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While the festive season is still months away, it is wise to plan your corporate gifting campaigns early. As a business owner, you will probably know the stress of the last-minute rush to buy gifts for your employees and customers.
If it happens, you have to settle for just anything, and the campaign may end up being a sheer waste of time and money. You may not even impress the recipients enough despite the expense, defeating the purpose of the entire marketing practice.
Conversely, planning early gives you enough time to choose wisely and fit the giveaways in your budget. Additionally, you can do some brainstorming and get creative with gifting. Creative ideas do not come out of the blue, and they often need good thinking and planning.
It is never too early to start with planning your corporate giveaway strategy for the upcoming holiday season. Let us share some ways to get creative with gifting and impress everyone with your giveaways this year.
Consider the recipients
When it comes to choosing perfect gifts, you must think about the recipients first. It is common sense, whether you think of personal gifting or corporate giveaways. What would the recipients expect from your business this season? Should the gift be only aesthetic or functional as well? What would impress them enough to keep them hooked with your brand?
Are there some trends in the corporate gifting landscape? Once you answer these questions, choosing the right gift will be much easier. You may have different options for employees, existing customers, and potential clients. It requires different strategies for each segment of the recipients because their expectations will differ. A head start is valuable when you have so much to think and plan.
Have a clear budget
Money matters a lot to any business, and it is important to ensure all your initiatives stay within your budget constraints. Before moving over to the creative aspect of corporate giveaways, you must also have a clear budget in mind. After all, everything boils down to your spending capacity. Collaboration between the marketing and finance teams is essential at this stage because they can get you on the middle path.
While the marketing team will provide a fair idea of the size of the recipient group, the finance team can provide a realistic budget for the campaign. Once you have a budget to start, it will be much easier to evaluate the options and pick the one that matches your expectations without toppling the budget.
Make it special
Now you are all set to pick an ideal gift for your giveaway campaign this season. Have your best creative minds on board when you start with the first brainstorming session. After all, you wouldn’t want to give just for the sake of giving. It should be something that would create a lasting impression and make your brand memorable.
For example, Custom Christmas Ornaments make an ideal giveaway for the holiday season. Imagine the value of a gift that showcases the company logo. While these ornaments will definitely impress your clients and employees, they can act as promotional material for your brand. You actually end up advertising your company without spending anything on the campaign. It’s like killing two birds with one stone!
Find the right vendor
At this stage, you will have to look for the right vendor. They can help you get a step ahead with the giveaway campaign. The sooner you do it, the better. It becomes even more vital if you plan a personalized giveaway this season. You will need to give the vendor enough time to get the order ready, which can be a challenge if the number runs in thousands.
You can imagine the trouble if the vendor is unable to fulfill as promised. Timely ordering gives them a realistic deadline, and you may even get discounts if you order early. Make sure you check the vendor credentials and the kind of reputation they have. It is best to see a sample first before going ahead. Also, keep in touch with them throughout the processing to ensure they are on the right track.
Think beyond the gift itself
A creative, personalized gift sets you up for a winning campaign. But it is only half the work done. Think beyond an impressive gift because packaging also matters. You can imagine the excitement of the recipients when they unbox a gift package. Whether you handle packaging in-house or get it from the vendor, make sure it is interesting and festive.
Choosing a specialty gift box is a good idea. Pick bright and festive packing materials because they are inherently eye-pleasing and attention-grabbing. Impress the recipient upfront, and they will love what is inside the box. Include a handwritten card or note, and you get brownie points for personalization.
Promote your giveaways
You must be creative with the choice of gifts and packaging, but it’s only a start. Promote them to go the extra mile with your campaign. Showcase the gifts on social media and your website. It can engage potential customers with your brand and also promote your company as an employer who cares. You will have an advantage with a bigger market reach in the future.
Further, it helps you attract top talent in the competitive job landscape. Even an inexpensive yet creative gift can go a long way in ramping up your marketing and employee branding initiative. Make noise about your gifts to get the full advantage from the investment.
Everyone loves gifts, but the giver needs to be extra sensitive with the choice of the present. Corporate gifting is a tricky investment as you have to do more with less, and creative thinking is the best way to do it. You may have to spend a big part of your festive budget on the giveaways, but these campaigns yield hefty returns throughout the year.
Consider it as a part of your marketing strategy and you will understand why it makes sense. Choose wisely, and you can impress without burning a hole in your wallet.
Photo by Angela Roma from Pexels