route works, too.
posted by dpx.mfx at 9:43 AM on November 14, 2007

And, I would spend around $100 for the boss and $50 for the main contact; or send one big box of cookies to the office as a whole.
posted by dpx.mfx at 9:44 AM on November 14, 2007

+1 gift basket of snack-like food for the office.
posted by adamrice at 9:47 AM on November 14, 2007

How about a generic gift for the office/boss and then take the associate out for a nice lunch?
posted by Sweetie Darling at 11:02 AM on November 14, 2007

Thanks for lots of great answers. Any ideas for how to find out what their gift-accepting policy is without saying, "I will be sending you a gift..."?

It's a pretty small company, if that makes a difference. I would guess 5 or 6 employees.
posted by SampleSize at 11:38 AM on November 14, 2007

Most men love getting gift baskets that contain beer. Ask the associate first.
posted by Scoo at 12:05 PM on November 14, 2007

Seconding derbs' "Or alternatively a nice personally designed poster that you created yourself that they can mount on a wall in their office." The first thing I thought was that you know the company's taste in art as well as anyone and it's a nice corporate gift that isn't likely to violate any policies. Giving that to the boss and a nice lunch to the contact would be thoughtful as well.
posted by notashroom at 7:59 PM on November 14, 2007

Zingerman's!
posted by 10ch at 6:59 PM on November 24, 2007