For nearly a decade I started getting phone calls from my mom declaring how many days it was until Christmas.
“It’s July 1st! Just 177 days to go!” she’d cheer.
“September 25th… 91 days and counting!”
“364 more days until the next one,” she’d proclaim the morning after Christmas.
Mom was a big fan of the holiday season.
And whether it was because her birthday fell just 2 days later (December 27th) or because she loved cookies and eggnog and wrapping gifts, she joyously counted each day as we headed into the season. And, yes, it’s rubbed off on me too.
I’m here with a note for you: it’s just 38 days until Christmas.
Now you may not celebrate the holiday, but most businesses close up shop and celebrate the end of another year of entrepreneurship. Maybe it’s your first year. Maybe it’s your 9th. Or maybe your business is still in prep mode. Any way you cut it, the end of the year calls for massive amounts of celebration (complete with champagne and cheering) and even more heaping helpings of gratitude.
That’s right, it’s time to send a little love to the people who’ve helped you get to where you are today.
For the record, those people are:
- Your loved ones who support you day in and day out.
- Your mentors and colleagues who’ve lifted you up and taught you what you know.
- Your clients who have trusted you with their lives/businesses/hearts.
- Your team who has had your back (and sometimes your front).
But how do you get grateful with each person and still have time for a Home Alone marathon and sweet potato casserole?
I thought you’d never ask.
[Tweet “Do you know how many days are left before the end of the year? Grab the essential gift guide today!”]
Gift giving is a talent, and with this guide in your back pocket you’ll have the gifting chops to make it seamless (and maybe even get those gifts done before January). Make the memories you’ve made over the last year stick by giving the gift that makes them think of you every time they see it.
If you are a Strategist:
Know someone who is truly BOSS? Send her this coffee mug and leave her smiling every morning.
You’ve heard of a Power Lunch, right? Well, a meeting with a dead cell phone can be disastrous. Meet the Power Wallet. Keeping a phone charged has never been more beautiful.
Does your client love jamming to her favorite tunes while she works away? She can finally say sayonara to annoying and repetitive commercials with a Pandora One subscription. You can gift one month or an entire year, it’s up to you!
Are you a bit bookish? Help your client remember all of those books you mentioned with her own Paperback Book Wallpaper. Turn any room into a full blown library with this DIY gift.
Business cards are a must at any networking event. Help your client feel prepared (and stylish!) with a Moo.com Gift Card.
Inspiration comes in all forms. Now that HBO is available to anyone (with or without cable!), give your favorite movie and TV lover the gift of HBO Next.
If you know your favorite client spends hours logging time on the ol’ laptop, you’ll have her smiling with each use of the Laptop Desk. Organization and ease all in one handy gift!
Busy-ness is an epidemic! Gift your client extra time with Fancy Hands. You buy the time, they assign the tasks (and send you a huge thank you with all of their new-found free time).
Nothing says branded like a custom Poppin notebook. Add your logo, pick something in your brand color, or make it client-focused and gift them their brand colors. A notebook from Poppin truly makes work happy.
PicMonkey Royale. At just $33 for a full year of picture-making goodness, this gift is sure to please your favorite image-phile.
Run a Coaching business?
Give the gift of truth with a Truthbomb Card Deck. Pulled together by Danielle LaPorte, this deck is stacked with phrases you probably already shared with your coachee. What a way to remember you after you’re done working together!
Share the gift that keeps giving with a Cause Box by Sevenly. Each monthly box is full of socially conscious women’s products with a portion of proceeds going directly to charity.
Time to relax with a hot cup of tea! The gift of a unique Tea kettle for your coaching client can bring them cup after cup of peace and comfort.
We all need a little more fairytales in our lives. Magic can truly be in your client’s hands with Fairytale brownies. Beautifully packaged (and delicious!), these brownies will be a pleasant surprise on any doorstep.
