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What is corporate gifting? The ultimate guide to why it matters and how to excel

Discover the power of corporate gifting in building lasting business relationships. Learn valuable strategies and best practices.

Louise Donnery6 min2023-08-21

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Image of a candle corporate gift designed by &Open on behalf of Intercom.

Corporate gifting is defined as the act of giving gifts to colleagues, employees, clients, and potential customers as a way to build connections and relationships. When done correctly, corporate gifting can be a tool for fostering strong relationships.

A well-thought-out gift can go a long way in showing appreciation, strengthening bonds, and enhancing brand awareness. This comprehensive guide will delve into the importance of corporate gifting, exploring its benefits for your business, and how &Open can help you craft memorable and impactful corporate gifts.

Using &Opencan cut your gifting timeby up to 80%

The importance of corporate gifting

Corporate gifting has evolved significantly from the days of fruit baskets and branded pens. Nowadays, personalized gifts create meaningful experiences that leave lasting impressions.

So, what is the best corporate gift? Thoughtful options may include branded Ocean Bottles or hand-poured scented candles, delicious treats, beautiful flower arrangements, electronic gift cards, or vouchers. The possibilities are endless.

Using a platform like &Open for your gifting needs provides you with the best of both worlds; cutting-edge technology combined with personal touches to ensure your custom corporate gifts are truly impactful and memorable. Our innovative platform guarantees that the entire gifting process is smooth, efficient, and tailored to your needs. Our platform helps cut gifting time by 80%. We take the time to understand your objectives, the recipients, and your brand so that every recipient's gifting experience is unique to your brand.

What is the impact of corporate gifting, and who should you gift?

Gifting canhelp increaseretention bynearly 30%

What are the benefits of corporate gifting?

For clients

A thoughtful gift can make your clients feel valued and appreciated, strengthening bonds and increasing customer loyalty. With the right gift, you can express your gratitude in a way that deeply resonates with your clients. This results in improved customer retention rates and an increase in referrals. Many of our clients have witnessed a 30% surge in retention rates, thanks to the power of thoughtful gifting.

For employees

When employees feel genuinely valued and acknowledged for their efforts, it creates a work environment where individuals are motivated to give their best. A little infusion of positivity translates into heightened engagement levels and elevated employee morale. This helps employees become brand advocates.

Our top tip: Make your gifts more impactful by customizing them to suit the preferences and interests of each employee and including a personalized note. This approach shows how much thought went into their gift.

For partners

Corporate gifting also plays a vital role in building successful partnerships and nurturing those precious B2B connections. By providing each partner with a personalized and meaningful gift, you can foster trust and mutual respect, paving the way for fruitful collaborations.

For brand recognition

Corporate gifting plays a significant role in enhancing your brand loyalty and recognition. Each branded gift you give provides an opportunity to create an experience that leaves a lasting impression on each gift recipient. Through gifting, you can establish positive associations with your brand making it stand out from the competition.

At &Open, we understand the importance of standing out from the crowd. We take great care to curate high-quality gifts that align with your brand values and messaging. From hand-written notes to carbon-neutral packaging, we pay attention to every detail, ensuring your brand shines through in every meaningful gift.

We ensure all gifts align with your brand values

What is a corporate gifting strategy?

A corporate gifting strategy involves creating a well-thought-out plan for selecting, delivering, and managing gifts for clients, employees, partners, or other essential stakeholders. It is vital to fostering relationships and positively impacting your business. It's not randomly distributing gifts; it's about purposeful and considerate gifting that aligns with your company's goals, values, and brand identity. A well-planned corporate gifting strategy considers the recipients' preferences, the occasion, and the desired outcome.

Creating your corporate gifting strategy is simple with &Open; we have curated a space for meaningful, high-quality gifts tailored to your brand and recipients, creating unparalleled moments of connection and leaving a lasting impression.

Corporate gifting best practices for success

A good corporate gifting strategy starts with setting a budget and ensuring that your gift idea aligns with your company's values. At &Open, we prioritize thoughtfulness, authenticity, and sustainability in our unique gift curation process to guarantee that we find the gifts that genuinely resonate with your brand and recipients.

Timing and occasion-based gifting is really where the magic happens. Strategically send corporate gifts on;

  • Holidays
  • Employee appreciation days
  • Work anniversaries
  • Birthdays
  • Life events (engagements, weddings, babies, new homes)
  • Customer milestones
  • Company milestones
  • New product launches
  • Special recognition awards
  • Referral rewards
  • Just because

It's all about recognizing and celebrating those special moments that hold significance to your team, clients, and partners.

However, when developing your corporate gifting strategy, there are many things to be mindful of. Firstly it's crucial to consider cultural sensitivities. Consider the recipient's norms and customs when selecting and sending gifts. Additionally, be mindful of any conflicts of interest or legal regulations. Remember that different countries or professions may have varying restrictions on types of gifts.

Examples of corporate gift ideas that work

Are you looking for some great corporate gift ideas for employees, partners, or clients? At &Open, we take pride in curating a range of corporate gift ideas guaranteed to make a lasting impression on recipients. Our selection includes timeless and customizable options, ensuring each gift reflects thoughtfulness and gratitude.

For the discerning professional, consider thoughtful items such as these wireless headphones or high-quality coffee. These items add a touch of sophistication to their routines.

If your recipient is a food enthusiast, an artisanal gift featuring gourmet treats, such as these chocolate truffles, and premium beverages like this Bloody Mary kit will take them on a journey of flavors and textures.

To create memorable experiences, try digital gifts or gifting experiences, like a Headspace subscription or an AirBnB voucher.

If you are still deciding what to choose, follow our rules for giving a good gift to ensure your gesture has a meaningful touch.

Whatever you choose to gift, choose to gift responsibly. Our team carefully chooses eco-conscious gifts and suppliers to meet our sustainability goals. These include factors like recyclability, sustainable materials, and support for environmental causes—our sustainable gifts are made of eco-conscious materials with carbon-neutral packaging.

Intercom's employee gifting options and a stat from the happiness checks showing 92% of gift recipients shared positive feedback.

Learning from successful corporate gifting strategies

Now let's discuss the effectiveness of gifting strategies. At &Open, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Intercom and witness the power of gifting in boosting customer satisfaction, retention rates, and sales. We designed a corporate gifting program aligned with Intercom's values and goals. The curated gifts brought joy to existing customers, marked milestones, and nurtured crucial customer relationships. The results were that customers who received these gifts showed increased Customer Satisfaction Scores (CSAT) and Net Promoter Scores (NPS), positively impacting Intercom’s revenue health.

Measuring the ROI of corporate gifting: Metrics for success

By measuring the impact of your gifting campaigns, you can ensure their success and make data-driven decisions for future initiatives.

These key performance indicators (KPIs) can include:

  • Evaluating customer retention
  • Referral rates
  • Gift redemption rates
  • Customer and employee satisfaction
  • Increase in sales revenue
  • Increase in brand sentiment and perception

By analyzing the ROI, you'll clearly understand the effectiveness of your gifting efforts and can make informed decisions moving forward.

The importance of corporate gift-giving

So why is corporate gift-giving important? Corporate gifting holds tremendous potential for nurturing enduring and fruitful business relationships. By entrusting your gifting needs to the team at &Open, you can confidently deliver tailored and impactful gifts that will leave a lasting impression on any client, customer, or partner. Why wait? Ready to get started? Book a demo with us to see how the platform works today.

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