‘Tis the Season for Business Gift Giving!

The holiday season is in full swing and many business owners are in search of appropriate gifts for clients to let them know that they appreciate their loyalty. While the thought of giving business gifts can be stressful, it doesn’t have to be. The key is to stay within a budget and keep in mind some simple rules of business gift-giving etiquette.

How much to spend is one of the most important considerations when it comes to client gifts. Experts in the field of business gifts report that the average client gift ranges from between $50 to $150 depending on who the gift is for. Gifts going to CEOs and a business’s largest clients will trend toward the high end of this range while smaller clients will trend toward the lower end. In other words, the value of the gift should depend on how important the client is to your business.

It also is important to focus on quality and presentation. While gift cards are popular today, most experts discourage handing out gift cards to clients. Instead, choose meaningful gifts that the receiver might not think to buy for themselves. It also is a good idea to avoid putting your company’s logos on gifts because the gift will be viewed as a sales pitch rather than a token of appreciation.

Experts also say that the most memorable business gifts will have three important qualities:

  1. It is selected specifically for the recipient
  2. It includes a personal message
  3. It is personalized with the recipient’s name or initials

Choosing the right business gift can be stressful and many business owners say they have a hard time deciding on appropriate gifts for clients. If you find yourself at a loss, here are some suggestions that may help:

  1. Luxury food items
  2. Custom water bottles
  3. Tech items such as ear buds, charging stations or blue tooth speakers
  4. Leather bound journals
  5. Personal pen gift sets
  6. Custom golf balls and tees
  7. Wine accessory kits
  8. Plush blankets or throws

While it may be tempting to avoid business gift giving altogether, this is not a good idea. Giving clients a thoughtful holiday gift is an essential client retention tool that is as important as any other growth strategy. In other words, failing to recognize your clients during the holiday season could land your business on the naughty list.

To ensure that your business isn’t missing the opportunity to connect more authentically with customers this time of year, it’s important to have a holiday marketing game plan. For help putting together such a game plan, give GoLeads a call at (402) 334-1824 or visit us online at goleads.com.