Gift giving is never mandatory, but sometimes we want to show our clients appreciation in the form of gift-giving. My first year as a personal trainer, I stressed about what to give my clients. My budget was small and I felt like my clients already had anything in the world they might want- so what in the world could I give them that they would like? And then I remembered: The point is to make my clients feel appreciated and loved. It doesn’t have to be expensive or extravagant to get that point across.
I began to reflect on the conversations I’d had with my clients over the year to help me brainstorm ideas. It seemed that our conversations always fell to cooking and recipes- because I love both and so do most of my clients. “Aha!” I thought, “I can find a recipe for a baked good or treat and give them the recipe!” And so the tradition began.
One year I bought bulk spices and created a seasoning blend, another year I made a dark chocolate bark (dark chocolate = healthy, right??), roasted and seasoned nuts were easy to make and very popular, once I even made frozen healthy pumpkin pie bars that were a total hit! I had to bring my cooler into the studio for that one, but it was totally worth it!
Because of COVID, I won’t be making treats this year (plus some of my clients are still virtual only!), but I did come up with an idea to create an ebook with goal setting tips as we approach 2021 along with some of my favorite recipe ideas to make healthy eating easy and delicious. You can get a free copy of the ebook by signing up for my newsletter during the month of December! Just scroll down to the bottom of this page to sign up and I’ll send it to you ASAP! It’s yours to give to clients, use during goal-setting sessions, or use as inspiration to create your own with your favorite recipes. Plus, does it get any more affordable than free?? I don’t think so.
Thinking about doing something nice for your own clients? Here are 3 questions that you can ask yourself in your own brainstorming process:
What’s something that will remind your clients of you?
I mentioned that thinking back on frequently discussed topics helped me come up with the idea of making a treat and sharing the recipe.
What’s a fun treat your clients might enjoy?
If you enjoy baking or making snacks (healthy or otherwise- this is the holiday season, afterall), this might be a great cost-effective way to show your clients some love. Just remember allergens- some years I had an alternate treat for clients who were allergic to nuts or any other allergen present. This wasn’t too hard to manage, and they were certainly thankful that I considered their needs.
What’s something that they might be able to use in their health and fitness journey?
Sometimes you can find bulk pricing on items like customized towels (with your logo, obvi), water bottles, or even creating a book of recipes and fit tips that they can use for the New Year. Or, you know, you could always just sign up to get my ebook for free! (shameless plug)
No matter how you decide to shower your clients with love and appreciation (even a simple, heartfelt thank you can go a long way!), the fact that you took the time to demonstrate your love and gratitude will let them know that you care!
