With the holiday season just around the corner, now is the time to start thinking about promotional and corporate holiday gifts. We all know that giving gift items around the holidays is a great marketing strategy for businesses.
A useful or practical holiday gift is always a good way to try and retain customers for the coming year. The same principles apply to holiday gifts for employees as signs of appreciation for a year of dedication and hard work.
It's all about the psychology behind the practice of gift giving. Upon receipt of a gift, most people will feel obligated to give something in return - in this instance, a customer's return business in reciprocation for a nice gift. Furthermore, an employee who has received a desired holiday gift is more likely to perform at optimum capacity. There are ways to go about the business of holiday shopping. Certain factors, such as pricing, quality, appeal, functionality, and communication, must be taken into serious consideration.
Action Steps
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Find holiday gifts that pertain to the nature of your business
Meredith Gossland of Lastingimpressions2.com explains the marketing significance of giving gifts. She writes about how in marketing "....The gift says a lot about your company and your relationship to the client. If it is a gift with advertising then it is considered just that, ....advertising (not a gift). As a marketing tool (not advertising), the gift should reflect your company's values and mission statement."
I recommend: Plan on taking some extra time to search for products that demonstrate your company's goals and relate to your particular business. Remember, smart shopping should never be rushed. Set aside a holiday gift budget earlier in the year that will allow for the appropriate amount of spending. Don't wait until the last minute. Check out
Meredith Gossland's article.
Decide what holiday gifts are appropriate for office recipients.
Shopping for people can be easy or extremely difficult. Trying to find the right gift for someone always requires thought and is always appreciated. Speaking from my personal experiences with a former employer, a corporate holiday gift that seems like a last-minute effort (or no effort at all) can cause feelings of resentment and come across as a disrespectful gesture toward a co-worker or employee. Nicely planned gifts, on the other hand, can increase valuable bonding and loyalty in the work place, contributing to the creation of a friendly and productive working environment.
I recommend: Make sure to choose promotional
holiday gifts that are useful as well as appealing. Show your appreciation and gratitude for hard work and/or service with holiday gifts that have a valued function and quality. Employees should receive something that inspires pride in themselves as well as their place of employment.
Decide what holiday gifts are appropriate for customers.
Gifts for prospective clients or customers should be considered equally as important as those for current customers retained by the business. Pricing comes in to play at this point. Returning customers should be shown gratitude with a little more prestige. Higher priced items are more appropriate in this instance. However, the more modestly priced gifts for prospects should still have the same indication of recognition and sincerity as gifts for the return customers.
I recommend: Again, make sure your message is apparent and clear to your customers. Give a product that leaves a lasting impression that will generate more business in the coming year.
Farfromboring.com has made shopping for promotional holiday gifts easier by creating a holiday store on the website. This holiday store is separated into certain pricing categories. You can browse for promotional holiday
gifts from under $10 to
promotional gifts over $100.
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