The holidays are here. That means food, fun, and festivities — and also potentially buying presents for people you don’t know that well.
This is the reality for staff members tasked with buying business salespeople a holiday gift, or family members not sure what their super-salesman aunt, uncle, or cousin might want.
Not sure what to buy that will have them jumping for joy? We’ve got you covered with 27 great gifts or Christmas gift ideas for the salesperson in your life.
Best Gifts for Salespeople
- A Tactical Pen
- Bluetooth Headset
- Stress Balls
- Website Domain
- LinkedIn Sales Navigator
- Sales Books
- Goal Planner
- An Improv Class
- Questions Card Deck
- A Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
- Daily Affirmation Calendar
- Presentation Software
- Rechargeable Laser Pointer
- Hassle-Free Clothes
- Travel Pillow
- Garment Bag
- Portable Charger
- Headspace Subscription
- Ride-Sharing Gift Card
- Death Wish Coffee
- Balance Ball Chair
- Customer Reference
- ClassPass
- Massage
- Desk Plants
- Carry-On Cocktail Kits
- Personalized Luggage Tag
1. A Tactical Pen
This tactical pen is the Swiss Army knife of pens. In addition to using it for writing, it also acts as a flashlight, bottle opener, and screwdriver. Switch from jotting notes to happy hour with ease.
What we love: With everything they have going on, it’s easy for salespeople to forget where they left that screwdriver or set down that bottle opener. Tactical pens make this problem a thing of the past.
2. Bluetooth Headset
If you’re on the phone all day, you really don’t want to be holding a phone all day. A wireless headset allows salespeople to take calls and simultaneously scribble notes, check email, make dinner, or squeeze a stress ball for dear life.
What we love: Multitasking is the name of the game for sales. A Bluetooth headset lets them do more at once, more often.
3. Stress Balls
Get a stress ball like this one for the salesperson in your life. Bonus: These don’t just relieve tension, they also strengthen your hands in the process.
What we love: Stress comes with the territory for sales. Stress balls help provide the perfect outlet when cold calls suddenly go sideways.
4. Website Domain
If you know a salesperson who’s always wanted to kick off their own blog but just hasn’t gotten around to it yet, this is the year to do it. Help them jump-start the process by buying them an awesome URL from GoDaddy or HostGator.
What we love: A website domain might be just the push that salespeople need to take their careers to the next level.
5. LinkedIn Sales Navigator
Savvy sales reps live on LinkedIn. They use it to research their prospects, keep up-to-date on their customers, and connect with opportunities. With a premium LinkedIn Sales Navigator account, reps can get additional insights on prospects as well as customized lead lists.
Gifting this might just elicit some tears of joy. Bring a tissue.
What we love: Networks make the sales work. Access to more network insights can help boost sales success.
6. Sales Books
There are a lot of awesome sales books out there, including:
- Pre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and Persuade by Robert Cialdini
- Own Your Day: How Sales Leaders Master Time Management, Minimize Distractions, and Create Their Ideal Lives by Keith Rosen
- Selling Vision: The X-XY-Y Formula for Driving Results by Selling Change by Lou Schachter and Rick Cheatham
- The Sales Development Playbook: Build Repeatable Pipeline and Accelerate Growth with Inside Sales by Trish Bertuzzi.
Give your favorite salesperson their own reading rainbow.
What we love: There’s always something new to learn about sales. With these books, the salesperson in your life can become unstoppable (or at least more successful).
7. Goal Planner
This goal planner journal helps sales reps get more done and feel better every day. Designed to keep its owner accountable, goal-oriented, and efficient — this is the perfect gift for the go-getters in your life.
What we love: Tracking goals can help you keep on track, letting salespeople make the most of their successes and find ways to improve even more.
8. An Improv Class
And speaking of thinking on your feet, there's nothing more off the cuff than improv. Most improv comedy theaters also offer classes to help professionals improve their communication skills.
Not only will this training help reps deal with prospect objections, but also they can be the entertainment at your next office party. Win-win.
What we love: Improv is like cold-calling except that people are supposed to laugh. A great way for salespeople to blow off steam and gain new skills.
9. Questions Card Deck
It's not always easy to keep a conversation going. At a total loss for what to say next? Gift a rep a deck of Table Topics cards, and they’ll never have to scramble for a good question.
What we love: Conversation starters can be hard to come by under pressure. With topic card decks, salespeople always have a way to get prospects talking.
10. A Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot
Wherever you are, there your internet is. It’s a beautiful concept. And because reps are constantly on the go, reliable internet connectivity is truly a necessity.
With a Wi-Fi hotspot, there’ll be no more stealing spotty internet from the hotel gym or the coffee shop across the street.
What we love: This is the perfect gift for the salesperson on the go.
11. Daily Affirmation Calendar
If you’re in sales, you have to deal with a lot of rejection while maintaining a positive attitude. Make this balancing act easier for the rep in your life by giving them this affirmation calendar.
What we love: Sales are all about self-confidence. A daily affirmation calendar can boost their self-certainty.
12. Presentation Software
Prospects’ eyes glaze over in record time, so the more interesting a salesperson’s presentations, the better. Consider upgrading your favorite rep from PowerPoint to a slick presentation tool like Prezi or SlideRocket.
What we love: Great presentations get great responses — and get sales reps remembered for the right reasons.
