Branded corporate gifts are a great way to build brand awareness, and can be an essential part of the sales process for companies big and small. According to a recent study published by the University of Lincoln, corporate gifts can provide a company with a ‘valuable means of strengthening relationships with its key customers and employees, creating goodwill, fostering new relationships and promoting the company’s business. A properly timed and appropriate gift is one of the best ways of conveying the important message that a relationship matters.’ However, it can be tricky to navigate – as well as getting the design and style of the gifts right. Timing is incredibly important in making sure that the gifts are as effective as possible.
Do Your Research
Showing that you know your customers and clients is one of the key reasons to send a branded corporate gift, which makes it very important to make sure you’ve done your research. You don’t want to be sending a promotional chocolate gifts to someone who is lactose intolerant, after all!
If you’re sending a gift to an individual, take some time to think about anything they may have spoken about that could make an appropriate gift.
Or if you’re struggling to come up with ideas, it can be as simple as emailing some of their friends or colleagues to find out what they might be interested in as a gift.
If you’re sending promotional gifts to a wider selection of people – perhaps you want to say thank you to all your customers and clients for their support – then the approach has to be a little bit different. You can’t possibly personalise all those gifts to every individual person. However, you know that there is one thing all those people have in common – you! Think about what makes your company unique, and why your clients love it, then go from there.
Really at this point, it’s all about striking a chord with your customers and demonstrating that you know why they value you as a business. Are you a fun loving company – if so, maybe some puzzles, games or toys would be just right for a corporate gift. Are you a creative company – try our range of printed notebooks instead. Or if you need some inspiration, have a look here for more information on how to really get that side of things spot on.
Get your design right
Of course, once you’ve decided on the gift that you’re going to give, it’s important to get the branding right – and this depends heavily on the type of gift that you’re giving. As a rule, branded corporate gifts should provide enough information for prospective customers to find your business and its services. That means that at its most basic, your promotional merchandise should include the name of your business and your logo, so people have something to recognise.
If you want to keep your gift elegant and simple, or if it is quite small, it may be enough to leave your logo and name there. This is especially true for personalised gifts sent to individuals, as your primary concern will be to remind them of your close link and to ensure that they continue doing business with you in the future. However, if you’re reaching out to a wider audience, or if you gift is larger, a little bit more information may be helpful. The next thing to include would certainly be a website address (or, if you don’t have a website, some contact details). If there is still space, try including your tagline, your company’s core values, or some information about the services your company offers. Again, this can serve as a great way to remind customers why they love your business so much.
Fundamentally, the design of your branded corporate gifts should be subtle enough that your clientele will be proud of them, but clear enough to provide potential new customers with all the information they need to reach your business.
Timing is everything
So you’ve chosen your gifts, you’ve designed them, and they’ve arrived at your doorstep. Now for the big question – when should you send them off? Obviously, there is no one correct answer to this question, but it can be narrowed down based on the kind of gift you’re giving.
For individual gifts, think about certain key dates – a birthday may seem like a brash occasion for branded corporate gifts, although it may work perfectly if the gift is sufficiently subtle, as it shows how important that person is to you and your business. Alternatively, a better date may be the anniversary of your first professional interaction. When they first contracted your services, or when you first contracted theirs, for example. Generally, it’s a good idea to avoid the big holidays for individual gifts – the timing can seem generic, as if you’ve not really put much thought in to it. You don’t want anyone thinking that, especially if you’ve been following this article!
Branded corporate gifts with a wider scope – that you may be sending out to your entire customer base, for example – are a different ball-game. Indeed, the big holidays may be just the right time to send out your gifts, to show how grateful you are for such an amazing support network. However, the issue with big holidays is that customers are often saturated with advertising and brand appreciation, which may mean that your gift is somewhat drowned out. If you want to make more of an impact, opt for a quieter time of the year – or even a time of year when almost no-one else will be celebrating. For example, what about your company’s ‘birthday’, or any other date that may be relevant to your company. These times will be much less busy, while still being very effective.
Get Branded Corporate Gifts That Make Your Business Stand Out
Branded corporate gifts are a fantastic way to really make an impact on individual customers or clients, so why not give them a try today? Our collection of unique merchandise includes everything from printed pens to printed sunglasses, to promotional bluetooth speakers, so no matter what brand image you’re trying to convey, we’re sure we’ve got you covered.
We frequently work with brands as big as Amazon, Google, Disney and Cadbury, as well as many more small and medium-sized businesses. Our bespoke approach means that no matter the size of your company, we will always deliver the same top quality service to ensure that you get the most out of your promotional products.
If you’re looking for some inspiration, why not browse our extensive range of products. Or, if you’re in need of some assistance, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’d be more than happy to help!
If you require further information or have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to give a member of the GoPromotional Merchandise team a call on 0800 0148 970 or simply email us today.
