The holiday season is when the most important brand promotion of the year takes place for many companies. This is the best time for your business to step up and gain exposure, tap new leads, increase your ROIs, and tell your customers how much they matter to you.
Great products and the best customer service make your company sustainable. For customer retention, however, giving gifts this time of the year will make your business stand out from the competition. Here are some ideas for Christmas giveaways and brand promotion.
Plan ahead and deliver early.
You want your Christmas gifts to make an impact so you have to make plans early, especially if it’s a personalised item. The holidays are going to be a busy time and everyone will have plans. As such, it’s better to start arranging the giving earlier. It might make your customers feel like an afterthought if you can’t give the gift on time.
Tailor the gifts to your audience.
Corporate gifts aren’t one size fits all, as some of your customers might not have any use for what you plan on giving for Christmas. Thus, you should tailor your presents based on what they like, their tastes, or their hobbies, and interests.
A simple detail like their favourite colour will show that you’ve made an effort and taken the time to understand their taste. If you always consider them when giving a gift, your customers will have more appreciation for your business.
Keep your promotional inserts minimal.
Your special customers won’t like opening a Christmas present that’s full of advertising brochures from your company. Make sure not to insert everything in your gift; otherwise, your thoughtfulness will be masked by your desire to promote your brand.
Remember, you’re giving something to a customer for Christmas to thank them for their business. It is not about just promoting your company. Instead, insert a booklet or brochure that says everything, including a personal handwritten note card along with the present. Corporate gifts may feel impersonal most of the time but your personal note will show thoughtfulness.
Don’t get carried away.
Gifting a client an item worth $500 might be overdoing it if they are paying a lot less for your service or product. You want your customers to feel special this Christmas but you might make them feel uncomfortable and awkward instead if you get carried away with the gifting.
Even if Christmas is a time for generosity, you should still give presents that are appropriate for the kind of relationship you have with your clients. If you’re fairly comfortable and have been doing business with each other for a long time, an indulgent gift that blows your budget won’t seem right. Otherwise, it might appear as if you’re bribing your client.
However, you shouldn’t also give away cheap presents, especially if your business puts emphasis on first-class products and service.
10 ideas for the best Christmas giveaways
Now that you have some ideas about corporate gift-giving, here are 10 suggestions from us here at Jennings:
1. Basket of goodies
Gift baskets are more innovative today so you’ll have plenty of choices to pick from. However, it’s always better to find out if your client has special diet needs or food allergies. If they are vegan, gluten-free, or diabetic, you can send a basket specifically for their dietary requirements.
2. Gift cards from restaurants
Treat your client to a great meal from one of the newest or most happening restaurants in town by giving gift cards. They surely won’t forget your gesture as they savour the food and flavours.
3. Catered food
You don’t have to cater an elaborate and expensive meal, there are sandwich or ice cream bars you can hire for a couple of hours to give away delicious treats for your clients. You could easily please and thank a whole department or company with this gift.
4. Coffee or tea boxes
Most people love a cup of coffee or tea, and your gift will be a godsend to your clients. Take it up a notch by creating a box of special coffee beans, coffee samplers, or a good selection of flavoured tea.
5. Water bottle
Your client likely has a few water bottles but your gift should be useful if you choose a high-quality and well-designed water bottle. Foldable water bottles, for example, are more useful than the regular variety because they aren’t bulky to carry inside your client’s bag.
6. Calendars
Make your corporate calendars creative and unique. They should not be the type of thing that customers might get from attending a conference or tradeshow, and immediately throw away. Print your calendar on high-quality paper to impress your clients.
7. Tech accessories
Everyone has a use for tech accessories these days so why not give away phone chargers, screen cleaners, magnetic phone holders, earphones, flash drives, or power banks? A mobile phone fan attachment will be welcome when it’s scorching and hot outside this time of the year. Tech accessories are instant crowd-pleasers.
8. Travel kits
You’ll have plenty of clients traveling so they will have plenty of use for a travel kit. You might want to consider having the bag digitally printed with the client’s name or initials. Make sure to carefully select the bag’s material. It should be long-lasting, thick, durable, and weatherproof.
9. Fidget spinners or stress balls
Fidget spinners in different designs and colours were last year’s trend for both kids and adults. These days, they still have a lot of appeal for clients who are on the go and overwhelmed with work. As an option, you can also giveaway stress balls or doodle pads to show clients you’re thinking about their wellbeing. Australia’s Biggest Mental Health Check-In report revealed that 31 per cent of the Australian workforce suffers from stress and other forms of mental disorders.
10. Reusable bags or lunch totes
These are practical and ethical giveaways since everyone uses recyclable bags. Additionally, you can personalise these bags with your client’s name.
Need more ideas for your Christmas giveaways and brand promotion? Contact us at Jennings Print and our graphic designers can help you come up with creative ways to make your gifts stand out.