Does Your Business Send Holiday Cards or Gifts?
Five pros share the ways they offer holiday cheer and thank clients and trade partners at the end of the year
This year the holidays will look and feel a little different for many people. But what hasn’t changed is the opportunity the season offers to show care to the family, friends, clients and colleagues who’ve helped us get through the year.
We asked five pros how they plan to show appreciation to clients, vendors and trade partners this holiday season. Read on for their thoughts, then please share your own plans in the Comments.
We asked five pros how they plan to show appreciation to clients, vendors and trade partners this holiday season. Read on for their thoughts, then please share your own plans in the Comments.
Acknowledging Clients With a Personalized Gift
Emily Griffin and Stephanie Houghton of Emily Griffin Design in Toronto like to pick out personalized holiday gifts for clients with ongoing or recently completed projects. The gifts relate to the clients’ homes and the design work the firm has done for them. Styling accessories are one example. “Like a great-looking coffee table book on a topic that we know they are passionate about, or a beautiful objet d’art for a bookcase that we have designed for one of their rooms — something they would love to look at based on their interests,” says Houghton, the firm’s co-owner and senior designer. “That’s really how we practice design anyway with our clients: We create homes that reflect who they are and what they love.”
Arlington Home Interiors in Arlington, Virginia, also takes a personalized approach, says Mark Manlove, vice president of operations and marketing. Clients with large projects get customized gifts that vary “depending on the project and the client’s interest,” he says. The firm might choose a vase, pitcher or platter that feels right for that particular client. “We tend to try to do something on the larger size that will be a gift they’ll remember us for,” Manlove says. “A pretty gift that will be functional and will remind them of us.”
Clients with smaller projects also get a holiday gift, such as a gourmet treat like olive oil and seasonings, or an artisanal gift like a handmade pottery tray for holding a soup ladle.
If you’re looking to give a personalized gift, perhaps reviewing Houzz ideabooks shared with your clients, or even your email exchanges, might help to spark a fun idea. Houzz Pro project and business management software helps you out by keeping all of your communication, documents and client approvals for each project in one centralized place, which you can refer back to at any time.
Learn about Houzz Pro business management software
Emily Griffin and Stephanie Houghton of Emily Griffin Design in Toronto like to pick out personalized holiday gifts for clients with ongoing or recently completed projects. The gifts relate to the clients’ homes and the design work the firm has done for them. Styling accessories are one example. “Like a great-looking coffee table book on a topic that we know they are passionate about, or a beautiful objet d’art for a bookcase that we have designed for one of their rooms — something they would love to look at based on their interests,” says Houghton, the firm’s co-owner and senior designer. “That’s really how we practice design anyway with our clients: We create homes that reflect who they are and what they love.”
Arlington Home Interiors in Arlington, Virginia, also takes a personalized approach, says Mark Manlove, vice president of operations and marketing. Clients with large projects get customized gifts that vary “depending on the project and the client’s interest,” he says. The firm might choose a vase, pitcher or platter that feels right for that particular client. “We tend to try to do something on the larger size that will be a gift they’ll remember us for,” Manlove says. “A pretty gift that will be functional and will remind them of us.”
Clients with smaller projects also get a holiday gift, such as a gourmet treat like olive oil and seasonings, or an artisanal gift like a handmade pottery tray for holding a soup ladle.
If you’re looking to give a personalized gift, perhaps reviewing Houzz ideabooks shared with your clients, or even your email exchanges, might help to spark a fun idea. Houzz Pro project and business management software helps you out by keeping all of your communication, documents and client approvals for each project in one centralized place, which you can refer back to at any time.
Learn about Houzz Pro business management software
Recognizing the Power of a Simple Card
In addition to gifts, all the pros we spoke with also send holiday cards, either electronically or via the postal service. Some aim to send the cards in early December before the rush of holiday mail begins and people start their holiday vacations and travels. Others wait until January, when there’s more breathing room, and send a Happy New Year letter.
“We just sent out a Thanksgiving card to about 150 past clients,” says design-builder Peter Feinmann of Feinmann in Lexington, Massachusetts. “We think a Thanksgiving card is more appropriate and also doesn’t compete with all the other cards arriving in December.”
Typically, Martha O’Hara Interiors in Minneapolis gives holiday gifts to clients, most often a gourmet food product sourced from a local vendor, says Kate O’Hara, CEO and creative director. “This year we’re sending cards, but not gifts at this time, because we have clients who do want not to be receiving packages at their doorstep. We’re just being mindful of the year that we’re in,” O’Hara says.
