Holidays are the most magical time of the year, but what would the festivities be without gifts? Yes, they are an integral part of the holidays that are associated with a lot of warm and fond memories.
Corporate holiday gifts speak to the heart and create a unique touchpoint with all those associated with your business. As the year draws to a close, it is also a symbolic time to acknowledge both clients and employees who have shared a successful year-long journey with you.
Various aspects come into play when you are choosing a gift for people associated with your business. You have to carefully consider the occasion, the purpose, the profile of the recipient, their interests, your budget, the logistics, and so on before you can buy a gift. Hence, corporate gifts tend to be very tricky.
Getting all of the aspects right and zeroing in on the perfect gift can mean a stronger bond and a better relationship with a client or employee. But bad gifts can do the contrary and negatively affect their perceptions of you. Therefore, it is imperative to have the right corporate holiday gift ideas as they will determine the brand equity of your company.
Personalized holiday gifts are a dream! Everyone likes to receive a personalized gift. But up until recently, corporate agencies could not personalize gifts for every employee and client and ended up gifting generic items to everyone. Receiving the same thing as everyone else, where is the fun and novelty in that?
But what if we told you that you could now personalize every gift that you send out, even on a budget? We know that you are excited to know more!
But first, let’s take a look at…
Why Corporate Gifting Is Essential
1. Branding
Corporate gifting generates positive publicity and goodwill, and this positivity will be associated with you and your brand. Not just that, corporate gifting is also a powerful tool that aids brand recall. These benefits have caused it to become essential in the marketing strategy of many companies.
2. Building and Fortifying bonds
If correctly used, your corporate gifting program can create and maintain lasting bonds. There is no better way to show your appreciation, and corporate gifts do precisely that! They cement relationships as they communicate your gratitude to your clients or employees.
3. Bringing in more business
Corporate gifting is a cost-effective way to support and encourage business relationships and enhance personal connections between clients, customers, employees, and valued associates. Giving gifts has been proven to increase referrals, boost business activity, grow collaboration, and multiply the return on investment.
4. Exploring your creativity
Gift buying is creativity at its best! Given the range of giftable products and services available, from home gadgets to vouchers to experimental gifts, there is a wide variety to choose from. You can get as creative as you want as long it stays within your budget.
Corporate Holiday Gifts: The Truth About Employee and Client Gifts
Client Gifts
The gift you choose for a client, says a lot about how much you appreciate them and also about the kind of relationship you share. No two clients are the same. You would always value some more than others.
Considering this, you may need to take several things into account (including gender differences) when choosing a corporate holiday gift. Since, everyone knows that it is important to keep clients happy, they also know that skimping on clients’ gifts is not a good idea.
Employee Gifts
Although many feel that since clients bring in revenue for a company, it is necessary to spend more on them than on employees.
But employees are as important as your clients. They are the force that drives a business and makes things happen, and hence, deserve recognition for their hard work. The success of your entire business depends on your employees, and therefore, your gifts to them should reflect your gratitude and appreciation. Also, recognition of their efforts serves as an incentive for them to work harder.
Never forget
Whether it is a client or an employee, corporate gifts should never be about bribing or influencing behavior but a sign of a respectful and appreciative relationship.
The crux of corporate gifting is acknowledging the people who have contributed to the growth of your business, stuck by you in trying times, and helped you along the way.
How to choose the right corporate holiday gifts (the old-fashioned way)
Choosing the best corporate holiday gifts has always been a complicated process, and even after years of the same old process, it does not seem to get any easier.
1. Consider the relationship
What kind of business relationship do you share with the recipient? Is it a valued client who has brought you a lot of business during the year? Is it a prospect you are hoping to bag? Is it an employee that has performed outstandingly well over the years? The gift will depend on the person and the reason for gifting.
2. Consider your budget
Let’s all face it, corporate gifting is an expense, and most businesses do not have an infinite budget to spend on it. But a gifting budget, large or small, is an investment in the people associated with your business.
Choosing a great gift is hard enough but gets even more complicated on a budget. So yes, the budget is a factor to be considered when gifting.
3. Consider personalization
Personalization is a great touch to gifting, but sometimes circumstances do not permit it (especially when you are rushing to plan and purchase your corporate gifts and the holidays are fast approaching). Normally, you would give personalized gifts to people with whom you share closer relationships. For example, a client who has been with you for years. Personalized gifts always make the recipient feel special.
4. Consider the right delivery system
All of us have had at least one bad experience with a lost or damaged delivery. After all the trouble of choosing a gift, you want it delivered safely to the recipient. And it is also important that it arrives in the perfect condition with the packaging intact. Therefore, choosing the right delivery system is very important.
In the end
No old-fashioned corporate gifting process can be complete unless you worry about whether the recipient liked the gift or not. When you receive a polite “thank you!” you will still wonder if it was well-received. You could spend a month agonizing about your corporate gift and another handpicking what you think is perfect, but you will always be unsure if your client was happy with it.
How to Choose the best corporate holiday gifts – The Smart Way!
