You must buy all of your clients gifts and spend a ton of money on them said no one ever.
Holidays are fun. You can crack open that imaginative brain of yours like a roll of Cinnamon buns and bake up some holiday spirit for your clients. Ok, maybe that was a bit cheesy, but you get the idea.
What to do?
If your client base is small enough, you could potentially send $5.00 coffee gift cards out into the universe as a thank you for their loyalty. Probably not the best option if this is your first year in business, as the cost could add up quickly. If you only have a handful of clients, however, something small like this or something related to your business could benefit you in terms of showing how much you care about your profession. Also, depending on the item, could provide free marketing as well.
IE: You could have little sock box made up for you on SwagUp for as low as $4.19/box, or water bottles as little as $9.79. (Yes, I totally just wrote sock box.) *I'm in no way an affiliate of this company, but their cool items definitely caught my eye.
On the more affordable route, you can always send holiday cards. And no, don't just sign them and send them off. Include a personal message about your client to show you genuinely cared about their transaction.
If you're into clothing retail, you could pop in a note mentioning how great it was to help them pick out a color of a specific shirt, or something more unique to them such as remembering the bright pink mohawk they sported so well. Be genuine, kind, and grateful. Then sign your card. (Or your email!)
If you have extra coupons from the year, why not place those in play as well? Make a note that their loyalty meant so much, that you're going to extend the offer until the end of the year. If you're a consultant, you could offer a follow up conversation to touch base and see how everything is going. Be present to your community as well and hand out coupons to your neighbors and friends just to amp up the holiday season!
Give Back
While we're on the note of giving back, don't forget to spend a couple hours doing good for others. It's the holiday season, and us Valkyrie need to fly in and show how compassionate we are about life in general. Donate some items to the Salvation Army, volunteer at a food pantry or shelter, and just be present and aware of your surroundings. A little goes along way, so even if you're only volunteering for 30 minutes a week, that can speak volumes.
Online Volunteering
Yes, this is a thing. If you google "Online volunteering," there are a slew of opportunities to connect online and either volunteer from your computer, or schedule an in-person event.
Points of Light does just that; you can enter a key term and location, and all volunteering opportunities generate on their website - both remotely and in-person. They even have an annual conference for communities to gather, generate ideas for giving back, and for networking. *Again, not affiliated, but this website is literally amazing!
Check out my little example I filled out here:
A little goes a long way. Do what you can and remember that even a smile can change someone's day.
Stay Fierce, Valkyrie