Relationships with customers, prospects, staff, and suppliers are what drives business success. Small expressions of appreciation are a powerful way of enhancing relationships. Corporate gifting is a fantastic way of showing your appreciation and can provide a high return on investment to the business.
Like any other part of your business corporate gifting needs good systems. Gifting takes thoughtfulness, planning and skilled execution to maximise the impact. With years in the game, we know a thing or two about gifts that leave impressions. We hope you’ll be impressed with this gift of 15 tips for corporate gifting.
1. Why gift hampers work so well for corporate gifting
It’s all about creating a buzz and giving something that can be shared. Gone are the days of slipping the purchasing manager a bottle of scotch, and gift vouchers are utterly impersonal and may in fact breach some company’s gifting policies.
A corporate gift hamper grabs attention when it’s delivered to the office and gets everyone gathered around. There’s always a touch of excitement as the ribbon is unwrapped and the lid is raised. Inside, there’s something for everyone on the team, and it’s also a great opportunity to stock the office kitchen with treats from you. Every time they go to grab a coffee and something delicious to eat, they’ll think of you and the value you place on the relationship.
Here some more tips about sending the right message to your valued relationships. And after you've read the list, be sure to check out our amazing range of premium corporate hampers. Also check out our corporate gifitng process or simply fill out an enquiry form for more information. If you're interested in corporate responsibility, we work with socially-minded partners that can help you achieve your goals in this area.
There’s no doubt that Christmas and other traditional gift-giving times are wonderful occasions on which to receive something special. But if you really want to make an impact, try sending them something when they wouldn’t expect it. Catching them by surprise creates maximum impact. A beautifully designed gift box arriving at the office out of the blue causes a stir and gets everyone gathered about.
Traditionally, we send corporate hampers to those we already have a relationship with, but it’s also a brilliant method of getting the attention of a new sales prospect.
Imagine it: a beautifully packaged gift box arriving unexpectedly at the office of your big sales prospect. It will grab attention and get tongues wagging. You could even add a message like, ‘expect the unexpected when you work with us.’
The cost of a gift hamper will be far less than the labour cost of your sales team spending time on emails, prospecting calls, social media, and advertising.
The first sale in a new relationship is a momentous event. Celebrate it with a thank you hamper that achieves three things:
Those who make an impact get spoken about. If you use corporate hampers well and impress the client, word will get around. A ‘thank you for the sale’ hamper is a great way to start conversations about you in both B2B and B2C markets.
For medium to high value B2C sales such as houses, vehicles or financial services, a hamper is a small slice of your sales margin and it create a big impact. In most B2B sales, a hamper that leads to repeat business will have a high return on investment.
You’ve sent a corporate gift that’s appreciated and they’re in a good mood. Take this moment to ask for a review on Google, Trustpilot or other review platforms. Chances are, they’ll be more than happy to oblige, and the fact is that these reviews do make a difference.
One of the biggest factors in customers changing suppliers is because they think their supplier (perhaps your company) doesn’t care about them anymore. Try a surprise gift on a client company’s anniversary as a customer, a client’s achievement (such as an award), or the completion of a major project. There are plenty of moments throughout the year when you can catch a business connection unawares and really make a splash.
Let’s flip the story. We’ve talked about gift hampers for sales but what about being even more surprising and sending a gift hamper to your suppliers. Great supplier relationships can provide your business with real competitive advantage. If your supplier feels appreciated, they are likely to go the extra mile for you such as when product stocks are short; when there is upward pressure on prices; or when there is a need to call in a favour. An appreciated supplier is more likely to put you at the head of the queue when your relationship is thriving.
Staff retention and staff productivity are major factors in business profitability. Staff turnover is costly so creating a culture of appreciation in your business that leads to strong company loyalty will have a major impact on productivity and profitability. Here are a few ideas:
It’s well known that salary is not the main factor in an employee’s choice of employer. If it’s a choice between being more appreciated or getting more salary, then they’re likely to prefer the appreciation. So setting aside a few hundred dollars per employee to show your appreciation is likely to be more impactful om your business than just adding the same amount to their annual salary.
If you want corporate gifting to have a real impact, it can’t be treated as an afterthought.
Corporate hampers are something businesses send every year, often with the same clients and customers. At Creative Hampers, you’ll have a dedicated account manager who is one of the three women who own the business –Sarah, Learne or Rachel,. Who better to look after your valuable business relationships than someone who owns a business themselves?
As we build our relationship, your account manager will get to know you and your clients and help design the sort of gifts that will make the right impact. It’s about convenience, trust and sending the right message.
Don’t hallmark it. Corporate hampers are about the message you want to get across – ‘we value our relationship’ – and, yes, the actual gifts do the heavy lifting. But don’t discount the impact of a personalised note.
Be sure to talk about things pertinent to the relationship, whether that’s a recent project you’ve both worked on, how many years you’ve known each other, or perhaps something about future plans. In other words, make it unique and personal.
At Creative Hampers, we are happy to include something with your branding in the corporate hampers we put together. This is the perfect opportunity to include a small, branded item, business card, brochure or sales material. Not only are our gifts beautifully packaged and boxed, but they also come with the option for custom branding on the ribbon. As soon as your client lays eyes on it, they’ll know who it’s from you.
If you want some longevity with your branding, we also include in hampers:
Unboxing is one of the best things about gift hampers; it’s full of anticipation and excitement. While the contents do matter the most, you don’t want to skimp on the packaging. At Creative Hampers, we understand this better than anyone, which is why we put so much effort into the presentation. When your corporate gift arrives at the recipient’s door, it needs to turn heads.
We all know how hectic the pointy end of the year can be. Q4 is busy, and it’s all too easy to leave things to the last minute and end up doing a rush job. The problem is recipients can tell. If you want corporate gifting to send the right message, you need to plan ahead.
October might sound far too early, but this is precisely when you should start planning your Christmas corporate gifts. Here’s why:
If you’re sending to multiple clients or customers, it takes time to organise. You don’t want to be figuring out the logistics in December when there’s too many other things to do and staff already have their minds on the Christmas break
Our Hamper Ideas page has plenty of more advice, such as:
