Before Giving A Corporate Gift Think First

Published: July 1, 2011

Giving a corporate gift is a traditional and dependable means of promoting your business and helping you maintain good relationships with customers and employees. So it is essential to take some time and give some thought, to ensure you choose the appropriate corporate gift.

Giving a distasteful or inapt corporate gift, will generate the exact opposite outcome, from what you were expecting to achieve. Choosing the type of corporate gift you give, depends on numerous factors, including the category of business you operate.

Be observant and aware

The main problem is, that most managers and corporate personnel are not acquainted with the people they’re buying for, so are not familiar with their preferences. They are not even aware of what their employees, hobbies, interests and preferences are.

Be observant, around the employees’ work spaces, and take note of the items they have gathered on their desks. Photos of family vacations, pictures of sailboats, a golf ball paper weight, a flower calendar or perhaps a pot plant. This also applies to your customer and clients, during a visit to their office, take note of the atmosphere and surroundings and make the appropriate comments. This will give you some insight into what corporate gift, would be really appreciated.

Pay attention at company functions to both employees and clients. If you have company picnics, get to know the employees’ families, you’ll certainly learn a lot about people just from that. The real key is getting to know your employees and clients beyond the workplace. Choose the corporate gift, which is going to be meaningful to them…

The right reason and occasion

By simply handing out a corporate gift whenever you think about it, looks a little suspicious. You certainly want to avoid giving the impression that you expect a client to give you something in return for your corporate gift. The gift should be a goodwill gesture on your part, to show your appreciation, to that client.

It is therefore advisable to limit your corporate gift giving, for both clients and employees, to appropriate occasions. Such as employee awards, certain celebrations, annual reviews, a new product launch or other special occasions that seem worthy to celebrate.

The Yes and the No corporate gift

Of course, a manager is unlikely to give cash as a gift, but a close substitute is a gift voucher, which will create a strong memory bond and are easy to purchase. . Gift vouchers to stores, restaurants, gyms, spas or golf courses, .as well as tickets to a sporting or cultural event are excellent gifts.

Clothing is not appropriate, except for work-related items such as a T-shirts or golf shirts, embroidered with the company logo. Avoid making sexist decisions, in other words, don’t give the guys expensive pen-and-pencil sets and the females, new coffeepots. In fact, it is best to avoid gender-specific gifts completely, as there is too much chance, for misunderstanding and unpleasantness.

What ever gift you decide to give, best to plan ahead; check out various purchasing options and do not give the same gift repeatedly.

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