More information on: General Gift Giving | Baby Showers | Wedding and Anniversary | Monogram | Monogram
Corporate | Business and Gift Giving
Gourmet Gift Baskets for Corporate Gifts
- Corporate Gift baskets are one of the best ways an establishment can strengthen or create new relationships. A well given corporate gift can only show suppliers, retailers, employees or clients that you are serious and mean business. Unlike a personal gift, a corporate present should be a reflection of your enterprise or outfit. You are not "only" giving a gift, a wise person might seize the chance to promote his outfit at the same time. Gourmet Corporate gift baskets should be well designed or decorated to look classy and elegant, they usually contain a combination of gourmet foods - chocolate - fruit -nuts - gourmet cheeses. There are many net portals net that have gorgeous corporate gift baskets filled with gourmet foods, cheeses and wines. However , you want to make sure that you buy or send your corporate present basket from a well experienced net present basket store that have real gift basket makers. You don't want your present basket to look like you created it on your lunch break. This might only show you as unprofessional. An overwhelming first impression should be ones your ultimate goal. In more words whether you buy corporate gift baskets or any other corporate present on the Internet, make sure it’s presentable and you don’t look cheap.
-
How Much Should I Spend?
- The amount to spend varies on how important is the giftee to your enterprise and ones budget. Giving a $10 keychain to a client who spends $100,000 a calendar year in our opinion is not wise. There's that old saying “it’s the thought that counts“- this may be true for personal presents but for corporate presents it’s quite a different ball game.
-
Are Corporate Awards & Gifts Beneficial For Your Business?
- With the increased challenges that all companies are faced with, many corporations have implemented various initiatives to continue to grow corporate earnings and shareholder value, some have discovered the strategic value of corporate awards and corporate gifts. From the boardroom to the frontlines to the client across the country, corporate awards and gifts offer many benefits to enhance performance. Not only are you showing your appreciation to the employee or customer, you setting a standard of thanks for the hard work and dedication.
-
Corporate Awards Benefits
-
A company’s success depends on its employees and their abilities. With the incentive of a corporate award or corporate gift you attract and retain current employees to pursue for more in the workplace. Corporate awards are great for:
- Direction
- Talent Retention
- Sales Goals
- Public Relations
- A Direct affect on the company’s bottom line.
-
Things to consider when giving a Corporate Award
- How many times do you give the award? Most companies have an annual corporate dinner or function where the years corporate awards are given out. This would be the best time to show your appreciation. What type of recognition do you want the award to represent? You definitely want to make this award stand out and make it represent the kind of hard work that was accomplished. What kind of statement do you want to the corporate award to make? You want it to make it so that everyone else will strive for that award next year. A statement shows gratitude but also envy. From the small business to the major corporation, corporate awards will have an increased performance level. No company should underestimate the power of corporate awards. Your business will gain a critical view of your operations and challenge to improve the business and company as a whole.
-
Benefits of Corporate Gifts
- As major holidays are approaching, many companies will be thinking about giving your customers (and possibly employees) corporate gifts. Sending corporate gifts does not always have to be thought about during the holidays. Many other occasions such as referrals, completion of a project, customer’s birthday or even a business anniversary can be acceptable times to send a gift. When sending the gift, make sure that you add a personal touch, as this can go a long way. You can even present the gift in person to give it that extra touch. There are not a lot of do’s or don’t when sending a corporate gift but the key is to make sure that the added touch is there to show the person that you are grateful for what has been accomplished. Companies should not underestimate the power of business awards and gifts. Not only do corporate awards show true appreciation, it makes other employees strive to become a standout in their field. Sending corporate gifts also reassures your thanks to the employee or client that you appreciate the hard work and dedication that it takes to run the business. These kind gestures will not only build your relationships but it will help you build the company by utilizing its maximum potential.
-
Corporate Gift Tips to Wow Clients & Associates
-
- 1) Know the company and their culture. Are they trendy and artistic or conservative and elegant? Your gift giving should reflect this. Also, global customs vary significantly. Ensure you understand the proper gift etiquette to avoid offending overseas clients.
- 2) Know the client - their likes, hobbies, and interests. When possible, personalize your gift. A theater or sports buff would really appreciate and remember tickets to an event or even a themed gift basket.
- 3) Avoid religious themes or messages. Seasonal themes such as "Happy Holidays" work for everyone.
- 4) Stand out from the crowd! Think about sending your gift on an unexpected holiday. For example: "Thank You for Your Business" on Thanksgiving, "Looking Forward To Another Year of Doing Business With You" on New Years, or even "We love Doing Business with You" on Valentine's Day.
- 5) Don’t send the same thing every year. It's boring and will be taken for granted. Your gift provider is full of ideas and can often suggest something new and different.
- 6) Stay away from anything too personal or that can be misconstrued. You probably know not to buy lingerie, but the recipient’s shortcomings may also need to be considered. A person with bad skin may be offended by a gift certificate for a facial. Also, be careful with wine or alcohol. The company may view it negatively or the individual may be a reformed alcoholic or non-drinker. Finally, consider whether the price of the gift is too extravagant. This may be a problem with company policy or at tax time. Food is always appropriate.
