The importance of a well-thought gift
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Many do not like surprises but everyone loves gifts, especially those from people who in some way contribute to building our self-esteem and especially in the workplace. This is why corporate gifts, especially personalized ones, are a great way to build company-customer and company-employee relationships. Let’s see how.
What is a corporate gift?
The corporate gift is a way of creating a point of contact with employees, customers, or potential customers through the use of a gift, whether it is to give a physical object, an edible gift, or a personalized item of clothing or through an object non-physical like an eGift card or an experience (like airfare or concert tickets).
Why are personalized corporate gifts important?
Receiving a gift is a powerful experience; creates a sense of connection with the donor and can create positive associations with a person or brand.
Businesses and marketers have long relied on the power of the gift to ensure better relationships with potential and existing customers, and to show appreciation for their business. When used as part of general marketing or employee retention efforts, the gift can be very practical in terms of ROI and satisfaction.
The psychology of personalized corporate gifts
The effectiveness of the gift has a strong correlation with its psychological impact on the recipient. If you have received an unexpected surprise or treatment (in person or through direct mail) you have personally experienced this phenomenon in action. This is partly due to the fact that physical contact with a gift results in the Endowment effect, a sense of ownership over an item that results in an individual valuing it higher. According to a study on the effects of gifting on business results, it also influences feelings of reciprocity and trust. This effect can be seen in the results of marketing and gift-giving in several common custom corporate gift scenarios.
The importance of promotional gifts for:
For potential customers
- Giving gifts can motivate those who are not yet your customers to become one.
- In fact, 80% of consumers say they are more likely to do business with a company if they offer personalized experiences.
- Sending the right gift at the right time can be the motivation for potential customers to take the desired action, such as completing a purchase, signing up for a service, or making a discovery call.
For existing customers
Customers can also benefit from a timely gift. It can let them know their business is valued, encourage them to continue their service or become brand evangelists, and it has the power to bring your business back to the top in cases where it’s been a while since the last interaction. According to a retail study, consumers with an emotional connection to a brand have 306% higher lifetime value.
For employees
Customers and prospects aren’t the only people businesses need to consider. In many cases, the key to great customer results starts much closer to home. In fact, one study reports that 57% of people say receiving mail makes them feel more appreciated. This statistic refers to direct mail gifts; however, if you’ve ever been the recipient of a high-quality personalized corporate gift, you know it can work for your staff too.
These gifts, especially when they are of good quality and well personalized, create the feeling of being appreciated by your employer and foster a sense of belonging and connection with the team. These feelings translate into the way employees perform their roles and the quality of service they provide to external stakeholders, customers, and potential customers.
• Personal Events: New family member or personal milestone, completion of a degree or certificate, new home, or another personal achievement.
• Corporate Events: Years of service, years of milestones, recognition of service level, or completion of industry-specific training programs that promote their skills.
• Special Recognition: Rewarding cases where an employee saved the day or went out of his way to help a business goal or colleague.
In short, there are several opportunities to stimulate a company’s relationships with other subjects; however, no one beats the gift.
