It’s hard to believe it, but the holidays are smacking us right in the face. If you haven’t thought about corporate gift giving this year, now is the time to do it.
But keep in mind that corporate gift giving is a delicate line to walk. Spend too much money, and you could make someone feel awkward. Spend too little, and you could make them feel unappreciated. How personal should your gift be? Should you include your branding on the corporate gift?
Read on for how to make sure you don’t mess up corporate gift giving this year — whether you’re giving gifts to clients, partners, or employees.
Don’t Spend Too Much
First things first. You might think this goes without saying, but your budget is a critical first step to carefully manage: Set a corporate gift giving budget you can afford. Make a list of every recipient. Go over the list several times, so you won’t be surprised and have to add to your budget at the last minute for someone you forgot.
When you give gifts to your team, keep the budget the same for each team member.
When considering vendors, clients, and partners, don’t rush in. Some organizations give their employees limits on gifts they can accept. Check with both your own HR department and the HR department at your recipient’s company to know how much can be spent — and accepted.
Skipping this step can make things awkward if a recipient is forced to refuse your gift.
Don’t Forget Anyone
Make your list, and check it twice — and maybe even thrice. The last thing you want happening at the company party is for a team member to walk away empty-handed. Make sure you include everyone in your company, and ask someone to check your list for errors.
Don’t Ignore Culture
Remember: Not everyone celebrates the same holidays. Be sensitive to different cultures, religions, and preferences. If you don’t know which holiday your recipient celebrates, it’s best keep your gift general.
If you have international clients or partners, be sure to research their holiday customs before choosing a gift.
It’s also a good idea to know if your recipient abstains from alcohol or other foods before purchasing a consumable gift.
Don’t Promote Yourself (Too Much)
This isn’t the time for a T-shirt with your giant logo emblazoned across the front. Save that for promotional events.
Instead, keep your logos small and understated. If you want to give a beautiful tote bag, design a bag that doesn’t place your logo front and center.
And if you’re going to include your logo on your corporate gift giving item, make sure you choose a high-quality, useful item that your recipient will appreciate having.
Don’t Ignore the Packaging
Presentation is important! Choose culturally-appropriate gift wrap that is beautiful and well made. This shows you care, and that you put thought into your gift.
Beautiful gift wrap or packaging will also make your recipient feel excited when your gift arrives! Use a gift-wrapping service if you lack the talent in this area.
Don’t Forget to Personalize
How can you make corporate gift giving personal this year? If you know your recipients well — and if you have a short list — you can choose gifts that align with your recipients’ interests and hobbies.
If you don’t know your recipients that well, don’t worry. You can still personalize by including a handwritten card. Or you might consider delivering your gifts in person to your clients and partners.
Don’t Use Humor
Or rather, be careful with how you use humor. If you know your recipients well and can predict that they’ll respond well to your humor, by all means, make your gift giving funny! But always remember to keep humorous items office appropriate.
If you don’t know how someone will respond, keep humor out of the gift giving. You don’t want to be offensive.
Corporate gift giving can be a delicate dance. To get it right, talk to the experts. At Impact Marketing and Design, we’ll help you choose the right gifts for your recipients. Send the right message with the right gift. Give us a call at (888) 441-1233, or contact us online for a free consultation.
