Corporate Christmas gifts for clients work best when they're selected specially for the person receiving them, carry a message from someone they know, and arrive before their office closes for the holiday season.
Our corporate Christmas gift ideas article covers the types of gift. This article covers the decisions that come first when the gifts are for clients and customers.
Which clients should get a Christmas gift?
Start with the full list of potentials. Some businesses send company Christmas gifts to every active client or individual within a client company, and others choose a shortlist of key accounts where the relationship is strongest or they want to stay at the forefront of that client's mind. Many do both, with a different gift for each group.
Tiers make giving different gifts to different clients simple, and let you match each gift to the relationship. Whatever the tier, every gift is presented to the same standard, from the card to the seal.
Is the gift for one contact or the whole office?
Decide who will open your gift and imagine them doing it. A hamper or a box of treats sent to a client's office is usually shared by the team, and so suits a client where you work with several people within the company. A gift addressed to one named contact is theirs to take home.
A gift sent to the office is shared by the team. A gift sent to one contact is theirs to take home.
Whichever option you choose, a card from the person who works with the recipient day to day adds extra meaning to the message. Branded message cards are an optional addition, with one message for everyone, or a personalised message for each person. We offer handwritten messages or can even include your own handwritten cards from your team for an added personal touch.
How much branding should a client gift carry?
The packaging is the place for bold branding. A printed gift box, branded tissue or a wax seal can all tell your client who the gift is from before the lid is off. In a busy office the packaging is what everyone sees when the gift arrives. So, to Navy Goose, that packaging is just as important as the gift itself.
Inside, keep the logo on the products subtle. A client is far more likely to keep using a branded gift with one small, well-placed logo than one heavily covered in branding. A discreet logo often says more than one on every surface.
If you plan to claim client gifts as a business expense, the rules are narrower than most people expect. HMRC only allows a client gift when it carries a conspicuous advertisement for your business on the gift itself, not just the packaging. It also mustn't be food, drink, tobacco or a voucher, and your gifts to that person must come to £50 or less across your accounting period. So a hamper won't qualify however it's branded, and a logo on a product needs to be visible enough to count. On one project managed by our founder, leather notebooks for a national media network carried the client's logo blind embossed on the front cover: no colour, no ink, but the only detail on the cover. Subtle, but seen.
If this is a requirement, please tell us at the brief and we'll plan the branding around it.
This is general guidance, not tax advice, so please check with your accountant.
Does your client have a gifts and hospitality policy?
Some organisations have a strict corporate gift policy and limit the gift values their staff can accept, particularly in the public sector, finance and healthcare. Most of these limits sit in a gifts and hospitality policy or an anti-bribery policy, written with the Bribery Act 2010 in mind. Some set a gift limit, others ask staff to declare any gift they receive, and many advise against sending gifts during a tender or contract negotiation.
If you're not sure, a gift for the whole team to share always works well, and can be easier to accept. When you do know your client's policy, Navy Goose can work within their guidelines, and for larger projects can create a selection portal with no gift values attached at all.
When should client Christmas gifts arrive?
Aim for the first two weeks of December. Client offices empty earlier than you might expect, and a gift that arrives after everyone has gone sits in a post room until January.
Left it late? Navy Goose can turn around last minute Christmas gifts for clients. Many of our suppliers have stock they can ship to us immediately, ready to pack in your branded packaging. Simple branded gifts on smaller orders can be ready around 7 days after sign-off.
Tell us about your client list, your budget per head and when the gifts need to arrive. We'll work with you to find what suits them, with suggestions of our own along the way. Sometimes that's a different gift for each tier, sometimes a menu to select products yourself and sometimes it's one standout gift suggestion that smashes the brief.
Common questions
Can client Christmas gifts be sent to home addresses?
Yes, client Christmas gifts can be sent to home addresses. Every address provided is used only to deliver the gift, in line with UK GDPR, and never added to a mailing list.
Can we send Christmas gifts to clients abroad?
Yes, Navy Goose sends Christmas gifts to clients abroad. International deliveries need longer lead times and may carry import duties and customs charges, and we'll tell you at the start which charges are likely to apply.
Can we send a Christmas gift to just one client?
Yes, a Christmas gift can be sent to just one client. Navy Goose has no minimum order, so a single gift for a key client is as welcome a brief as a hundred.
