If you’re just starting to think about holiday gifting now, this article is for you! We break down what you need to consider when creating a successful corporate gifting plan, including customizable worksheets you can use immediately. Who should you give to? What are the right gifts? How can you stand out? Read on!
Download GiftSuite’s free Planning Worksheet, Holiday Calendar, Checklist, and Lookbook
1. Create A Game Plan
The best way to navigate the season is to have a gifting game plan that keeps all of your stakeholders on the same page by answering these key questions:
- Who are we sending gifts to? Clients, employees, partners? Different groups require different timing, messages, and gifts.
- Why are we sending them a gift? There is a myriad of reasons to give gifts: to show appreciation, deepen or build relationships, increase sales, encourage some downtime, because it’s expected, etc. Spending a few minutes now thinking about “why” will make the process easier for everyone.
- Budget. How much money should we spend on gifts? Not sure how much to spend? According to a 2021 Coresight/GiftNow research study most corporate gifters are spending between $75-$100 per gift. This aligns with our 2020 experience. We also saw strong demand for $100-200 client gifts, and our employee gifts averaged $150/each.
- Timing. When do we want the gifts to arrive? 2021 is riddled with supply chain issues that are resulting in longer lead times, limited inventory, and longer shipping times. As the holidays get closer, the timelines and availability will only get worse - now is the time to place orders!
- Internal Approvals. Who needs to approve the gifts, card messages, and/or payment?
- Payment Timeline. If our accounting group needs to cut a check or wire the payment, how much notice/lead time do they need? Is there anything we can do now to help speed up the process?
2. How To Make Gift Selection Easier
Choose quality. According to 300 US corporate gift-givers surveyed in the Coresight study, 88% said product quality was the key criteria for them.
- Shop by Theme. Do you have a corporate message, theme, or feeling you’d like to convey?
- Shop by Values. What does your company support? Is it important to be eco-friendly, sustainable, supportive of BIPOC, female, LGBTQIA, or local businesses and products?
- Shop by Interests. If you know the recipients’ interests, you can focus on items and experiences they will enjoy.
3. Stand Out With Timing
The holidays are a busy gift receiving time. To stand out from the crowd, download our calendar for recommended dates on when to ship to clients, partners, employees, and contractors.
4. DIY vs Gifting Partner
Size matters here! If you only need 10 or fewer gifts, it’s usually easier to find/buy gifts and have them shipped directly to your recipients. If you have tens, hundreds, or thousands of gifts to send out, then partnering with a gifting company will save you time, money, and a logistics headache. Considerations when searching for the right gifting partner:
- Do they offer high-quality gifts/experiences that align with your themes, values, and interests, and are within your budget?
- Do they offer international shipping for recipients outside of the US?
- If needed, do they offer services such as customization, private landing pages to capture recipients' mailing addresses, and package tracking?
Corporate gifts are a great way to show appreciation to clients, partners, and employees. And with a little planning, it can be a fun process! No, really, it can! Download our free customizable worksheets to help with your planning and when you’re ready for gift ideas, feel free to look through the GiftSuite Lookbook for some modern gift boxes and inspiration curated especially for Holiday 2021.
