Successful businesses thrive based on one all-important thing: relationships. The stronger the connection between your company leaders and employees, the happier your staff members will be. The better the relationship between your business and your customers, the more likely you'll create dedicated, loyal clients.
There are many ways to build an emotional link with your team members and clients, but few things are more effective than strategic gifting. Sending a gift to your top staff members and your most loyal clients at the right time makes them feel special and appreciated. The holidays represent the perfect opportunity to discover the power of a great gift.
The biggest challenge is figuring out what you should be sending. From hampers and care packages to personalized presents, there are plenty of amazing options to choose from. Here are some quick tips to ensure you send the right message this festive season.
How to Choose the Perfect Corporate Holiday Gift for Your Employees
Did you know that around 94% of employees say receiving a gift from their employer during the holiday season would make them feel more valued? It's easy to forget about giving regular feedback and recognition to your staff when you're running a high-octane business.
Making sure you end the year on the right note with a meaningful gift is a great way to show your staff you appreciate all their hard work. So, where do you begin?
- Start by defining your gift-giving strategy: Who will you give gifts to this year? Are you focusing on your top performers, or do you want to give something to every member of the team? Will managers and supervisors get bigger gifts than everyday staff?
- Know your spending limit: Determine how much you can spend on gifting immediately. Having a clear idea will ensure you can divide your budget evenly between all your team members. Don't make the mistake of showing accidental favoritism.
- Plan a theme: A good way to ensure every employee gets the same experience from their gift is to have a themed planned out. You might give presents to your team based on their role, such as personalized calculators for the finance team, or you might use the same style of gift for everyone, like food or plants.
- Get to know your staff: Make sure you have a good idea of what kind of products and presents your people will enjoy. You might consider having the supervisors for each team or department select gifts for each team member, so you can ensure they're as personalized as possible.
Custom Corporate Gift Ideas for Staff Members
Once you've figured out what strategy you will use when buying gifts for your employees, you can begin to look into your options. Again, there is a huge range of choices, from food-based products to practical items.
Here are some of the top options worth considering:
- Food-based gifts: When you're not sure what your employees will really love most this holiday season, it's hard to go wrong with gifts. A gift basket brimming with delicious treats like soup, cookies, and rolls is a great way to show your staff you're committed to keeping them nourished, happy, and healthy. Make sure you're aware of any serious allergies your employees might have before you start planning these gifts, though.
- Office décor: Whether your employees are still working in a traditional office environment or starting to operate from home, it's always nice to have something that spruces up the desk space. Consider giving your employees a personalized photo frame they can use for pictures of their family or a desk plant to give their space a breath of fresh air.
- Practical gifts: Employees often like receiving gifts they can use around the office. A branded pen might not inspire much excitement if your staff can already pick these up around the workplace, but a selection of pens embossed with their name is a little more exciting. You could also custom gift personalized mugs for your team to use for their daily coffee.
- Gift cards: A good way to ensure each employee can choose the perfect gift themselves is to provide them with a gift card to a location you know they like. A simple gift card is a great way to allow your staff members to treat themselves however they see fit.
- Blankets: During the holiday season, your employees are probably looking forward to snuggling up at home with their loved ones. Giving them a branded blanket they can enjoy when they're binging their favorite Netflix series is a great way to show how much you care. It also helps your staff to associate your business with good things, like comfort!
How to Choose the Perfect Holiday Gift for Your Clients
Giving your employees a gift during the holiday season is a great time to show appreciation and keep team morale high. But, on the other hand, distributing gifts to clients shows you how much you value their loyalty, and improves the chances they'll want to stick with your company for longer.
Before you start searching for the perfect corporate gift idea to send to your customers, it's worth asking yourself a few questions:
- Who are you going to be sending gifts to? If you run a big business with hundreds of clients, you probably won't be able to send presents to everyone. With that in mind, you might decide to send presents to only your most loyal, long-term customers. Or you might send bigger gifts to VIP clients, and smaller presents to your new customers.
- How much are you going to spend: Though it might be tempting to send an ultra-extravagant gift to your top clients, be careful. Some customers might see an expensive gift as an attempt at a bribe. If you want to avoid causing unrest between different customers, you may also want to make sure you can spend the same on everyone.
- What kind of gift do you want to send? There are a few different ways to approach gift giving during the holiday season for your clients. You might customize your choice of a present to their industry to show you understand their needs. Or you could consider sending the same practical present to everyone. For instance, everyone loves hampers and food-based gifts!
Remember to include a card with your present so you can make it clear the gift came from your business, and share a heartfelt message at the same time. A handwritten note from the business CEO can make the whole gift feel more personalized and meaningful.
Holiday Gift Ideas for Your Clients
Gifts for clients can come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You could stick with something simple, like a box of personalized cookies. Or you could opt for something more extravagant, like a new piece of technology. Taking the time to get to know your clients and think about what they're most likely to appreciate from you is a great way to practice customer service and boost your chances of a positive reaction.
Here are some phenomenal ideas for your corporate gifting strategy:
- Practical gifts: Giving your clients a gift you know they can use in the year ahead is a great way to demonstrate your value. For instance, you could send out packages filled with office supplies, calendars, and notebooks for your client to use at work. This means they don't have to worry about stocking up themselves in the new year.
- Food gifts: As mentioned above, food-based gifts are a great way to impress just about any type of client. It's hard to go wrong with a delicious box of cookies or a hamper filled with different kinds of drinks and treats to enjoy. Sending a food-based gift also means your clients will associate your business with something delicious, nourishing, and enjoyable.
- Donations: If you're a company that sells to other big businesses, you could consider helping them to improve their reputation by sending a donation to charity in their name. This is a great way to show your customers you understand their values and their mission. Make sure you take the time to find out your client's favorite charity first.
- Tech gifts: If your clients are tech-savvy, or spend a lot of their time using smartphones and computers, consider something digital for your festive appreciation gift set. You could consider sending your customers a charging station for all of their devices with a built-in surge protector. Or maybe they would benefit from a portable power bank, so they never run out of battery?
- Personalized gifts: A personalized gift always makes a lasting impression. Whether it's a stationary set featuring the name of your client, or a customized blanket, you can rest assured your customer will appreciate the extra thought. You could even go the extra mile and tailor the gift to your customer's job role, industry, or interests.
Master Corporate Gifting this Year
Sending the right corporate gifts at the end of each year can seem like a daunting task, particularly when you have both your employees and your clients to think about. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to make your community feel special.
Spoonful gifts are a great way to celebrate occasions. For example, our birthday packages (soup, cookies, or seasonal limited-edition gift box packages) can help show appreciation for clients on their birthdays, and they're a great group gift option from the team. They can be a gift sent to someone's home to share with family or given at the workplace where it can be shared in the office.
