4 Reasons to Keep on Gifting (and PLENTY of Things to Gift…)

We get it – your Holiday gifting is locked and loaded. Maybe you give the same thing every year – who doesn’t love a full-bodied Chianti around the holidays? Or, maybe you mix it up and opt for the season’s most on-trend must-have. Regardless, you know your gifts are welcome and warranted. You are, after all, thanking your clients, partners and/or employees for helping your business knock it out of the park this year.

That said, the holidays aren’t the only optimal time to reach out and say “thanks!” Now, more than ever, decision-makers are inundated with holiday gifts from early December straight through to the New Year. While that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for a holiday gift, it does mean non-seasonal mailings will likely work a lot harder. Why?

#1. Because you don’t “have to”

Not only will a gift outside of this present-heavy season cut through the clutter of junk mail and promotional emails, but your clients will appreciate the thought even more – when it’s not the holiday season, these “thinking of you” nods feel less forced and, hands down, will likely resonate more.

“It’s natural to think of sending a gift around the holidays,” says Giftology author John Ruhlin in a recent Forbes interview. “But, you may want to reconsider…the holiday season is ironically the least effective time to give a gift…if you take the time to appreciate your clients when they least expect it, you’ll stand out.”

#2. Because they’re going to get in touch…

Having a tough time getting a call or email back? Send a gift. Unless it’s truly a throw-away – which, let’s face it, you wouldn’t waste your money on – that client or prospect is almost always going to respond and thank you for the thought. It’s good business and, besides that, it’s common courtesy. So, do yourself a favor and stop the endless email/voice mail barrage and pop something in the mail.

One final pro tip: while any gift should warrant a call or email acknowledgement, this is often a good example of “go big or go home”. Sending something larger really can’t be missed, even if it gets shuffled in with the day’s mail and call-back notes.

This Heritage Supply Laptop Backpack is a perfect example. It’s sizable, versatile and completely usable – who doesn’t hate hauling their laptop back and forth every day? And besides that, backpacks are having a serious moment. With so many adults dealing with back issues, many are turning to backpacks to help distribute the weight of their daily haul. In other words, double points for thoughtfulness.

#3. Because continuity builds relationships

Showing appreciation and fostering a feeling of familiarity and mutual respect is essential to building any business relationship, clients included. By establishing a more regular “thank you/thinking of you” cadence, you’re fostering good will year-round and not just during the holidays or when they sign on the line. Again, it feels more genuine and more personal, which helps ensure your clients feel valued and appreciated.

The trick, then, is to come up with corporate gifts that 1) are universally in-demand/useful 2) don’t break the bank but still have some serious oomph to them and 3) are in-sync with the clients’ wants and needs or, minimally, with some moment in time.

For example, send this Marble Click-Action Pen around New Year’s, letting them know that, as they’re writing their resolutions list they should add “coffee with you” to their to-dos. Or, as summer approaches, pop these Faux Leather Power Banks in the mail as a vacation essential – there’s never a charger poolside when you need one. When temperatures start dropping, brand and send an Elevate Two-Tone Knit Half Zip, or this Thermos^® Stainless King Travel Mug, perfect for something hot.

#4. Because it’s about THEM, not you

Let’s face it – the branded fleece picnic blanket you sent last year was useful but, really, it was equally about getting your name and logo front-and-center with your latest and greatest client. Layering in an additional gift or, even, a continuity gifting program gives you an opportunity to focus on that essential partner and what makes them tick.

A perfect go-to? This Moleskin Hardcover Journal Set. Moleskin journals are a classic that – bonus – are super on-trend right now. Whether your client is a serial journal-er, closet poet or, simply likes to jot notes down in something that feels a bit more elevated, this is the perfect gift. Bonus points for leaving a little personalized note on page one…

The goal? Come up with some ongoing gifting program that goes beyond just Christmas and Hanukkah. Done right, this is the ultimate relationship-builder and booster, which can position you and your brand for success now and in the future – not just during the holidays. Think about your customers, what makes them tick and when you aren’t hearing from them as much as you should. Then, use that intel as your jumping off point to create a powerhouse corporate gifting program for your business.

Call us, the Promo-Know How People, to get started incorporating Corporate Gifts into your marketing budget, today!

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