Remember, we said it was not possible to personalize every gift that you sent out, up until now?
Now we say, out with the old and in with the new! There is a brand new, effortless, efficient, and foolproof way of corporate gifting, and you can personalize every single gift that you give!
We lovingly call it Eva.
The Eva Gifting Assistant is designed to make the whole complicated corporate gifting process a breeze.
All you have to do is…
Step 1. Log in to Eva
Log in and enter a few details of the person you wish to send a gift to and specify the amount you would like to spend.
Step 2. Share the link
Eva will then generate a unique gift link that you can share with the recipient.
Step 3. Eva takes over
When the recipient clicks on the link, Eva will have a quick chat with them and understand preferences, dislikes, allergies, interests, etc.
Step 4. Eva chooses the right gift
Then based on the data collected from the recipient and based on other data points, Eva picks the perfect gift tailored to the recipient’s tastes.
Step 5. Eva packages and delivers
Eva has not finished yet! The gift is then packaged beautifully and delivered to the recipient with the level of customization and personalization specified by you.
How Does Eva Solve Your Troubles?
It’s simple! You do not have to worry about whether the recipient likes the gift or not because Eva does enough homework to ensure that it is perfect every time. In fact, the recipient has a hand in choosing what they want, and so the question of disliking it never arises.
Did we not mention that the holidays are a magical time? Is it not magical that with a few clicks of your mouse, you can send the perfect corporate gift? And it is all personalized! Isn’t that exciting?
20 Popular Corporate Holiday Gifts in 2020
Eva Gifting Assistant ensures that you don’t have to go through the hassles of picking a suitable gift, and Eva does the hard work on your behalf to ensure the recipients are always happy with the gift they receive.
Having said that, if you are looking for some corporate holiday gift ideas, here you go…
1. Gift cards
Gift Cards are a popular idea for Corporate Gifting. They allow the recipient to spend a fixed amount of money, within a particular store or related business. These are preferred because they are hassle-free for the person doing the gifting and they allow the recipient to choose their gift.
2. Gift baskets or boxes
Gift boxes or baskets have something for everyone. They are popular because they allow for a variety of combinations. They could contain edible as well as non-edible items or even a combination of both! You can get as creative as you want.
3. Custom Alcohol and Alcohol accessories
Gifting alcohol or alcohol accessories can be a tricky business. Everyone does not consume alcohol, and it may not be accepted positively. However, to people who do appreciate it, it can make a great gift. This is where the Eva Gifting Assistant is useful because it could find out things about your client that you may find awkward to enquire about- alcohol being one of them!
4. Premium Quality Tea/Coffee
Tea and coffee are some of the most popular beverages worldwide, and therefore, always make for great gifts. Tea and coffee also come across as very refined and elegant corporate holiday gifts and are a safe bet.
5. Home Assistant Devices
Everyone loves smart home assistant devices. With people adopting home automation and convenience at a fast pace, you cannot go wrong with these as corporate gifts.
6. Portable Fitness Equipment
Fitness is becoming quite the rage. Corporate gifts that encourage health and fitness are a way to show you care! There is a whole exciting range of portable fitness equipment available from which to choose.
7. Head & Body Massager
Anybody would love a good head and body massage. And they can have one with a portable head and body massager! It makes a thoughtful and useful gift that a client or employee could use after a tough day at work or an intense exercise session.
8. Photography Kit
Everyone wants to look like a professional photographer these days. Good or bad photographs, it does not matter! What matters is having the right photography equipment to make any level of photographer smile! So, why not give one to your employee or business associate?
9. Headphones
Headphones are a versatile gift for both work as well as leisure. There is a range of headphones to choose from, from noise-canceling over the ear headphones to sweat-proof earbuds. Any of these would make an excellent corporate holiday gift.
10. Portable Speaker
People love to take their music wherever they go and what better way to do so than with a portable speaker. These make great corporate gifts because they are handy and anyone can use them.
11. Employee Appreciation Spa Box
What is life without a little self-pampering and indulgence? Spa boxes would be highly appreciated corporate gifts, especially by female clients and employees.
12. Digital Photo Frame
Bringing back fond memories would mean a positive recall for your company. A digital photo frame, therefore, would not only serve as great branding for your company (as it would always be on display) but would make a delightful corporate gift for anyone.
13. Smart Display
Help your business associates organize their lives with a smart display. They could even watch movies and cook with the help of this gadget. Who would not like one of these?
14. Travel Vouchers
Many people enjoy traveling. If you know your clients or employees love to travel, then this would be a highly appreciated corporate gift.
15. Books
Books make lovely corporate gifts. But books are tricky because it not only depends on whether the person is a reader but also on what genre interests the person. So, if you know a client or employee well enough to know their reading habits, do not think twice about giving them a book.
16. Kindle
A kindle is like a library that fits inside your pocket. The recipient can download their choice of books on the kindle. But then again, a kindle will only be appreciated by people who love to read.
