14 Ways To Show Gratitude For Clients And Biz Partners This Holiday

The holiday season offers the perfect opportunity to express gratitude to the clients and business partners who contribute to your success year-round. While any gestures of appreciation are likely to be valued, how you show them can leave a lasting impression and strengthen these critical relationships.

To help you plan, Forbes Human Resources Council members share their best practices for showing appreciation during the holidays—ensuring those gestures resonate far beyond the season. Whether it’s a thoughtful gift, a personalized message or an act of goodwill, the key is to make it meaningful and reflective of your partnership.

1. Make A Donation In Their Honor

Offer them the opportunity to have a donation made to their favorite non-profit or charity in lieu of receiving an appreciation or holiday gift. Then, recognize them publicly with a social media post, along with the charity. – Tracy Jackson, HR E-Z

2. Offer A Discount On Services In The New Year

I normally do quarterly magazines with relevant business and work culture insights, and I add a special coupon for the new year’s service for clients who have given me an opportunity. I include a personalized letter highlighting what we accomplished in the year and then I thank them for their business. It has brought me repeat business. – Tiersa Smith-Hall, Impactful Imprints, Training & Consulting

3. Send A Heartfelt Note

A genuine heartfelt thank you note with an invite for a dinner is appealing. This is especially true if you are in the same location and city—it’s a great way to show your appreciation. – Amee Parekh, Stello Technologies

4. Send A Quarterly Business Update

A best practice to show external partners your appreciation is a quarterly update on the business, what is working and where there are gaps. Cross-sharing works when it is done consistently and with content that can bolster the external partnership. The benefits can be tremendous, including referrals, new ideas that are generated and solutions that otherwise would have gone unspoken. – John Pierce, John Pierce Consulting

5. Take Them Out For A Meal

Consider taking your clients or business partners out for a nice holiday meal where the emphasis is not on sales but on expressing gratitude and getting to know them better. Think of any dietary restrictions and find a nice, quiet place where you can focus on building a better business relationship with them. – Erin ImHof, CertiK

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6. Give A Meaningful Gift

If you give a gift, it has to be something unique and special. Try to avoid standard gifts if you can. Make it special because it shows you’ve taken the time to know the person. Stop and thank them, and ask them about their family and holiday plans. Let them know how important they are. – Jake Zabkowicz, Hudson RPO

7. Recognize The Partner How They Wish To Be Recognized

Focus on recognizing each client and business partner in a way that is meaningful to them. For that, you need to have invested time to really get to know them. One might want you to support a nonprofit cause that is near and dear to them. The other might appreciate a gift. Learn what matters to each and recognize them the way they want to be recognized, not the way you want to. – Oksana Lukash, People, Culture, You

8. Show Respect For Their Time Off And Personal Boundaries

Personalized messages and gifts are important because they show that you have taken the time to listen and note what is important to them. Increasingly, personal messages may be sent electronically as so many people work outside of the office and may not want to share personal addresses. Honor and respect the time they plan to take off work for the holidays—don’t get in touch during this time. – Charlotte Sweeney OBE, Charlotte Sweeney Associates (CSA)

9. Show Appreciation All Year Long

While the holiday season is a traditional time to show appreciation, it’s also an opportunity to reflect on ways we can express gratitude throughout the year. Making appreciation an ongoing part of our relationships—not just a once-a-year gesture—adds authenticity to holiday celebrations and fosters genuine goodwill all year long. – Julie Hankins, Epista

10. Send A Handwritten Note From Leadership

There is power in a handwritten note from key leadership. Clients and business partners want to be seen and recognized. A personal note needs to be unique to each client, highlighting key milestones achieved together or your combined aspirations for future success. A personal touch means the world in our fast-paced, electronic workplaces. – Niki Jorgensen, Insperity

11. Include A Gratitude Banner On Their Client Portal

Loyal customers will notice and appreciate your authentic note of gratitude as a top banner on the technology portal or app they access from the membership they have with your company. And, most organizations overlook first-time or new customers. Don’t be that organization. For this customer segment, reach out with a personal email and invite their input on their initial experience with your organization. – Laci Loew

12. Offer Special VIP Access

Offer clients exclusive VIP access to new products, services or content. Whether it’s an early product launch, a sneak peek at upcoming offerings or a personalized demonstration, this special perk highlights your commitment to keeping them ahead of the curve. It not only rewards their loyalty but also strengthens your business relationship with a personalized touch. – Laura Spawn, Virtual Vocations, Inc.

13. Send A Non-Promotional Gift

Send personalized messages or thoughtful, non-promotional gifts that reflect your relationship and their unique interests or values. For example, instead of generic branded items, consider a handwritten note expressing specific gratitude for milestones you’ve achieved together or a small gift that aligns with their hobbies or company values, such as a donation to a charity they support. – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal

14. Send A Holiday Card

I am a big fan of cards. We each hand-write cards for key partners and send them along during the holidays. In years where we can, those cards go along with a thoughtful gift representing our company’s brand. In years past, we’ve donated on behalf of our clients to non-profit organizations that we support. Thanking key partners and just showing recognition and appreciation goes a long way. – Emily Venizelos, 72andSunny