subject: Using Promotional Products For Corporate Gifts [print this page] Giving gifts is a method of showing a companys appreciation for an important client, a loyal customer, well performing employee or for future associates. Choosing what promotional products to give depends not only on the recipient of such gifts but also, on the purpose of the gifts. After all, you do not want to send the wrong message through a gift. Another thing to consider when using promotional products as gifts is the budget.
Promotional products such as music CDs and Shirts are perfect to gift your loyal customers. If the planned budget allows more expenditure then items such as music players, TVs, even automobiles can be gifted to the most loyal customers through a lucky draw system. These gifts can also be used to gift star employees. If you are gifting your employees in bulk say, on New Years Eve or Christmas then you can opt for cheaper alternatives. These can be anything from office stationeries to your own company products.
There is one important consideration to keep in mind when deciding on a gift. The promotional products that you will give customers and those you give to your employees should not match, after all the importance of your employees ranks higher compared to the customers. Similarly, the value of your current clients and future clients is more compared to your employees therefore, using promotional products, as gifts for clients are not advisable. A gift to a client is supposed to improve the relationship with them. So, choose wisely to show their importance. Furthermore, gifts are not a form of incentive. They differ from them by not warranting any preconditions or requirements. So, choose a promotional product as a gift for your employee and make sure that they are not the same as incentives.
When choosing the right promotional products for corporate gifts, following a few guidelines should keep you away from making mistakes. First, the promotional products should always bear the logo and name of your company. Also, make it a point to use gifts that are related to your companys work. For example, a software company can give out laptop bags with their brand name and logo which makes better sense than investing in apparels. Secondly, promotional products are great marketing tools but, misusing this fact can work against your company. For example, putting a big logo on a promotional shirt will make the wearer an advertising agent but, it will also take away the appeal of the shirt and thus may not be used at all by the recipient. Finally, always remember to associate your corporate name with quality products. People often associate the reputation of the corporation with the quality of its promotional products.
In todays world, there is much more to lose than gain if a gift is not given ethically. For example, giving gifts during bidding is a strict violation as it is akin to patronising. Some institutions have a strict no gift policy. Avoid using gifts with such institutions. Giving expensive gifts are liable to public as well as judicial scrutiny since most companies are required to justify their gifts. With so much care required while using promotional products, it may seem that it is not worth the effort. However, recent studies have shown that gifts when used properly can help the growth of the company.
