I often refer to my production equipment as gift-making machines. Every year during the holidays, friends, family and neighbors receive a custom gift from 9th Street Designs. I find making DIY gifts rewarding and certainly less painful than shopping.

What Is the Value of a Gift?

Making personalized holiday gifts can have an immeasurable impact.

By Shon Roti, Sublimation Consultant, Graphic Designer

(Originally printed in the November/December 2022 issue of Insights.)

I often refer to my production equipment as gift-making machines. Every year during the holidays, friends, family and neighbors receive a custom gift from 9th Street Designs. I find making DIY gifts rewarding and certainly less painful than shopping.

Another group of people receiving my handy work—9th Street Design clients.

Eighty-eight percent of corporate gift recipients would prefer to exchange the item for something more suited to their interests, according to a survey from batchusa.com. To be sure, if your client list is beyond 10,000, it would be difficult to find a gift that can make everyone happy. My client list is a bit more manageable. This allows me to create gifts that are more personal and likelier to be appreciated.

The biggest reason I give gifts to my clients is to show that I’m thinking about them. I care about their business. These gifts are a way to strengthen our working relationship and keep them thinking of me when they need merch. I have found the cost of appreciation is low compared to the impact of a meaningful gift—especially when clients receive a gift that shows I put some thought into it. 

Because my business targets small local businesses versus the general public or online buyers, I know my clients. This condition allows me to understand their hobbies, lifestyles and interests. And this knowledge equips me with the ideas for constructing a gift that will help keep me top of mind when my clients are ready to order products in 2023.

One of my clients operates a community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm. It’s all organic. They make their own honey and salsa and, come harvest time, the goods are delivered to subscribers who love fresh produce. In addition to the CSA, they have an event space for weddings and other gatherings in what was an old milk barn. This barn is not only the inspiration for their new logo, but it has become the focal point of their small farm. My clients Nancy and Jeff put their own sweat equity in the project of renovating this barn, so naturally it is a source of pride.

Figure A

Knowing the importance of this barn made it easy for me to create a personalized gift for them this year (Figure A). This bird house includes their logo and mimics the overall shape of the barn. It was created using my laser and some wood scraps that I stored in my garage. Not including my labor and laser time, the total expenses: about $5. Its impact? Immeasurable. I witnessed the reaction from the gift, and I think it was more than worth it for both parties.

Other clients of mine have interests outside of their business that I like to tap into. One of my client’s passions is automobiles, especially exotic or vintage cars. This year my client acquired a 1976 Toyota Land Cruiser. People that own vintage Land Cruisers are a dedicated and obsessed group. I know this because I own one as well.

Figure B

Figure C

Normally a key chain might not be a thoughtful gift, but in this case, it is (Figures B, C). Again, this gift did not break the bank. I used leftover materials: 1/4-inch birch plywood (also used in the birdhouse) and a few pieces of hardware. Total cost of materials was, again, less than $5. I also personalized the item with the client’s initials; this always adds value to the product and makes it more likely to be used and less likely to end up in a rummage sale.

Some gifts are not necessarily for the client themselves but something the client can offer his or her clients as a thank you. Figure D is one such item. This gift idea came from my wife, Lura. She writes, edits and handles the social media for this client and knew the kind of product that would make an impact. Using her advice and the birch plywood that seemed to be a trend in my gift giving this year, the Christmas ornament was sent as an idea for this shared client. Because of the material’s low cost, I could offer the item at an attractive price point for the client’s many recipients—its member list. Once again, adding a name to the product increased its custom appeal and thoughtfulness, which is difficult to accomplish with corporate gifts.

Figure D

Figure E

Some gifts are not for clients but can become a way to showcase your abilities. Figure E was an anniversary gift for my wife—16 years and counting! Although not an expensive gift, this crock lid took a bit of time (as it should). But, like the previously mentioned gift, it was inexpensive, as I utilized some old barn wood that I had saved in my garage. After a brief bit of lasering, sanding and varnishing, I had a gift that embellished a family heirloom. The next step included posting this image on social media to demonstrate my equipment’s capabilities and create some ideas for those who view the post.

My last bit of advice: Get to know your clients. Giving personalized gifts not only accomplishes the task of showing my clients my appreciation for them and their business but also gives my clients an example of my creativity and capabilities and, in some cases, an idea for a future product they can get from 9th Street Designs.

Shon Roti is the owner of 9th Street Designs, a sublimation & graphic design consulting & promotional products business. A graphic designer, Shon has spent more than two decades working as a production artist and instructor in the awards and promotional products industry. In 2014, ARA named him Speaker of the Year. You can find him at www.9thsd.com or contact him at shon@sublimationconsultant.com.

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