Try to search for business gifts online and you will be faced with millions of results. This is not a surprise as there countless gift items and vendors that offer them.
With the sheer number of options available, it is important that you learn how to use them properly and make them work in favor of your company or business.
When done the right way, business gifts can be very fantastic. However, do it poorly and your business may be perceived as unprofessional, potentially ruining what should have been a great relationship with your target customers.
One thing you should remember here is that giving business gifts is not as simple as distributing your Christmas presents.
Here are the 7 mistakes you should avoid at all cost when giving business gifts to ensure that you don’t end up in a sticky and awkward situation.
1. Using Cash as Gifts
Filling a card with a bunch of cash and giving it away as a business gift is definitely a big no-no. For sure, they are much better off as far as money is concern. Using money as gifts is not only inappropriate as it also speaks volumes about you being lazy enough as it is.
Don’t you really want to be bothered to come up with a good gift for them? A gift card alone might be enough but handing them with a few notes is never a wise idea. Never use cash as business gifts because it doesn’t qualify as something acceptable.
2. Distributing Inappropriate Gift Items
As far as business gifts are concerned, you might want to give it a careful thought and planning before you grab the first ones you see. In particular, you need to pay close and extra attention to factors such as sexual orientation, religion, culture, and more.
Anything that can be considered as a sensitive area is definitely off-limits. It also applies to things such as meat and alcohol that could be offensive to some people. The last thing you want is to buy something that is not just inappropriate but is also offensive at the same time.
3. Over the Top Gifts
Even though you probably want to show how much you appreciate time, going over the top is never advisable. Take note that it is still a serious business arrangement at the end of the day. One party might find it very uncomfortable if the other willingly spends a substantial amount of cash on it.
It can create the feeling of also needing to spend as much in exchange for it, potentially leading to annoyance at times. It might only create a wrong impression if you are too generous.
4. Playing Favorites
Business gifts are often distributed to a group, either to your clients or to your own staff or employees. Never play favorites as much as possible when giving away business gifts. To do it, you have to give these to everyone and these gifts should all be the same.
Don’t miss out on anyone from the top executives down to the utility workers. Everyone should receive your gifts. And to ensure that you don’t play favorites, look for a gift that suits everyone. Maybe you will argue that distributing the same gifts loses the essence of personalization and that not everyone shares the same level of excitement when unwrapping a box that contains a mug inside. However, you can still opt for something useful.
There is also no need to worry about personalization. Just because you are distributing the same gifts doesn’t mean that you cannot make them personalized. Print the name and include a personal message to give your business gifts a personal touch. Yes, you can still make everyone feel special even when they receive the same gift.
5. Going Too Generic
When it comes to business gift, it wouldn’t hurt to go generic. Yes, you can do this, but, remember that complete disregard for personalization might leave behind the wrong impression. If the receiver is a good acquaintance of yours, chances are you have an idea about them as well as their business. What will they really find useful? Always take some time in thinking things through.
6. Not Paying Attention to Presentation
It wouldn’t be a good decision to just box your gift then give it to the receiver. Once again, remember that you are dealing with business gifts here. This means you have to do and try a few things. First, make it clear that the gift is from your brand or company. For instance, you can use custom printed ribbons for wrapping your gift. Put your logo there to remind them that it is a gift from your company. Second is to showcase the focus on quality of your business. A gift that looks bad will only make your business look bad as well.
7. Double-Meaning Gifts
The last but definitely not the least, never, ever distribute double-meaning business gifts. These gifts should clearly convey the message you want to tell. Don’t make the receivers guess. Never make the wonder about the meaning of your gift and why you sent it to them in the first place. You will only contradict the true purpose of giving business gifts if they leave people confused. The objective of gifts is to spread good cheers so stick to that goal through and through.
Giving gifts is no doubt an excellent gesture but you have to be mindful on how you distribute your gifts if you don’t want it to backfire. You wouldn’t want people to take your gesture the wrong way, especially if the gifts are distributed to large groups. It might take time before you can solve the confusion or before you can explain the real meaning of your gift.
Always distribute gifts that will bring delight to people and make them smile at the gesture. Give gifts that will show them how much you appreciate them. After all, this is the very essence of gift giving. This is all about making other feel special and gives them that grateful and warm feeling deep down inside.
