After the holidays, enter any office and find—a branded water bottle on a desk, a pen adorned with a logo in someone’s pencil cup, corporate gifts and branding gathered in perfect harmony. Ever notice how these basic tokens somehow linger long after the fruitcake has gone out of taste? The plot twist is that smart gifting goes beyond simply marking boxes for the annual celebrations. It’s about creating actual, unique relationships between your business and its stakeholders.
First of all, consider this: after getting a promotional item, eighty percent of consumers are more likely to deal with a company. That is not a haphazard act. That’s the reciprocity psychology at work—a psychological prod that ties partners and clients to your brand. One cannot just forget a kind gift, especially if it is practical or entertaining. Actually, there is scientific evidence explaining why someone is more likely to sign a contract with you following the innovative device or box of exquisite cookies bearing your logo.
Not yet, though, grab for the generic stress ball. You should carefully check if you are still distributing the same 2020 calendar magnets. You will want to choose gifts that say volumes if you want to stand out in the memory of your clients. That does not mean squandering a fortune; inventiveness beats expense. Imagine a tech start-up delivering blue light glasses with quirky branded boxes or a financial company using gorgeous stationery with clever taglines (“We take stock seriously”).
Every touchpoint—every mug, purse, or notebook—can loudly and clearly tell the tale of your brand. Choose objects that support your central point of view. While a premium brand might choose customized leather passport covers, a wellness-oriented company might send environmentally friendly bento boxes. These products are expressions of the vision and values of your brand. Consumers unconsciously pie together these connections.
Let us now serve some truth. Everything is about timing. Resist the inclination to default to December. A well-placed thank you in the middle of July can cause surprise—and delight—when least expected. In an infinitely digital noisy environment, sudden, deliberate motions stand out. Consider the last time you received an unexpected handwritten thank-you note—did that seem different?
Never undervalue the knock-on effects of social media sharing. Thanks to social media, branded presents today travel far distances. Give someone a funny bespoke notebook, and it could just wind up on their Instagram story, prominently displaying your logo for see on their network.