Corporate Gifting: What Every Business Should Know

Gourmet Basket September 2, 2019

In a world of increasing reliance on communication and networking, keeping the art of gift giving alive is an important business tool. Corporate gifting is as much a show of respect as it is a way to promote good work or to advertise your services to prospective customers. Every business should make corporate gifting an ongoing part of their work culture in order to keep rapport among employees and to thank customers for their loyalty.

What to consider when corporate gifting

Buying the perfect corporate gift for clients or employees has never been easier with the range of products available online or in stores. No matter your working relationship to the recipient, you are sure to find something suitable. But if you’ve never given a corporate gift before, it can be confusing or difficult. If you’re unsure how to approach corporate gift giving, here are a few tips every business should know when it comes to making the most out of corporate gift buying. 

1. Purpose of a corporate gift

There’s a lot we can say with a gift. While most of us associate gift giving with traditional occasions like birthdays or weddings, it also has its place in the business world.The purpose of a corporate gift is to express our gratitude to someone who has helped us professionally, or as a way to attract further business. You can give a corporate gift to say thanks to an employee, to congratulate a business partner on their promotion, to celebrate a business milestone, to reward customer loyalty, or to acknowledge a new business relationship. Showing appreciation can help demonstrate that you really care, and that can only strengthen your business relationships and workplace culture. 

2. Corporate policy

Most businesses and government offices will have a gift policy that limits the dollar value of a gift or prohibits gifts. The gift giving policy defines who may give a gift to company employees and defines under what circumstances an employee may accept a gift. Putting a corporate policy in place can help protect your business and help keep relationships professional. 

3. Personalisation

Personalising your gift is important. In fact, 28% of gift recipients stated that they experienced negative feelings because they felt the gift giver didn’t put much thought into the gift. A personalised gift shows that you have put thought and effort into your recipient and makes the gift more genuine and memorable. The best way to personalise your gift is to consider your recipients likes/dislikes and hobbies or to ask them in order to determine their wants. Yes, it may take more time to figure out what to buy, but it will be worth the effort when it comes to making a lasting impression. 

4. Budget

No matter how generous you are, setting a budget will help you to stay within your means and allocate finances toward gift giving. Once you’ve determined the number of recipients, you can determine how much you can pay per gift. If your corporate gift giving policy focuses more on strengthening client-relationships, you may allocate a larger amount of the budget toward gifting clients and a lesser amount on employees throughout the business year. Some business gifts are also tax-deductible, so depending on your business structure you may be able to consider this when budgeting. 

5. Timing

Make sure that your gift arrives when it’s meant to. This is especially important if the gift is for an occasion such as a birthday or momentous celebration, or if the gift you’re giving is a perishable food item. It’s expected to send gifts during the holiday season, but businesses should also consider showing appreciation all-year-round. By showing your thanks to a client when they least expect it, you’ll stand out. 

6. The gift itself

Choosing gifts can be stressful at the best of times, but the key is to have fun and enjoy the process! There’s no need to break the bank in search of the perfect gift, all you need is some creativity and out-the-box thinking. If your business hasn’t got the budget to allocate gifts for both clients and employees, you may want to send a handwritten card with a photo of the team. Whatever corporate gift you choose it should reflect your business, as well as carry some sort of meaning or personalisation with the recipient in mind. For those hard to buy for recipients, a corporate gift hamper is a great option. You have the opportunity to tailor the gift to the recipient,as well as add personal touches such as a note or company branding. 

What corporate gift should you choose to give?

Choosing a gourmet basket to give as a corporate gift gives your business the opportunity to reach out and say a genuine ‘thanks’. A corporate gift basket provides plenty of options, from food hampers to your own branded gifts. 

Need some inspiration? The Guide to Corporate Gift Giving will help! Find out everything you need to know about gift giving and how to choose the perfect corporate gift for clients and business partners to make a lasting impression.