5.5 Things You Need to Know About Buying Corporate Holiday Gifts
It’s not even Thanksgiving yet, so I’m skipping pictures of holiday gifts, Christmas trees or Santa. I took this picture last year in the Asheville, North Carolina area. It’s one of my favorites. Hopefully it gets you in the mood for the start of the holiday season, because as always, it’s coming full speed ahead!
Many of the corporate clients we work with at PROMOrx already have holiday gifts checked off their lists, since it takes time to customize orders with company logos. Unfortunately, a lot of other businesses we work with will wait until the very last minute. If you haven’t thought about the business gifts your company will be sending just yet, here’s some insight into making the best decisions about what to buy, and how to send it:
Indeed, check that list twice! You don’t want to miss a valued client, prospect or staff member. Consider ordering a few more gifts than you’ve actually written on your list just in case you missed a name or added a new client or staff member. This tip has saved our clients embarrassment time and time again.
Check recipient addresses if you’re having gifts shipped directly to your customers. Incorrect addresses can be costly both in double shipping charges and timely arrival!
Be flexible! Lack of inventory is already an issue this season. And who wants to receive that dreaded “order cancellation” email? Ask the promotional products company you order from about similar or even better options…before you order. A true consultant will be able to share items you may not have considered as well as check availability before you get your heart set on something not in stock.
Save on shipping. Order early enough to avoid express shipping if you can. Put your budget dollars into the item (sorry UPS and FedEx!) It also helps to place orders with promotional product companies that are focused on the best branded items for your business, as well as getting the job done efficiently.
For example, we just saved a client time and money on a tech gift set order. Our West Coast client wanted a mobile charger gift set on our website that was from an East Coast supplier. We knew about a better tech gift set available from a West Coast vendor. The order will arrive faster thanks to the switch, and the client was happier with the “better” (but not more expensive) tech set they ordered.
It’s not about what’s hot. It’s about what’s right for your business both budget-wise and in terms of ‘tone’. A security company prospect asked us about an ‘upscale holiday gift’ for their clients that they could purchase with a $10/person budget. They wondered if they could get away with simply sending a gift card.
Here’s the thing: their security software is very expensive. For me, a $10 gift card didn’t match the tone of their company and risked damaging their brand. I suggested alternate, high quality options likely to be much-appreciated by their clients. How will the gift you choose be perceived?
Details Count. Pictures Lie. Look at materials and details. Consider: is that tumbler aluminum or stainless steel? Is it double wall construction? Does it have a plastic liner? How will the items be decorated? Engraved? Printed? Does that journal have sharp corners instead of rounded ones? Is that pen stylus plastic or aluminum or brass? How is the item packaged?
Avoid disappointment by checking measurements. Food gift towers, usb drives and mobile chargers are notorious offenders. Look at the dimensions and individual item weights. (Ask me about the itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie usb drive story!) Grab your ruler or use a standard piece of copy paper or your business card as a guideline.
The .5 — Last piece of sage advice? Consider sending your thank you gift this month for Thanksgiving or in January 2016! Thanksgiving seems the perfect time to express gratitude. Gifts sent to wish someone Happy Thanksgiving or Happy New Year are a surefire way to stand out from the crowd!
As the holiday season approaches, start thinking about how you’ll show thanks and appreciation to your business’s customers, clients and associates. There are options within every budget that suit every type of company. Make sure you work with a reliable vendor who will point you to high quality promotional products. How will you say Happy Holidays?
Contact your MD* Marketing Doctor, for a free 15 minute Business Holiday Gift consultation. 888.553.9569 extension 3
