As the holidays are rapidly approaching, do you find yourself wondering if it is appropriate to give your clients a gift? What about your employees, should they also receive a gift? How much money should be spent on the gift? What type of gift is suitable? To answer these questions: yes, it is appropriate to show your gratitude by giving a gift. However, it is imperative that the gift is fitting for the audience and that business etiquette rules are followed. So how do you identify the best route for holiday gift giving for your recipients?
Understand the Rules
The first step in identifying the right gift for your recipient is to determine if there are any rules or other considerations to take into account. Some organizations prohibit employees from accepting certain types of gifts, gifts over a certain dollar value, or even accepting a gift at all. In addition, some of your clients, or your employees, may not celebrate the holidays. In these cases, sending a card of thanks to your clients for their business or to your employees for their dedication may be the most appropriate option. Once you have established the rules for your recipients, don’t forget to make your gift and card-giving list.
Establish a Budget
Once you have identified the rules associated with gift giving for your clients and employees and you have created your gift-giving list, the next step is to establish a budget. When creating your budget for your client gifts, it is OK to tailor the value of your gift to the value of the work received from the client. For example, when purchasing a gift for an established client with whom you work daily or weekly, you may decide that a gift costing $25 to $50, per client contact, is within your budget and meets the client’s gift receiving policies. In contrast, for a new client, or one with whom you have worked on only a few projects, you may decide that a card is appropriate. However, when establishing the budget for employee gifts, the value of the gift should be the same for all employees.
Make the Gift Personal
When sending a gift, you want your company to be remembered; but how do you do that? By making your gift thoughtful and personal, not promotional. For example, maybe you select a gift of a leather appointment keeper or a wine opener. Personalize your gift with your client’s logo or with the client’s logo and the employee’s name. Adding your client’s logo or name will not only make the gift more useful to that client but will also make it a gift that the client wants to keep and use, allowing the recipient to remember from whom the gift was given. An item with your own company name and/or logo is a marketing piece, not a gift.
Don’t let holiday shopping for your clients or employees be stressful or full of mystery. Whether you are looking for an appropriate card or just the right gift, Safeguard by Innovative has the creative cards and gifts you need to create a lasting impression. Not sure what gifts are appropriate? We also have an experienced team who will listen and provide suggestions that are fitting for your recipients. We provide our customers with access to a wide variety of holiday cards and to over 700,000 different promotional items year round. From a trade show to holiday parties, you’ll find many options for every budget and every occasion. Let us provide you with the items that will help you be remembered.