- 7) Don’t use logo items if: You want the gift to be from you personally or if feel a huge logo across your gift may be viewed by the client as cheap and showy.
- 8) Do use logo items if: You want to get the most bang for your buck. Just do it tastefully. Examples: Your company name imprinted on the ribbons in a gift basket or discreetly as a “private label” on a quality product in the basket. One of our clients prefers ribbons used inside the basket to avoid imprinted ribbon being removed and forgotten.
- 9) Idea for out of state clients: A regional themed food basket can work really well here - Greetings from Texas, New York, or New Jersey for example. Some companies even send these types of gifts to visiting VIPs or new hires as a "Welcome to Town."
- 10) Plan your holiday gift giving early. Think July or August! This will allow you to take advantage of possible early purchase discounts and avoid rush delivery charges. It will also ensure that you get exactly what you want before it’s sold out.
-
Gift Giving For Business - A Major Headache?
- Corporate gifting is a big headache for most business owners; how much to spend, who to spend the money on, where to get the gifts, what to get and how to gauge the effect of that giving in terms of benefits for the company are all important questions. When a company decides to give gifts it needs to be planned out as part of doing business, not just a last minute impulse. The cost of gifting should be built in to the cost of your product and used when evaluating your break even point. With a plan for gifting as part of the cost of the product you will never come up short in November or offend someone by getting a gift for one employee but not another. Gifting in terms of employees can be figured as a part of income, like a benefit. You can even state that to your employees if it translates into giving bonuses or extra days off with pay. But not if you plan to give birthday presents. The bottom line is; gifting needs to be planned, budgeted, and scheduled. When handled this way gift giving stress evaporates.
-
Why are you going to give gifts?
- to ensure customer loyalty
- to build relationships
- to create an image
- to reward important customers
- as a marketing strategy
- to reduce employee turnover
- to reward employee performance
- to say thank you
- insure good service by vendors
- congratulations
- to create goodwill
- Establish what each of these areas might mean in terms of frequency. How often would you reward employees, how often would you give a gift to a vendor? What benefit are you specifically looking for? Giving a gift to a vendor because he is always on time will probably result in a continuation of that behavior. If your employee has brought you customers and referrals what are those referrals worth, can you afford NOT to reward the employee for that kind of enthusiasm? Do not confuse discounts with gifting. They are not the same thing! Unless you have a product that you know the recipient really wants, don't give your products as gifts. It is seen as advertising not as a gift! Never use promotional products, with your company name and web address on it as gifts! These are viewed on an even lower scale! People see them as leftovers from a trade show...that is NOT a good thing! Gift baskets are great! Many gift basket companies provide custom gift baskets that include non perishable products selected especially for the recipient – be sure to ask! For instance if you have a client that loves golf, a gift basket might include golf balls, tees, etc. That kind of gift will be remembered for years to come. Customize your gift giving but maintain a standard cost for gifting. For instance, maybe employee birthdays should be limited to $10-$20 dollars and client gifts 5% of their annual value in sales. Only you can decide the dollar limits...every business is different. If you own a 99 cent store you will not be giving your stock boys trips to the Bahamas. By the same token, if you are a successful doctor a $5.00 birthday gift for your nurse might seem inappropriate! If all of this seems a little overwhelming remember that once the plan is laid out and you have a vendor for your gifts, year after year you can use the same plan or fine tune it depending on how your business is doing. But one thing is for certain people will see you in a positive light and the marketing power of good gift giving will translate into low turn over, and client loyalty and referrals.
-
How to Avoid Sending the Wrong Impression When Giving Gifts at Work
- Are you considering buying gifts for people at work? Is your office doing the "let's pick names and exchange gifts" deal? If so, here are some idea’s so that you don't inadvertently squash anyone's toes or send the wrong message. Gift-giving Between Colleagues Find out the specifics - What has been done in the past? Is there a dollar limit set? When gifts are normally exchanged? If there is a dollar limit, stick to it. Giving a bag of jellybeans to one coworker and an elaborate gift basket to another could cause resentments. If you feel the desire to go beyond the dollar limit, then this person would be considered more of a personal friend and therefore the gift should be exchanged outside of the working environment.
-
Guidelines
- Stay within the dollar limit stated. For most offices, this is usually set somewhere under $15.00.
- What are the person's hobbies? If they are avid golfers, consider a golf-related gift.
- Do not be tempted by gag gifts. They are considered taboo for the workplace.
- Wrap the gift. A nicely wrapped gift will add value to your gift plus demonstrate your ability to be organized and neat.
- Do not be late with your gift. Have it ready for the day the gift-giving will take place.
- What you choose to give and how you present your gift will say a lot about the type of person you are.