17. OTT Subscription
With the rise of OTT platforms, everyone has or wants a piece of the action. You can be sure that your clients and employees will be thrilled with a subscription to their favorite network. You could explore the many networks that offer subscription cards that can be gifted.
18. Smart Pet Toy
Pet owners treat their pets like family members. A gift for a pet is sure to thrill them. There are all kinds of smart pet toys you can gift, although you should make sure that they are animal-safe certified.
19. Wine Aerators
Wine aerators make excellent corporate gifts if you are sure the recipient is a wine drinker. A wine lover would appreciate the freedom to enjoy a glass of wine both quickly and easily.
20. Your products/services
Finally, if you have a product or service that is giftable, you can simply customize it for your clients or employees. For example, if you are a wine manufacturer or a clothing brand, etc. you could give your merchandise as corporate holiday gifts.
When to Plan for Corporate Holiday Gifts?
Most people wait for December to plan and purchase their Corporate Holiday Gifts, and although there is the lure of festive sales and discounts, it may not be the best modus operandi.
Two good reasons why this is a bad idea
- The best corporate holiday gift ideas do not come easily and waiting until the eleventh hour does not allow you enough time to plan and choose and execute the whole process.
- People tend to compromise on the quality of gifts due to lack of time. Compromising on quality could mean a negative effect on the impression of you and your brand.
Two good reasons to plan ahead of time
- Since the best corporate holiday gifts are meaningful tokens of your relationship with your employees and your clients, they need prudent planning. They need to say you care. Starting ahead of time gives you the impetus you need to put careful thought into your corporate gifts.
- Also, if your gifts arrive ahead of time, they will add positively to the impression of you and your brand. Not only that, but they will also stand out from the avalanche of gifts that people receive towards the end of December, giving you and your brand valuable mind space.
Last-Minute Corporate Holiday Gifting: Urgent Gifting Solutions
As we had mentioned, last-minute corporate gift shopping is never a good idea. But however good your intentions are, you might find yourself in the non-enviable position of wondering what to do about gifts, with the holidays fast approaching.
But hang in there because all is not lost. It is in times like these when AI solutions like the Eva Gifting Assistant can step in and relieve your burden.
Eva is the perfect solution for a rushed holiday season because the whole gifting process is taken care of quickly and efficiently, for you, with minimal effort on your part. Eva will choose, wrap (with your company branding) and deliver the perfect gift with a personalized message from you. It cannot get any easier!
Corporate Holiday Gifts in 2020: A Perspective Beyond the Coronavirus Pandemic
COVID-19 has changed life for most of us. But two of the most apparent and immediate outcomes of the pandemic are economic slowdowns and the phenomenon of social distancing.
Many companies have taken a severe hit and are going through a financial crunch. Cutting down costs may be the only way to sustain business at the moment. But it is crucial to remember that a huge slash on the gifting budget may not be the right answer to this crisis. Recognitions and appreciations remain vital to a business even today.
It has taken a global pandemic and a lockdown to make many people realize that a business, above all, runs on relationships, and the key to which is to recognize and acknowledge the true value of these relationships.
Thank you Brooke Wooley for sending me this wonderful Eva Gift ???? — personalized to my taste???? It made me feel really special???????? @TryEvaBot pic.twitter.com/V9T1N695QB
— AVExcellence (@AVExcellenceGA) August 24, 2020
One possible way is through gifts. Gifts can also make a difference when physically meeting people is not possible due to social distancing. This is more reason to give your clients and employees meaningful gifts.
If most of your employees are working remotely or your clients are from other states or countries, gifts like coupons, gift cards, food vouchers, or personal hobby items may be smart options. You can also make small, thoughtful gestures that are also apt for the current work-from-home situation, like noise cancellation headphones, coffee, etc.
Right now, gifts related to health and hygiene are the rage. Popular choices are masks, herbal products, house plants, and such. These kinds of gifts are not just a sign of appreciation but also a sign of empathy and will add to your brand value.
Thank you Phone Macy for sending me this wonderful Eva Gift ???? — personalized to my taste???? It made me feel really special???????? @TryEvaBot pic.twitter.com/5odtjDHYhY
— doc240B (@droopydoc) July 17, 2020
Finally, remember that if you are sending gifts via courier, opt for a courier company that ticks all the right boxes of safe delivery.
Conclusion
When it comes to holiday gifting, be it to a client or business partner or your employees, there should always be an aspect of fun in it. It shouldn’t put you through the stress of picking the wrong gifts or blowing off your company’s budget. This is where Eva steps in!
Thank you @proactivetalent for sending me this wonderful Eva Gift ???? — personalized to my taste???? It made me feel really special???????? @TryEvaBot pic.twitter.com/rXmRqXUvYU
— Jim Stroud (@jimstroud) June 18, 2020
We, at Eva, ensure you have the means to show your gratitude with relevant gifts that suit every scenario. Eva’s AI technology and data-driven gifting practices come with the assurance that your recipients are always left happy and satisfied. So, you have all the time and space to strengthen your corporate and employee relationships.
To know more, get in touch with us. We would love to hear from you.