Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. However, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
It’s the holiday season and you might be making your list of people you need to buy gifts for. An increasing number of freelancers are purchasing holiday gifts for their clients, however.
With 58% of businesses citing lead generation as their key priority, anything you can do to thank your clients and encourage them to refer you to their friends and associates is a great investment.
Buying gifts for clients, particularly if you’ve never met them in person, is a tricky task, so here are some quick tips for getting the best deals when purchasing gifts for clients.
See Also: Things to do to start the year off fresh as an entrepreneur
Buy in bulk
Client gifts don’t have to be extremely personalized or expensive. Consider making purchases in bulk to cut down on costs. It will also save you a lot of time because you can send out the same gifts to a variety of clients all at once.
There are so many bulk buying options available, such as custom tote bags, custom coffee cups, and customized calendars.
Stick to a budget for each client
The average American spends $998 on gifts every holiday season, with this number increasing every year. Avoid spending more than you would like by creating a budget for each client.
You don’t have to spend the exact same amount on every client. Prioritize which clients deserve a gift this year based on how easy they are to work with and how much money they generate for you.
Write down a specific dollar amount and stick to it. There are no rules on professional gift spending, so spend only what you’re comfortable spending.
Shop at thrift stores
People tend to have a certain image when they think of thrift stores. Most shoppers are, therefore, surprised when they walk into thrift stores and find that many of the items are of great quality.
Spend some time looking around thrift stores. Things like mugs, notebooks, and other types of common items are often in perfect condition yet retail at a fraction of the price of the major chains.
Opt for a gift card
Gift cards may come across as the lazy man’s answer to the holiday season, but it doesn’t mean people don’t appreciate them. They enable people to purchase the gifts they really want. Slipping a $10 Amazon gift card to a client is a fantastic way of expressing your gratitude for a profitable year.
Try to stick to gift cards from general retailers like Amazon to avoid locking people into buying from stores they may not even shop at.
Take advantage of online sales
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are regularly expanding beyond their 24-hour limits. Take advantage of these sales when buying gifts for your clients.
Online sales enable you to get massive discounts but take note of sales that aren’t really sales. Audit any deal you come across because it might be the case that the price hasn’t really changed at all.
Conclusion
Buying gifts for clients can do wonders for your business. They can strengthen existing relationships, encourage clients to send more work your way, and may even lead to referrals that lead to more new clients in the months ahead.
Are you buying gifts for your best clients this holiday season?
What a great post! I am glad to know all these! These are very helpful and saving more a lot of things.
I prefer to buy my gifts online! I will follow your advice next time!
Great tips! I always try to buy in bulk but I’m the worst at sticking to a budget. Always want to sneak in “just a little bit more”.
Great tips! I love buying in bulk myself. I think it’s a great idea when you’re buying for many others.
These are great tips for gifting on a budget. i like the idea of buying things in bulk and then splitting them up to give as gifts.
I have found so many new items at the local thrift shop that would be perfect for gifts. This is a great idea!
These are great tips, its so easy to get out of hand with spending around the holidays too!
Great tips! I will follow all these to save more for my shopping.
I really enjoyed reading this post. You provided some really helpful tips.
I love looking in nice resale shops for Christmas gifts. It’s so stressful spending money during this time of year.
Great tips!! I love buying in bulk! I used to work at Costco lol!
I always love gift cards. I think they allow the buyer to get exactly what they want.
Thank you for this. I always love finding the best deals. I do have a lot of people to shop for.