For B2B companies, particularly those in the services industry, deciding whether to send a gift during the holidays can be a difficult decision. Once the precedent has been set, it's probably necessary to make it a tradition.
Deciding what to give can be a pretty challenging endeavor as well. The following are five tips for giving holiday business gifts:
- Decide the goal for giving a gift. Is it simply to say "thanks for your business?" Do you see it as an opportunity to reinforce or remind clients (or potential customers) about your company? Sometimes it's simply because all your competitors provide gifts. Whatever the reason, make sure you know what you want to achieve. Simple thank you items don't have to be expensive or even that memorable. Something that needs to reinforce the brand should be a bit more carefully designed.
- Determine the recipients of the gift. Are you providing something for the entire office, or is this a memorable gift for an important buyer? Do you need to order 100 or 1000? Understanding the quantities that you need to deliver can help make that decision, as logistics can be tricky with heavier or fragile items, or those that need to be refrigerated. Companies that provide customized treats can often be much more convenient, especially if they handle orders for multiple recipients.
- Be sure your gift is personalized with the company logo. Although this seems like an obvious choice, often businesses will give edible gifts or others that are not branded. Even if your gift is mainly as a thank you, it should have some type of corporate brand on it. It's often the same cost as buying them from Costco, and it's much more memorable.
- Be sensitive to religious beliefs. I'm a firm believer in sending holiday gifts early in December, or even right after Thanksgiving to avoid a close association with Christmas. This has become even more important as our workforce becomes increasingly diverse. (Also, it helps your gift stand out from the "glut" of cards and gifts that normally show up the last two weeks of the year.)
- Make sure your gift is useful. This means either it's delicious to consume, or the client can actually use it in some manner. We all have enough coffee mugs so be creative. Jump drives, or even a handy pair of scissors are going to be much more memorable than some tchotchke that simply clutters up a desk.
Whenever I'm asked, I usually recommend a classy, consumable treat. Treats can be shared around the office, or brought into a meeting during the holidays. Packaging is usually easy to brand as well.
One thing is for sure, holiday business gifts that goes well with coffee are always going to be a hit. I'm excited to offer a special promotion on gifts from Lotus Biscoff Bakeries. The pails, boxes and other options are packaged well (with a nice option to add your brand!) and the treats are delicious. Much more unique than a normal old cookie too! Use the code WAXMKT to get 15% off any gift purchase at ShopBiscoff.com.
