There will be certain times of the year – particularly Christmas, but not only then – when giving a corporate gift to an employee, client, partner, investor, or supplier (or those whom you want to become part of your business in some way) can be a good idea.
Although some business owners might consider these special gifts to be unnecessary, the truth is that they can go a long way to improving your reputation and ensuring that you retain and even grow your business in the year to come. In a lot of cases, corporate gifting should be seen as an investment rather than an expense.
The problem is that even for business owners who know they want to give these gifts, deciding what’s best and how to go about it can be a challenge. Of course, you’ll want to do the very best you can, since your employees, clients, and producers are important to you, but there is so much choice it can be hard. With that in mind, here are some ideas to help you decide on the right gift, whether it is for an employee or a client.
Ask Questions
If you don’t immediately know what to give someone in terms of a corporate gift, or you want to ensure it’s something they’re truly going to appreciate, then you’ll need to think much more carefully than if you intend to buy something more generic. However, the effort you put into this should pay off, as a unique or personalised gift such as a photo album or personalised lap tray will be remembered much more than one that everyone else gets and gives.
To ensure you get the right thing, it’s important to ask questions. For example, ask them what their favourite wine is, or where they like to eat, or what their hobbies are. Don’t probe too deeply if it seems strange to do so because you don’t know them outside of work, but a simple question like this can help to give you a better idea of what kind of gift to buy them.
Give Quality
No matter what you choose in the end, the key point is that it must be of good quality. If you buy something cheap, not only will it look as though you don’t value the client or supplier or partner, you’re giving the gift to, but it will look bad on your business too. On the other hand, if you can’t get something of better quality, what are your business’s finances looking like? Of course, the two don’t necessarily link up, but this might be what an outsider would think.
Although you don’t have to spend a fortune on a gift, buying quality is much better than saving a few pounds and buying cheaply. Look at Build My Gift, and you’ll see that quality can be affordable, and this is the kind of thing you should be looking for.
Make It Local
Local gifts from your area will always be appreciated by corporate clients, especially those who live abroad or at least in a different part of the country. Even if they are close by, giving them a gift made locally or that represents their own area can be a great idea. Some examples of what you might choose include:
- Local wine
- Handmade goods
- Locally produced raw honey
- Books about the area
- A diary depicting local sights
There are many different ideas to consider. There is another benefit to giving something local, too; you’ll be supporting local businesses. This will give your own business a good reputation, and it will show you in a positive light in the local area.
Think Of Presentation
Apart from the gift itself, you’ll also need to think about how it will look when you gift it. Will it simply be in a plastic bag or cardboard box, or will you wrap it and present it prettily? The answer to this is simple; present the gift in the best possible way. It’s so important to do this; otherwise, no matter how great the gift is or how much you’ve spent on it when the client receives it, and no thought or effort has been put into the way it looks, there will be a negative feeling about it.
Think about how you would present a gift to a loved one. You wouldn’t give it to anyone if it didn’t look right. So, this is exactly the same way you need to go about giving a gift to a corporate client or supplier. Make an effort, and it will pay dividends, and your lovely gift won’t go to waste. Remember, in business, as in every other area of life, first impressions count.
