Five Christmas Gift Ideas to maximise your Income as a Creative this Christmas
- Nov 7, 2022
- 5 min read
Now that Halloween and Bonfire Night have passed, it officially feels like Christmas! Christmas is an incredibly busy time of year for everyone and if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, now is probably around the time you start thinking about it (unless you’re one of those Christmas Eve shoppers, we’ve all been there!). As a creative, Christmas is the time of year where you will probably see an influx in income via bookings or sales, so it is the perfect opportunity to maximise your income streams through various items or services. If you haven’t considered creating products or packages for Christmas before, or you are struggling for inspiration this year, this blog is for you! This week I will be providing you with five Christmas gift ideas to help maximise your income and get your business ready for Christmas.
1. Festive Mini Sessions
This idea is predominantly aimed at my fellow photographers because it is a great way to gain some bookings through winter and potentially create new client relationships. Mini sessions are quick, often between 15 and 30 minute photoshoots, that can be utilised by families, couples, children and more. Around this time of year, you can use a festive location such as a Christmas tree farm or town with Christmas lights, or invest in a festive-themed backdrop if you have a studio available.
Clients usually book these mini sessions in advance of Christmas, which means you can provide add-ons such as a Photobauble or framed print, making it the ideal gift for grandparents or other family members. I offer a free 10x8 print in my mini session packages, which removes the stress from the client at Christmas, as they simply tell me which image they want, and I take care of the rest for them. Alternatively, you could provide digital add-ons by purchasing a digital frame and using Photoshop to create a digital composite of their Christmas image, that can be shared on social media and within the family. These sessions are ideal for gaining new clients or clients with little photoshoot experience due to the speed of the shoot. This also helps when there are young children involved, as they would most likely get bored after 30 mins sitting still for photos!
Speaking of festive mini sessions, I am now taking bookings for my Winter Mini sessions! These are 30 minute photoshoots at a festive location, and you will receive one 10x8 print included in the cost. These sessions will be running until the end of February but if you would like your images in time for Christmas, my final Christmas date is 10th December. Just get in contact to enquire!
2. Christmas Cards
The second gift idea can be utilised by creators in the visual arts, digital arts, or if you can digitise your physical artwork, this is great for artists too! Christmas cards are great for people to send to family and friends further afield, and they make great last minute gifts if you sneak some money into them. You can create as many or as little designs as you’d like, experiment with various sizes and design features such as foiling or glitter. Additionally, packaging costs for Christmas cards can typically be kept quite low as they are flat and easy to package. To get your consumers into the festive spirit, you could even host a giveaway to help spread the word.
Here are some designs I created last Christmas which will be available to purchase again this year! I really love the square design and I had so much fun composing each shot despite the house looking a little strange with a Christmas tree decorated in July. By creating your own Christmas cards, you are offering a unique product that cannot be found on the high street, making the recipient feel that little bit more special. You can find a reel on how I created my Christmas cards on Instagram!
3. Wall Calendars
Similarly to the Christmas cards, calendars can be made by any creatives who are able to digitise their artwork. Calendars are often quite simple to create as you can use designs you have made previously throughout the year, relieving you of extra work at an already busy time of year. You can also price your calendars slightly higher than high-street prices, as they are unique, just like your Christmas cards, so people will usually pay more for something ‘one-of-a-kind’. As well as pricing them higher during the festive season, you can additionally create a sale for any unsold calendars in January as there will always be consumers who buy these products when they are on sale as opposed to their peak prices. Finally, calendars are a brilliant all-round Christmas gift. I love receiving a new calendar every Christmas and filling it in ready for the new year. I personally believe you cannot go wrong with a calendar for Christmas!
4. Personalised Gifts
Adding personalisation as an option to products you already have in stock is a great way to generate more sales. People love receiving a gift addressed specifically to them and they make the perfect gifts for children in particular. For example, you could create personalised pyjamas, decorations or Christmas Eve boxes! As an alternative to personalised products, bespoke commissions are a unique product for painters and print makers to offer. Cleverdon Creations, a fine art and photographic business, creates bespoke watercolour portraits of the recipients home, the ideal gift for first time home-owners or those who have moved into new locations and a special way to celebrate the milestone. You can find more watercolour portraits on Cleverdon Creations website and Instagram!
If personalisation will be too much for your business to handle, consider making a Limited Edition of one of your best sellers, specifically for Christmas.
5. Gift Vouchers and Gift Cards
Last but most definitely not least, are gift vouchers. Virtually anyone and everyone with a business can create gift vouchers as they are perfect for both product and service based businesses. Offering gift vouchers and gift cards can help prevent a sudden decrease in sales and bookings in the new year when money may be tight. Additionally, you benefit by receiving the money for the gift voucher purchase in advance of them using (or forgetting about) the voucher, which will help your income over the early months of the year. You can also add a deadline for your vouchers to be used, so you stay busy during the first half of the year. I use VistaPrint to design my vouchers and there are templates available to help along the way. Gift vouchers are another great all-round Christmas gift to offer and are ideal for those last minute Christmas presents!
If you have made it to the end, congrats! I hope you gained some inspiration from these five Christmas gift ideas you can offer to maximise your income this Christmas. Whether you’re a business or a consumer, let's try to support each other this Christmas, shop small or local where we can, and give back to our communities where possible. This time of year can be hard for so many, so remember to give grace, spread kindness, and enjoy the festive season if you’re celebrating.
Comments