Corporate gifts are not a dull overhead cost. With intentionality, they’re both an art form and a differentiator, expressing what and whom your company cares about.

One of our core beliefs is that commerce has the power to change the world. This doesn’t only have to inform the way your business makes big decisions. Purpose can guide even the smallest choices, like what to buy a client for their birthday.

For gestures both big and small, here is how we recommend that your business approaches corporate gifts that positively impact your professional relationships and our community.

One: Establish the purpose of your gift

The corporate giving business is larger than you may think. In fact, it’s projected to reach $242 billion this year. (That’s a lot of fruit baskets).  

Because companies are spending more on corporate gifts, it’s more important than ever to think about why they are giving a gift in the first place. 

Is it a company-wide holiday tradition, a reward for top performers, a congratulatory gesture when a homeowner closes, a welcome to new employees, a sign of appreciation for loyal customers, or something else entirely? 

Once you’ve narrowed in on the basics, drill one step deeper. What do you want the recipient to feel, both about you and about themselves?  

In most instances, you’re going to want them to think favorably of your company, deepen their loyalty, and feel personally valued. That’s a lot to expect from a gift card or a pen. 

Two: Set a budget 

We’ve previously recommended that companies view corporate gifting as a business reinvestment, establishing greater confidence and trust. To get there, you might consider the recipient and try to quantify the value of that relationship. Then, choose a percentage of that value to reinvest either in a one-time gift or over the course of the year.

If you need some specific inspiration, according to Forbes, most companies spend between $25.00 and $125.00 on a gift, with the biggest percentage falling between $75.00 and $100.00.

No matter what number sounds right to you, the following piece of advice will help you to make that investment count.

Three: Choose something they won’t expect

We can all think of a time we closed on a home, got a new job, or received a promotion, and a thoughtful person had the perfect gift ready to say, “congratulations.”

If those gifts were memorable, then they were likely out of the ordinary. To achieve this effect, you have to avoid the too-common bottle of wine, branded mug, or basket of fruit.

Take time to consider what the recipient likes and cares about. It’s not unlike buying a personal gift for a friend or a family member. The best gifts will both surprise and delight.

Four: Don’t forget to personalize

Whether it’s in the note that comes with it, or on the individual item itself, you want to show the individual recipient that you had them in mind. Even if you give 200 of the exact same items, a note or other personalization will stand out.

And if you want the recipient to see the gift and think of your company each time they use it, then you might consider thoughtful branding that balances the desire to make your mark without making it all about you.

Five: Make it meaningful

Your company is made up of people who care about things beyond the product they create or sell. It is often those deeper values, particularly coming from your leadership and culturemakers, which make people want to work with and for you.

That’s why we recommend considering a corporate gift that is more meaningful than transactional, and which communicates an investment into something bigger than your brand.

When a client, customer, or employee receives a gift that stands for a higher purpose, then they feel more positively that you care not only about them, but about the broader community. That focus on something other than your bottom line builds trust and a shared purpose.

We are happy to be your corporate gift consultants

We’re here to help companies give meaningful gifts that not only signal genuine appreciation, but that also harness the power of business to positively transform our community and beyond.

Our talented team will help you set a vision for your next corporate gift and share about our Corporate Gifts of Hope, which the Jacksonville Jaguars, Vystar Credit Union, Masterpiece Solar, and many other local companies have purchased and personalized to make a statement with their gifting strategy.

Their transformational gifts have honored each recipient, both with the thoughtfulness of each item selected, but also with the investment, on their behalf, in the cause of creating more space for survivors of human trafficking to begin anew. We can’t imagine a better gift.