Article: Luxury Client Gifts: What to Send, What to Spend, and What to Skip
Luxury Client Gifts: What to Send, What to Spend, and What to Skip
The best client gift is one beautiful object from a name they recognize, with your company on the card instead of the gift. Spend $75 to $150 on newer clients, $150 to $300 on steady ones, and $300 or more on the relationships that carry your year. Send it before Thanksgiving, ship it to their home, and check their gift policy first. Here's how we'd approach it, and what we'd send.
Five rules most client gift guides skip
1. Check the client's gift policy
Banks, law firms, public companies and government offices often cap what their people can accept, sometimes at $100 or less, and some refuse gifts outright. A quick question to your contact avoids an awkward return. When a personal gift is a problem, send something for the office instead: a crystal bowl for the reception desk or a serving set for the team kitchen.
2. Leave your logo off
A logo turns a luxury gift into promotional merchandise. The client knows who sent it. Put your company's name on a handwritten card, and let the gift carry Baccarat's name, not yours.
3. Send it before Thanksgiving
By mid-December, every client is getting a box a day. A thank-you that arrives the week before Thanksgiving gets opened, noticed and remembered. It also beats the December shipping crunch.
4. Ship to homes, not offices
With hybrid schedules, a package can sit at an empty front desk for a week. Collect home addresses early, or ask your contact's assistant where it should go.
5. Choose barware without the bottle
Alcohol is the classic client gift, and the hardest to send. Shipping rules vary by state, and a good share of any client list doesn't drink. Crystal glasses or a bottle coaster says the same thing and works for everyone.
Client gifts by relationship
Match the gift to the relationship, not to a flat budget. Every piece below is from a house your clients will recognize, and these are the kinds of pieces our corporate clients send.
New clients and prospects: $75 to $150
Keep it useful and modest, so it reads as a thank-you, not a pitch.
Steady clients: $150 to $300
The sweet spot for most client lists: a real piece of crystal or silver that stays on a desk or a table for years.
Top clients: $300 and up
For the relationships that make your year.
How ordering works with us
We're a family-run store in Brooklyn, and client gifting is handled by the people who own it.
- No minimum order. Send one gift or a hundred.
- Volume pricing on larger orders, quoted case by case.
- Allow 7 to 10 business days for larger orders, so we can confirm inventory and every detail.
- More than we have on the shelf? We order directly from the brands, as long as they have it in stock.
- Wrapping, cards and shipping to multiple addresses: tell us what you need and we'll work it out with you.
Tell us about your client list and we'll suggest gifts, quote volume pricing and confirm timing. Or email us at ecom@parciparlahome.com.
Client gift FAQ
How much should you spend on a client gift?
$75 to $150 for newer clients, $150 to $300 for steady ones, and $300 or more for your most important relationships. Check the client's gift policy first.
Are client gifts tax deductible?
Only up to $25 per recipient per year. Spend $200 on a client and $25 of it is deductible. Packaging, engraving and shipping generally don't count toward the $25. Ask your accountant how the rule applies to your business.
Should a client gift have your logo on it?
Not a luxury gift. Put your company's name on the card instead.
When should you send holiday client gifts?
The week before Thanksgiving. It stands out from the December rush and avoids holiday shipping delays.
Is alcohol a good client gift?
It's harder to ship and not everyone drinks. Crystal barware sends the same message and works for everyone.
How far ahead should you order corporate gifts?
Allow 7 to 10 business days for larger orders, and a little more for delivery in the weeks before the holidays.
