It’s the holiday season and that means gift giving is upon us. If you’re like me, you love giving gifts. There’s just something so magical about giving a gift to someone you love and appreciate and seeing their face light up with gratitude!

And, if still like me, you try to always do small Christmas gifts for your clients too. Because, naturally, you’re thankful for them and you want them to know that you appreciate them supporting you and your small business.

A good rule of thumb for what to spend on a client gift, is 5% of what they paid you. So if your session fee is $500, then a $25 gift for them is perfect!

I’ve put together a list of my top favorite gift ideas for clients that don’t break the bank, but leave a long-lasting impression.

My go-tos for client gifts are BoxFox, Artifact Uprising, and Greetabl.

I send a BoxFox gift when a client books a maternity and newborn collection with me. I can customize each box for each client and my clients LOVE them! Use this link to save $10 off your first $75+ BoxFox purchase.

After a newborn session, I design and mail my client a custom gift from Artifact Uprising. A few of my faves are the Wood Calendar and Wood Block with Prints. Use this link to save $20 on your first AU purchase.

I’ll send a custom Greetabl gift box to let a client know I’m thinking about her or as a thank you for referring another client to me. It’s the perfect little pick-me-up! I can add photos from her session, a small but mighty gift, and even a gift card for a personal touch. 

Photo Ornament

Me being a newborn photographer, I love the idea of sending an ornament for Baby’s First Christmas. However, if you’re not a newborn photographer you could send an ornament for our First Christmas as Mr. and Mrs. or just an ornament with a favorite image from a family session and list the family’s name. Your options here are as far as your imagination will soar.

Mini Canvases

Canvases are all the rage now. They make an impact and are durable. Consider gifting a small canvas to your clients for them to display in their home or for their desk at work.

Magnets

If you’re a family portrait photographer, there’s a good chance that your client’s refrigerator is full of to-do lists, pictures, and artwork by their kiddos. Consider sending a magnet with one of their favorite images from their session with you. Now they can hang their grocery list on their fridge with style.

Holiday Cards

The beautiful thing about the holidays is you don’t even have to send an actual gift. You can send a holiday card wishing your clients a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and that makes an impact just as much as any gift above does. I’m a firm believer in handwritten cards so make sure to write a personal note to make it even more meaningful.

5×7 Professional Print

We know that not all of our clients immediately print their photos, nor do they print them in a way that highlights their true quality. Sending them a free professional print is a great way to show them the quality of ordering images through you all while sending them a little happy mail, too.

Provide a Discount

Maybe you have too many clients that you really can’t afford to splurge on something for every single one – that’s totally fine and you shouldn’t feel bad about that by any means! However, you know you still want to give back and know you can do so by offering a discount on print orders. 

Send an email to your past clients with completed galleries letting them know that for a limited time you’re offering a discount on all prints ordered by a certain date. Let them know that it’s just one small way you can express that you’re grateful they trusted you to be their photographer.

Partner with a Local Small Business

Know someone who has a small business that sells little trinkets items or baked goods? See if you can partner with them when sending holiday gifts if you put in a bulk order. You’ll be supporting a fellow local small business and bringing a smile to your clients. It’s a win-win.

There you have it – some of the top gift ideas for your clients. Did I leave your go-to gift off the list? Let me know in the comments!

*This blog post contains affiliate links. I may make a small commission or credit if you make a purchase using these links. I promise to only share products I actually use and love!