What a minefield! Your business has had a good year and you have decided to remind your loyal customers about how important they are to your business. Hopefully they will continue to buy from you in the future too. The trouble is, looking on the Internet; there are thousands of different corporate gift ideas to choose from that you could give away as freebees. So, what questions do you need to ask yourself and what are some of the options?
How often do they buy from me?
Is it once a week, once a month or once a year? It makes a difference when thinking about what type of gift will best remind them. If it is once a week or once a month, may be you could think about a calendar or memo pad, with your business name on it. Once a year needs a different approach, and the choice corporate gift idea should be something relative to the value of the order. For example, if the value of the order is only small, then the calendar or memo pad idea will be okay here. However, if the value of the order each year has a big impact on your turnover, then perhaps something that will last much longer than the year would work better, i.e. leather or silver desk equipment or more personal gifts, don't forget your company logo though, but make it discreet!
How important are they to the continuing success of my business?
The answer to this question will help you decide how much you want to spend. If you decide they are not important, don't waste too much money - remember you are spending hard-earned profits! The other issue here is whether you want to encourage them to buy more from you, in which case you might want to spend a bit more. This approach doesn't always work, but surely it is worth a try.
How many competitors do you have?
If you have plenty of competitors all trying to get a larger share of the market, it might be a good idea to try and find something a bit more unusual or to try a slightly different approach. Food is always appreciated and the gift can reflect the value. A bar of chocolate with the company logo on, a box of chocolates or a hamper - the choice is endless. I know from experience the number of pens and calendars that are sent at Christmas but what about a keyring or mug or clock?
Who am I trying to remind?
I was trying to explain this to someone the other day. If you are trying to influence the person who places the orders fine, but what about the person who holds the purse strings? You might want to remind them of how your company can help increase their business too. This is the area where it is difficult to decide whether the corporate gift idea is for a quality item or perhaps, if your business is large enough to be able to do this, offer an event.
Over the past few years corporate events have become an industry of their own, and there are a number of websites available for corporate events planning. Events can include days where participants drive, sail, fly or shoot (clay pigeons) or boxes at major sporting events such as Wimbledon, Ascot and Henley. Tickets to film premieres and the theatre are also popular. It all depends on your budget and what you are trying to achieve. The value in terms of additional business has never been proved though, but you could have fun trying!
Lastly, when you speak to your contact or his boss, do you have to go through the secretary first? If so, he or she is a vital link in the chain! Don't forget that the secretary will decide who his or her boss will speak to so a corporate gift idea for them could reap benefits later. Chocolates, flowers, potted plants? all reminders that they are appreciated too.
Promotional corporate gift ideas
This is an extremely large area of business for those organisations offering everything from promotional 'T' shirts to pens, erasers, memo pads, balloons, carrier bags etc. Mainly for the exhibition and conference market, these promotional corporate gift ideas, need to either stand out visually from others or be of a better quality, if the exhibition attendee is to remember the stand and the goods being offered. To my mind, the company that provides the really strong carrier bag to take all the 'freebies' home, is the one that will be remembered longest!
Whether you've been charged with finding the items your company will give away during the holidays or you need to locate just the right gift for a special client, make no mistake, the job is a big one. Should you be required to find gifts appropriate for a number of different people, all of different faiths or beliefs, the prospect can be even more so daunting. Finding the right corporate gift is bigger than making a gesture, too, it needs to be classy and leave an impression on those who receive it.
With the gravity of what a gift can mean for your company, it's a good idea to consider your client base before rushing out and buying the first gift baskets that strike your fancy. If there is a great deal of diversity involved, you may want to first set a spending limit per client and then choose individually within that range. Or, at the very least, select a few different standards gifts and send the one that is appropriate for each different client. A Christmas gift box might not be appreciated by your Jewish clients and non-drinkers may frown on a wine selection.
Once an approach has been set, it's time to start looking at corporate gifts. There are a number of great ideas available and many provide the option to have the company's logo emblazoned on the box, card or even within the gift itself. Whenever possible, it's a good idea to go this route otherwise the impression left could be too self-promoting. No one really wants to wear a T-shirt with your company name on it, but they might appreciate a chocolate box with your logo on the top.
Keeping in mind these ideas may not be good for every client, here are some different ideas on what can be sent to say "thank you for your business:"
* Flowers. This is a timeless classic that really helps brighten up a client's office, but remember the impression will be a short one. Flowers don't last forever. These are appropriate, however, if you know the client has a particular passion for a certain kind of flower.
* Chocolates. Chocolate boxes and chocolate gift baskets from gourmet makers work well for just about any client. Although the chocolates inside may be eaten up quickly, specialty wood boxes with logo name plates can have some serious staying power.
* Fruit, cheese or preserve baskets. These also are appropriate for just about everyone. The staying power isn't always that great though.
* Wines. These can be great selections for clients you know well enough to know they'll appreciate it. Since not everyone drinks and not everyone appreciates wine, it's a good idea to reserve alcoholic gifts for those you know will enjoy them.
* Gift cards. Whether for a night out or a specialty store, these will be used up, but the client's likely to remember where the item came from.
Choosing corporate gifts can be tough, but if you apply a little common sense and try to put some thought into what each client receives, the gifts can say thank you while also reminding customers of your products and services.
Both Steve Gee & Ray La Foy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Steve Gee has sinced written about articles on various topics from Legal Matters, Legal Matters and Bathroom Remodeling Ideas. Steve is a software consultant and keeper of www.corporate-gift-ideas.thegrandfatherclock.com. Steve Gee's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Ray La Foy has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Software and Parenting. #1 Resource. Ray La Foy's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.