Believe it or not, there is some care that should be placed when giving corporate gifts. Not only are these gifts a thoughtful way to show appreciation to clients, suppliers, and employees but they also represent the kind of organization you have. On top of that, corporate gifts can help build and maintain relationships and promote company and brand recognition. However, there are rules that you should keep in mind when giving away corporate gifts. Remember that these gifts are part of your company strategy to market your business and build client/supplier relationships. To make sure that you use these gifts correctly, here are rules that Hampers With Bite suggests that you never break.
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Impose a Corporate-Gifting Policy
Good intentions can sometimes fail to create the right impression, and this is true when giving away corporate gifts. This is why your company needs to have a corporate-gifting policy in place. Without a policy, employees who are in charge of the corporate gifts may not have a clear idea about when, how, and whom to give.
Choosing the type, cost, and size of the corporate gift should also be a part of the policy. Imagine giving a gift to a company receptionist that is way more expensive than a gift to the company CEO. After all, who makes the decisions on whether or not to do business with you? A mistake like this could affect your business relationship negatively.
The key to creating a good policy is structure. First, this structure must allow a group of people or a department within the company to manage the gift-giving program. This is important to ensure proper instructions are carried out and that there is accountability. Allowing every department to give out corporate gifts could result in confusion and double-gifting.
The structure should also set limits on the cost and type of gift. The last thing that a company wants is to incur prohibitive expense just to give away tokens. Corporate gifts must also be appropriate for their purpose. These are a reflection of the company and its mission, so giving away an inappropriate or wrongly-timed gift can create the wrong signals.
Give Gifts as a Strategy
Even if your company can afford to be generous, a corporate gift is special. It is not something that you should give away any time you feel like showing appreciation or want to be remembered. As such, corporate gifts must be given only in certain situations. These are when you want to:
Create or maintain a relationship with an old or potential client
Impressing a client is not just about first impressions. You want to build long-lasting business relationships that will ultimately help your business progress. Clients want to feel appreciated and valued, and your corporate gift must be able to do this on your behalf. The goal is to create an experience, one that the client will be able to associate with an important or memorable event.
Show appreciation for individuals and entities that have helped your business
Employees, suppliers, third party service providers are people who help your business grow. What better way to show gratitude for their contribution than by giving them a token?
Mark special events to increase awareness and/or maintain relevance
Corporate gifts are used to mark significant events. These can include branch openings, new product launches, industry achievements, and yes, holidays.
Show appreciation for employees, such as a welcome gift, a holiday gift, professional achievement gift, or anniversary gift
Employees are the backbone of your company. Showing them that they are valued goes a long way to encourage them to perform better. You not only help create employees who appreciate the company but also ensure that you retain the best talents.
Make Your Gift Your Signature
Generic gift-giving is acceptable only if you just want to fulfill some sort of obligation. Your recipient will likely accept it, but would they appreciate it? Cheap, generic, poor quality, or worse, knock-offs of originals trying to pass off as authentic can speak volumes about how you view your business relationships. Imagine what your recipients would think if they received a corporate gift that they could purchase at say, the Dollar Store? Consider corporate gifts that are unique, functional, and customized, something that will remind your recipient of who you are and what you hope to accomplish.
It is also a good thing to remember that corporate gifts should provoke action. It is not enough that it has your company name on it. It should also show other relevant information about your company, such as your location, contact information, and if possible, products and services you offer. Don’t be afraid to be unique. A bakeshop selling pastries, for example, could offer a corporate gift such as a cookie- or brownie-in-a-jar. The jar may contain all the ingredients of one of the company’s popular products so the recipient can mix them together and bake the product themselves.
Even the most common gifts can still stand out. A company selling pallets, for example, can offer a thick stack of notepads mounted on a mini wooden or plastic pallet as a corporate gift. The gift itself may be simple and inexpensive but the way it is presented helps build recognition and association right away.
Are You Ready to Impress?
Giving away corporate gifts should be a part of your company practice. It is an effective way to market your products, promote new services, show appreciation for clients and employees alike, and build your brand. Plan wisely and know your goals so that you choose only the perfect corporate gift to give away.
