Corporate gift-giving is a form of marketing in which businesses give their employees and clients gifts. Apart from being an effective way to spread awareness of your brand and create a rapport with customers, it also allows companies to show support and appreciation for their staff’s hard work and clients’ patronage. Both for-profit and non-profit organizations like charities can take advantage of corporate gift-giving to improve their brand image.
Business owners and top company managers can also use corporate gifting to celebrate an achievement like a promotion or the holiday season like Christmas or new year.Some of the corporate gifts that you can choose include the following: personalized bottles, gift cards, and branded items like socks.
Like any form of marketing, corporate gifting requires careful planning. The last thing you want is to give something that will only end up in the trash, affecting your relationship with the recipient. Do corporate gift-giving right by keeping these do’s and don’ts in mind.
Do’s
Do these when giving corporate gifts:
1. Do Personalize The Gifts
It’s essential to consider the preferences of your customers, business partners, and employees when giving corporate gifts. Try to find information about their interests and hobbies before picking a gift for them. For instance, if one of your business partners likes coffee, don’t just buy any coffee. Try to figure out the brand of coffee that they like and send them a packet with a coffee mug imprinted with their name.
Personalizing a corporate gift depending on the recipient’s preferences allows your company or brand to be associated with thoughtfulness. It also makes the gift appeal more to your team member, business partner, or client. The personal touch creates a more long-lasting impression in their minds regarding your company.
2. Do Check The Recipient’s Gifting Policy
Different organizations have diverse regulations regarding gift-giving. That’s why if you plan to send a business partner or client any item, check their gifting policy first. For instance, some don’t allow gifts, while others have a maximum allowed value. The aim of these restrictions is mostly to deter unethical behavior.
No matter how pure your intentions are, if you give something to someone without considering their regulations and traditions, they may easily misinterpret you, which can be detrimental to your brand. Therefore, before gifting a partner or client, contacting their human resources department for insight is a good idea. You can also check out the company’s handbook to learn more about its policies. Or better yet, personally ask the recipient for their preferences if you’ve already developed a relationship with them.
3. Do Ensure Quality
Of course, you shouldn’t forget about the quality of the item you’re giving as a gift. Remember that corporate gifting aims to improve your brand image and strengthen relationships with your team members, partners, and clients. Therefore, the last thing you’d want to happen is to harm your reputation by giving low-quality gifts. Choose something with both quality and value in mind.
Even the presentation counts. Ensure that your gift is nicely wrapped. If addition to being personalized, a gift leaves a more lasting impression when it’s attractive and organized despite not having a high price tag.
Don’ts
On the other hand, don’t do these things when giving corporate gifts:
1. Don’t go Overboard
While it’s important not to compromise quality when giving corporate gifts, you should still not go overboard. It means avoiding an overly expensive gift that may only overstretch your company’s budget. The recipient might also interpret your action negatively if you go overboard. They might think you’re desperate or too pushy because you’re trying to prove a point. Others may even see your gift as a bribe.
Instead of going for something extravagant, focus on getting your employees, partners, or clients a simple gift they can relate with. As discussed earlier, go for a personalized gift and try to level up its presentation.
2. Don’t Make Your Gift Look Promotional
You don’t want to look like you’re selling or promoting your business when corporate gifting. Doing it makes the gift generic, losing its power to build a relationship with the recipient. That’s because the recipient may get confused about whether they received a gift or a promotional item. An example of what you should avoid giving is company merchandise like a shirt with your logo on it.
Conclusion
Corporate gifting is crucial for any business that wants to thrive and stay competitive because it affirms your relationship with your employees, customers, and business partners, apart from showing appreciation to them. Corporate gifting increases brand awareness as well!
When giving corporate gifts, keep in mind that there are a lot of things to consider. Practice corporate gifting the right way by following the dos mentioned and discussed above and avoiding the listed don’ts.
