Byline credit to Luna Herrera, Director of Sales, Word & Brown General Agency
It’s gift-giving season. Many people love shopping for, wrapping, and delivering gifts to clients, family, and friends. Others dread it. Whatever your point of view, let me share 17 tips that I find useful – at this time and throughout the year.
1: Consider whether your organization has a prohibition on gifts or limits the dollar amount for giving or receiving gifts. Ask whether your gift recipient’s organization may have such a limit. I’ve known people who work for organizations that allow employees to give and receive gifts, entertainment, or other courtesies from business partners – up to a specified dollar limit of $25, $50, $100, or even $200. Anything of greater value is discouraged or may be subject to approval by Human Resources or executive management. If you’re gifting to a member of a client firm’s executive management, rules could differ.
2: Consider whether any regulatory agency might limit the value of your gift.
In some states, insurance anti-rebating laws may limit the dollar value of a client gift.
Non-cash gifts may be preferable as they are unlikely to be perceived as an inducement to make an insurance product or service purchase.
Be sure to consider whether your state has such limits, or whether any professional organization to which you belong may limit gifts as part of its ethics code.
3: Document any gifts given as part of your business compliance records. This can help you respond to any potential challenge concerning a gift or donation.
4:Avoid cash or cash equivalents like gift cards. On its face, this type of gift may seem ideal, since the recipient can choose how to use the cash or gift card. However, a donation to a charitable organization selected by or in the client’s name (or organization name) may be preferable.
5: Be consistent across similar clients/organization to avoid perceived favoritism. You don’t want to risk offending a client if he/she/they learn of an unequal gift to another person or organization.
6: Deliver gifts timed to an occasion or milestone. If you’re giving a gift during the holidays, consider whether a gift is welcome. A person who does not celebrate Christmas may not appreciate a gift wrapped in holiday paper. Be mindful of your clients’ cultural differences and preferences.
7: Branded items may be appropriate. If you have a discreetly branded promotional item, you client may welcome it. If you have not already bought it, you could be too late; however, you may want to consider ordering it soon for 2025.
8: Avoid alcohol unless you know it’s appropriate. More and more people are reducing their consumption of alcohol. Whether it’s part of alcohol-free holidays, Dry January, a religious prohibition, or just a trend toward more healthy living, alcohol consumption is down in recent surveys (as compared to 2023 and during the pandemic). Keep that in mind if you’re thinking about a gift of alcohol. If appropriate, consider alcohol-free alternatives.
9: Don’t get too personal. While it’s understandable that you may want to demonstrate how well you know your client, there’s a line you don’t want to cross. Avoid gifting anything overly personal.
10: Be careful with food gifts. You may – or may not – know all of your client’s food allergies and restrictions.
11: Be professional. Even if you feel you’ve become a friend to your customers, it’s best be maintain your professional boundaries when it comes to gift giving.
12: Consider a group gift, rather than individual gifts. Again, though, be aware of potential food allergies – and make sure nuts, dairy, etc. are disclosed.
13: Consider something local. Think about whether there’s a “local favorite” that is sure to be appreciated by your client. Maybe you have a customer that makes, sells, or distributes something out of the ordinary. It could be a win-win – benefiting both your client and your gift recipient.
14: Send your gift to your client’s work address, rather than to their home (even if you know the address). Mailing or delivering something to a client’s home may be inappropriate by some.
15: Avoid the holiday rush. Think about whether your gift recipient may be receiving other vendor gifts. Help your gift standout by delivering it early in the season – or even as a post-New Year’s gift.
16: Don’t expect (or request) reciprocation. You’re giving the gift in appreciation of your business relationship, not with the expectation that you’ll receive a gift in return.
If you do receive a gift, be sure to promptly acknowledge it with a thank you message.
17: Include a professional note or card. You don’t want there to be any mystery about why or who sent a gift. Write a note expressing your gratitude for a valued business relationship.
Good luck in choosing the right gift for your customers. Happy holidays!
About the Author: Luna Herrera is the Director of Inside Sales for Word & Brown’s Inland Empire and San Diego regions. She has been with W&B since 2012.