-
Giving Gifts to Your Boss
- If this is your first holiday season with your company you may want to check around and see if there are any policies in place about giving your boss a gift. Your Human Resource manual may have a policy that you need to know about. Many corporations forbid such exchange. Employees may view one's gift as brown-nosing while others who were not intending on buying a gift for the boss may now feel obligated to do so. It all depends on the company you work for and what is considered standard. If where you work has more of a family type atmosphere then it is likely that the practice of buying for the boss is acceptable but do your research before you proceed. Appropriate gifts for bosses would include – gift or food baskets, organizers, pen sets, stationery, tea, coffee, etc. Giving Gifts to Employees In larger companies where there are many employees who report directly to one person, the act of gift-giving has diminished. Still, in some of the smaller more intimate work environments, bosses may feel a small gift is appropriate as a gesture of appreciation for an employee's work over the year. In that case you may want to consider a gift or food baskets for all employees to enjoy.
-
Items to avoid:
- Gag gifts – an absolute no-no!
- Homemade items. This could be viewed as being too personal. However, it would be fine if you bake cookies for everyone or bring in some of your homemade jelly for everyone to enjoy during the season.
- Gifts purchased at discount stores or dollar stores. You risk being viewed as being too cheap.
- Food items such as turkeys. Do not assume all the people who work for you are meat eaters.
- To avoid looking cheap and creating resentments among your employees, keep your gifts equitable and as general as possible.
-
Business Gifts for Your Clients & Employees
- Tis' the season for business and corporate gift-giving! If you believe in the law of reciprocity, and if your business is the least bit successful you must; you know that giving back is not only the right thing to do, but it's very smart business as well. Let's look at some of the benefits and mechanics of Christmas and holiday gift-giving.
-
* WHY DO IT AT ALL?
- Gift giving is an excellent way to not only say thank you for all the business and continued loyalty your clients and customers have shown over the past year, it help to solidify relationships and in some cases, actually tilt the playing field in your favor. A well-conceived business gift will speak volumes on your integrity, thoughtfulness and sincerity and may make the difference between you and a competitor. As for employees, the days of 50 years and a gold watch are long gone, so a token of appreciation during the holidays or other special occasions can turn a mediocre relationship into one of fierce loyalty.
-
* WHEN TO DO IT?
- Obviously Christmas and the season surrounding it are the major themes here. Other times of the year, such as Thanksgiving, Easter, Labor Day etc., may also present golden opportunities as it is not expected then. Other times to consider might include occasions such as a business anniversary, marriage, births, promotions, new offices or branches, and possibly retirement (ESPECIALLY of a competitor!)
-
* WHAT TO GIVE?
- This can be the most difficult part of the process. All of us have been the recipient of the cookie cutter approach, as the countless fruitcakes of Christmases past haunt our freezers. In a large company, it's difficult to avoid this, but by bearing this in mind, you'll be able to come up something unique and stand out above the rest. Also think of the nature of the business relationship. Anything inappropriate would not only be unappreciated, but could have the opposite effect of that you're trying to achieve. If you can, try to make it as personal as possible, reflecting the interests and likes of the person receiving the gift. Be mindful of religious differences, as you don't want to offend in that area either. While striving to give the nicest gift possible within your budget, take care not to appear as though you are bribing anyone for business or loyalty.
-
* HOW TO ACCOMPLISH THIS?
- Start as soon as possible, and dedicate at least one person to work on this solely, as depending on the size of your list, it can become onerous. Given enough time and resources, however, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Shopping online has made things so much simpler. You can find so many more choices with the click of a mouse than you could with weeks of prospecting on foot. Many of your favorite brick and mortar merchants now have an online presence as well, as they too recognize the immense possibilities of the medium. Take advantage of web vendors, many of whom offer corporate and bulk discounts, and many other perks to get your business. It really is a time-saver!
- Christmas and Holiday gift-giving isn't the gargantuan task it used to be. The internet and a smart strategy make it profitable and enjoyable!
-
Holiday Corporate Gift Giving Tips and Etiquette
- People love to receive gifts, as they are tangible proof that they are appreciated and recognized. The art of gift giving has long been a tradition in corporate and business environments. Good business relationships are built on strong personal relationships and can be key to business success. In this age of high technology, we have come to devalue generic and machine-produced items and have come to appreciate even more what is made by hand, creative and original.
- Why Give a Corporate Gift?
-
- To promote good will within your company
- To demonstrate gratitude to special
- Build and maintain business relationships
- Show appreciation
- As an incentive to encourage or motivate
- To congratulate
- And endless other occasions that calls for celebration.
- Gift Giving Etiquette
-
- 1. Consider the recipients religious background, especially during the holiday season. Not everyone celebrates the traditional Christmas holiday.
- 2. Consider the recipient’s culture or background. For example, some may love receiving a gift of roses, while others see it as a romantic gesture and not appropriate in a business environment.
- 3. Keep your gift simple, useful and memorable.
- 4. Be sure to check company policies on gift giving. Some companies do not allow their employees to accept gifts and some companies limit the dollar amount of a gift.
- 5. Consider company hierarchy. A Chairman or CEO should get a gift of higher value than a Vice President, and so on down the line.