Send a message they can wear close to their heart with Dogeared Jewelry. You can choose from any of their classic pieces or one of the custom Truthbomb designs for maximum beauty and impact.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so give your client gorgeous handmade jewelry with a mission to behold daily. With choices from meaningful stones to customized compliments on the packaging, this gift is perfect for that conscious business owner who is devoted to peace and beauty in all they do.
Do you work Behind the Scenes in a biz? Try these gift ideas:
Filing doesn’t have to be boring! Spice things up with stunning file folders to make filing fun.
Spent a ton of time organizing digital files with your client? A gift of Evernote Premium will keep that organization going and set them up for success for the rest of the year.
If you want to see a busy business owner’s eyes light up, send them a housekeeper. Seriously, she might just kiss you through her computer screen. Gifting a sparkling clean home is the gift that will make anyone smile.
Find yourself talking about Pomodoro breaks with your over-worked clients? Give them a cool Timer to remember you by with each productivity break they take. Turning break time into a fun game makes you more likely to stick with taking that time out.
At just $12 for an entire year, LastPass Premium keeps your client safe and secure for less than a buck a month.
Invention is truly the mother of all necessity and Quirky is the home for inventions you didn’t even know were a necessity. Careful, though! Shoppers browsing this site have been known to add a few things to their own cart along the way.
If you work with food (here’s lookin’ at you, Nutritionists, Chefs, and Food Bloggers):
No snack is perfect. When you’re on the search for the right balance of proteins and nutrients to keep an active and on-the-go client happy, achieving perfection is tough. But don’t tell that to Perfect Bars. One box of these sent to your clients with full lives and schedules will keep them satisfied between meals and on track with your plan.
Want something more substantial than a snack bar? Gift an entire dinner (or two!) with a meal subscription box. These “meal in a box” packages come with all the fixings for a healthy dinner and include step by step recipes.
Remembering to eat your greens is easy to do with a salad bowl set that truly stands out. Gifting this little veggie love boat makes adding a healthy salad to any meal even more fun.
It’s often said that a little salt and pepper go a long way to bring out the natural flavors of a dish. Well, if that’s what some salt and pepper can do, imagine the life you can bring to your client’s next meal with a fresh herb gift set. With mix and match options and pre-made themed boxes, you’re sure to find the right fit for your colorful client.
Every good chef deserves a fantastic apron. If your client is the fashionable type, the gift of an apron is a nod to your work in the kitchen and her work in her closet. Show her how to dress the part and protect what she’s got.
Maybe you’re the kind of pro who acknowledges the old saying of “everything in moderation”. Gift your sweet tooth client a batch of homemade raw vegan truffles (you know, for those cheat days).
Find Zen as a Yoga Teacher?
Essential oils are a, well, essential part of many yoga practices. Bring your client relaxation with lavender, uplift them with lemon, wake them up with peppermint, or ground them with sandalwood.
Evoke the feeling of being in the studio with just one sniff. The gift of incense will transport your clients back onto their mat with the flick of a match. Classic Nag Champa is one any yogi can appreciate, or choose a scent that matches your studio style.
Nothing says “restore me now” like a silk eye pillow. Remind your client that it’s time to put their feet up the wall, take a few deep breaths, and relax their eyes for a while. An eye pillow is the ultimate reminder to continue their practice of regular self-care.
And for absolutely anyone:
For the person who already has everything, a donation in their honor is the gift that (literally) keeps on giving.
Have you ever sent a Bond card? When you’re on the go and need to send a card NOW, Bond makes it easy to send a handwritten card with just a few clicks.
Want to send a little bit of a lot of things? Sesame Gifts has you covered. With beautifully packaged gift boxes full of themed gifts with loads of character, check out Sesame (they even have an app!) for your next gift giving event.
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Want even MORE gift ideas?! Enter your name and email below to join the waiting list now for the spring 2016 class of Your Signature Experience.
If you missed it last round, this move-at-your-own-pace course is chock full of ways to create a beautifully branded client experience that you will be proud of and your customers will love. Learn more here or better yet…
