It is that time of the year, when companies are trying to figure out – what to gift (clients/customers, business partners, employees), where to buy these gifts from, and what the top picks of the season are. Nikhil Ranjan, MD of William Penn through his experience has made a list of guidelines to help choose the right gift, offered tips to choose the right gifting partner and of course indicated his top picks for the season.
So here we go, we are doing this in 3 parts:
Part I – 10 Golden Rules to help you choose the right corporate gift.
Part II – Choosing the right gift partner.
Part III – My top picks for this season.
Part I
“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give”
– Winston Churchill
Everyone likes to receive gifts no matter who the person is. The pleasure of giving a gift is greatest when the receiver is pleased with it. But how does one know which is the right gift that will delight the receiver the most and yet it is within your budget? It is a myth that only expensive gifts give more joy than less expensive ones; what’s important is to give the right gift!
To help you find the right gift, I have listed down 10 golden rules, that will help you increase the probability of delighting the receiver.
1. Receiver persona – It may be a good gifting idea to prepare a list of attributes (gender, age, lifestyle) or qualities that describes the person/people you wish to gift. Take into consideration the occasion for which you wish to gift. Greater the attention to this aspect, the better the chances of finding the perfect gift.
2. Take suggestions – If the first step has not helped you find the right gift, it may be a good idea to call a close friend or the receiver’s secretary or an associate who could give you some useful advice on selecting a gift. Such enquiries are appreciated by the person you are calling and more often than not, your effort is rewarded by you receiving useful information. Just imagine you giving a set of wine glasses to a person who does not drink!
3. Functionality – Remember to gift something that the recipient may use rather than what he may give away to someone. For example, if your budget is Rs.1000, it’s better to give the receiver a branded pen that could remain on his desk rather than a watch for Rs.1000 which he may never use.
4. Practical Luxury – Consider giving products that are – well crafted (no matter what budget you have in mind) yet are practical and useful so that it gets used regularly. For example, a good quality notebook, branded leather article, fine quality stationery, or desktop accessories are apt for gifting.
5. It’s about the receiver not giver – Gifts should reflect the receiver’s interest and not the givers. Make sure your decision is not swayed by what you like more than what the receiver would like.
6. Give them something that will be cherished – Giving sweets and condiments today is something that is not the same as before. Most people are health conscious and may never end up eating the sweets, but rather end up giving them away. Instead, choose something that is unique and hand-picked that will last for a long time.
7. Personalize the gift – If you are giving the gift to a large number of people, emboss/engrave your company’s name in a place (on the product) which is not too prominent and yet reminds the receiver about your company in a subtle manner. However, if you are giving the gift to a smaller number, there is nothing like inscribing the receiver’s name on every product.
8. Surprise – Every person likes a surprise. Giving a gift when it is the least expected is a sure way of getting the receiver’s attention and appreciation. Many of us tend to gift during festivals like Diwali, Christmas etc when the recipient already receives a number of gifts. What happens is that your gift by default, gets buried under a couple of other gifts. Word of advice – don’t gift someone only on an occasion. Remember, surprising and delighting is the holy grail of gifting!
9. Invest for the long run – Business gifts are given to please customers, and often the hope is that they end up doing more business with us. There is nothing wrong in thinking so as it is a universally accepted practice. Having said that, it is essential to build a good relationship with your customers over a period of time. Your intentions should appear genuine with no strings attached. There should be a gradual build-up to the idea of doing business with you.
10. Attention to detail – “The Manner of giving is worth more than the Gift” – Pierre Corneille. Pay attention to detail. You may be giving an expensive gift but if packed inappropriately or if the product is of inferior quality, the value of the gift is diminished. Choose a gift partner who is reliable and will deliver products as per agreed terms
Speaking of a reliable gift partner, how does someone pick the right one? Find out in his next article of the Corporate Gifting series.