Business Gift Giving Checklist
Get the Most out of your Client Appreciation Gift
Quick Checklist for Gift Giving Strategy
Many business owners and sales people are gearing up to give gifts to their best clients. Consider this checklist before you purchase and deliver your business gifts.
CHOOSING A GIFT
- Consider giving gifts that relieve holiday stress rather than increase it. I love cashews, but they are tough on folks watching their waistlines.
- Personal or Group gift? Companies may have policies against any personal gifts, but may be willing to allow gifts given to a group of employees. A financial limit may be set for any gifts given to a single employee. Check on the policy to avoid this faux pas in advance.
- If a personal gift is given, decide whether it is best that it's job related or strictly personal. The impact you achieve will depend on which outcome you feel will affect your ability to strengthen your client relationship during the upcoming year.
- Group gifts are normally food gifts: candies, cookies, popcorn, or other consumable food items that can easily be shared in a group setting. This eliminates the aspect of favoritism allowing you to engender a broader impression to the whole group.
- Memorable is the key word with any gift. You should strive to create a positive impression that carries forward into the upcoming year, in an effort to be positively postured or considered for any busiess that might potentially be supplied by your organization.
DELIVERING A GIFT
After you have chosen the right gift to give, make sure you follow through with a strong deliver process.
- Make it personal. You or your sales team personally deliver the gift, look the customer in the eye and say "Thank you for your business" and hand them the gift. No matter what the gift is, you will stand out from most of the other gifts because your gift was about how you spent the time to greet them rather than about the gift itself. You will have to prioritize your client list to determine how many gifts you can reasonable deliver without negatively impacting productivity.
- Make it quick. Your gift (and unexpected visit during your client's slower time of day) will be most appreciated if it is limited to a 1-2 minute visit and quickly finished with a handshake. This will be hard for your sales team but is "a must" to show the client that this is not a sales call and truly a gift.
I collaborated with John Calardo from Proforma Grafix to write this article. It was published in the West Chester Chamber Alliance's December issue of The Voice. I thought Hot Marketing Tips subscribers would appreciate the content.
Nuggets To Remember
-Choose a personal or group gift
-Make the delivery personal
-Make the delivery quick
-When prioritizing relationships that you value, don't forget your family
Personal Note From Drew
I count it a privilege to share these marketing insights and strive to bring high value to business decision makers with every Hot Marketing Tip. There are many perspectives about the meaning behind this time of year. From Christmas to Chanukah to Kwanzaa and other celebrations, the holidays often become a time to share love with our family and friends and that is a good thing! This year, as always, I will be celebrating Christmas with my family. We celebrate the birth of Christ because I believe that he is the eternal hope for my life. May God bless you, your family and your business.