13. Rechargeable Laser Pointer
While we're on the topic of presentations, how many times have you wanted to call attention to a specific area of your slider? Never be at a loss for that handy red dot again with a laser pointer.
Bonus: It doubles as a gift for your cat!
What we love: Time wasted during a presentation is time reps can’t get back — this laser pointer means they’re always ready to highlight a great point.
14. Hassle-Free Clothes
Looking sharp can do a lot to boost a seller’s confidence. But who has time for a trip to the mall? Enter subscription-box clothing services such as Trunk Club and Stitch Fix.
After entering style preferences and sizing information, stylists will send along a few choice pieces of clothing. Users pay only for what they keep.
What we love: Streamline a sales rep’s daily routine, and they’ve got more time to focus on what matters: Closing the deal.
15. Travel Pillow
The neck kink you get from sleeping on a plane is never fun. Silly as they may look, a travel pillow is a must for frequent flyers. Your recipient’s spine will thank you.
What we love: Salespeople have to hit the ground running — and your travel pillow could be the reason that your sales rep outshines the competition.
16. Garment Bag
And while we’re on the topic of travel, showing up to a client meeting with a wrinkled suit is a definite no-no. Help a rep look fly while they fly with this suit-sized garment bag.
What we love: Salespeople get one chance to make a first impression. With a great garment bag, that impression can be an A++.
17. Portable Charger
Having your phone, tablet, or laptop die on you is the worst. A portable charger will save salespeople the stress of trying to find a Best Buy in Omaha when the ominous red battery bar shows up.
What we love: Sales never stop. An external charger keeps salespeople up and running as long as possible.
18. Headspace Subscription
Sales is a demanding job. Help the rep in your life de-stress with a subscription to Headspace, a desktop and smartphone app with more than 100 guided meditation sessions.
Each session clocks in at roughly 10 minutes, making it easy for your recipient to incorporate some mindfulness into their day. According to the Mayo Clinic, “spending even a few minutes in meditation can restore your calm and inner peace.”
Noticeable results in a short period of time? Sounds like a rep’s dream.
What we love: Even a few minutes of meditation can help get thoughts on track, helping make that next sale easier.
19. Ride-Sharing Gift Card
In the past, field salespeople relied on taxis, rental cars, and public transportation to get around new places. Now they can use ride-sharing programs. It’s often easier and more convenient to request an Uber or Lyft on their phone than try to hail a cab or figure out a foreign transit system.
What we love: Less stress in getting from Point A to Point B means more time for closing that sale.
20. Death Wish Coffee
Some people like their milk and sugar with a splash of coffee. This gift isn’t for them. Death Wish Coffee claims its signature roasting process and blend of beans makes its brew “the strongest in the world.” Salespeople will get a (caffeine) kick out of a bag or even a recurring delivery.
What we love: For the coffee lover, there’s nothing better than when that first wave of wakefulness arrives. Death Wish Coffee is just what salespeople need to get the jump on their day.
21. Balance Ball Chair
Whether or not you believe sitting is the new smoking, it’s clear too much time hunched over your desk isn’t good for you. Enter: A balance ball chair. Not only do these chairs help you relieve back, leg, and arm pain, but they also encourage better posture and spine alignment.
What we love: With part of their brain focused on keeping their balance, there’s less chance of wandering thoughts that derail sales efforts.
22. Customer Reference
Perhaps the most important item on this list. Do you know someone who could benefit from the product or service the rep sells? Make an introduction. You just put them on their way to making quota in the first quarter of the new year, and nothing is more valuable than that.
What we love: The best gift for a salesperson? More sales. Simple, easy, and always appreciated.
23. ClassPass
Sales is a stressful job. Exercise can help your favorite salespeople stay balanced, sane, and healthy.
ClassPass is a drop-in system that allows you to try out different styles of exercise classes, from yoga to kickboxing, under the same discounted pricing. It’s not available in every city, so check their map here.
What we love: Body and mind are connected. Boost one and the other follows.
24. Massage
Once they’ve sweat out those toxins, get them a gift certificate for a massage or two at a local spa. They’ll be able to relax and lose some of the stress that comes with selling over the holidays.
What we love: Too much stress and it’s hard to keep track of the little things — you know, the things that make the difference between sales and fails. A massage can help keep salespeople sane and grounded.
25. Desk Plants
This gift is a great choice if they enjoy the outdoors or have a green thumb. Pick out a low-maintenance succulent or terrarium to bring the outdoors to their desk.
What we love: A moment of calm in a sea of sales stress can help get calls back on track. Thanks, nature!
26. Carry-On Cocktail Kits
If your salespeople are always traveling, consider getting them a carry-on cocktail kit. They‘ll have the ingredients they need to make an in-flight cocktail. And it’s sure to brighten up their flight and help them relax.
What we love: Quality ingredients are hard to find in the air. Carry-on kits let salespeople enjoy a bit of luxury whenever, wherever.
27. Personalized Luggage Tag
A personalized luggage tag is great for the traveling salesperson. They'll keep track of their belongings with style.
What we love: Lost luggage means big stress for traveling salespeople. A high-quality luggage tag lets them show off a bit and helps keep tabs on their bags.
Giving a Personal Gift
Any of these 27 options will make them merry and bright. No matter what you give, make sure that you give your gift a personal touch. Add a thoughtful note with an explanation of your gift. That extra gesture will be sure to make an impression.