The firm may send gifts in the spring, or it may skip them altogether. The pandemic has been a good reminder that gifts, while nice, aren’t an absolute must. “A simple gesture of a card that goes out to your clients is really enough,” O’Hara says.
In addition to gifts, all the pros we spoke with also send holiday cards, either electronically or via the postal service. Some aim to send the cards in early December before the rush of holiday mail begins and people start their holiday vacations and travels. Others wait until January, when there’s more breathing room, and send a Happy New Year letter.
“We just sent out a Thanksgiving card to about 150 past clients,” says design-builder Peter Feinmann of Feinmann in Lexington, Massachusetts. “We think a Thanksgiving card is more appropriate and also doesn’t compete with all the other cards arriving in December.”
Typically, Martha O’Hara Interiors in Minneapolis gives holiday gifts to clients, most often a gourmet food product sourced from a local vendor, says Kate O’Hara, CEO and creative director. “This year we’re sending cards, but not gifts at this time, because we have clients who do want not to be receiving packages at their doorstep. We’re just being mindful of the year that we’re in,” O’Hara says.
The firm may send gifts in the spring, or it may skip them altogether. The pandemic has been a good reminder that gifts, while nice, aren’t an absolute must. “A simple gesture of a card that goes out to your clients is really enough,” O’Hara says.
Remembering Clients All Year Long
While it’s nice to show thoughtfulness with clients, tradespeople and vendors at the holidays, several pros said they try to stay in touch more frequently. “We really aim to stay in front of our clients throughout the year,” O’Hara says. “We don’t want to overemphasize the holidays or one time of year where we’re saying hello.”
Instead, Martha O’Hara Interiors sends emails once a month to clients and anyone else who has signed up for the firm’s newsletter. Emails might include updates on new projects on the website that readers might want to check out, as well as announcements of any awards the firm has recently won. “They like to hear when their designer is being awarded,” O’Hara says, and “it’s fun for a client to get to see their own home featured.”
Arlington Home Interiors has a creative approach to staying in touch: One year after a project is installed, the design firm marks the occasion with a gift to the client. “On their anniversary we’ll send them a nice bouquet of flowers from a local florist,” Manlove says. Not only is this a lovely way to commemorate the project, it has also helped the firm generate new business. Some deliveries have sparked calls from clients who say they’ve been meaning to reach out about a new project and that the bouquet provided the perfect reminder to call.
While it’s nice to show thoughtfulness with clients, tradespeople and vendors at the holidays, several pros said they try to stay in touch more frequently. “We really aim to stay in front of our clients throughout the year,” O’Hara says. “We don’t want to overemphasize the holidays or one time of year where we’re saying hello.”
Instead, Martha O’Hara Interiors sends emails once a month to clients and anyone else who has signed up for the firm’s newsletter. Emails might include updates on new projects on the website that readers might want to check out, as well as announcements of any awards the firm has recently won. “They like to hear when their designer is being awarded,” O’Hara says, and “it’s fun for a client to get to see their own home featured.”
Arlington Home Interiors has a creative approach to staying in touch: One year after a project is installed, the design firm marks the occasion with a gift to the client. “On their anniversary we’ll send them a nice bouquet of flowers from a local florist,” Manlove says. Not only is this a lovely way to commemorate the project, it has also helped the firm generate new business. Some deliveries have sparked calls from clients who say they’ve been meaning to reach out about a new project and that the bouquet provided the perfect reminder to call.
Your turn: What do you do for people you work with and for during the holidays? Please share in the Comments.
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More for Pros on Houzz
Read more stories for pros
Learn about Houzz Pro software
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Join the Houzz Trade Program
Nine years ago when Wendy Glaister of Wendy Glaister Interiors was a newly single mom running a design business, someone stepped in to help. “I have a really good friend who gave me a job when I had no money,” says Glaister, who worked at her friend’s fruit stand while her son was in school. She also worked at the stand on weekends while her son was with his dad. “I was so grateful because it was always busy there so it kept my mind off of things,” she says.
Glaister has never forgotten the kindness. Now that her design firm is booming, each year she gives her friend’s delicious products — treats like almonds, dried apricots and chocolate-dipped butter toffee — as a holiday gift. They go to her stone contractors, lighting designer, cabinet guy, fabric reps and many others whose work makes her design projects possible. The men get just the food and the women get treats plus an orchid. “And everybody gets a handwritten card,” Glaister says.
While the food gift has sentimental value for Glaister, she feels that what she gives matters less than simply expressing her gratitude. “It’s just something sweet and pretty that shows I care,” she says. “People just want to know that you care about them.”