Who to gift for the holidays

Well, with utmost respect for the selfless, we have to disagree. Because it kind of is.

Here’s why. The act of gifting is old as sin, and as far as we can tell, it remains a classically thoughtful way to let someone know they’re on your mind. We can see how one might feel tired of the cheap objects that end up in the back of a closet or an uninspired side table… But think back to the time you got a really fantastic holiday gift, one that blew you away and left you thinking about it for years to come.

Did it stir feelings?

For businesses, building brand advocacy — authentic, community-driven, so-good-I’ll-tell-others advocacy — is difficult. But sending a gift, especially when you have the likes of us on your side? Relatively easy. Create those emotional associations with a kind gesture and you’re left with a lot of loyalty from all kinds of people.

In short: anyone and everyone. But to narrow it down a smidge, let’s talk about our top five holiday gift recipients, people you’ll want to connect with one last time before the new year.

The more obvious of the bunch, but extremely valuable nonetheless. Can you reward your customer loyalty programme with a gift? How about clients who signed a contract this year? Or, better yet, ones who have been with you for 10+ years? Lapsed customers or clients might also benefit from a special something. The list goes on and on.

Last year, we helped Spotify ship a campaign that sent customised gifts to their advertising partners. A unique — dare we say forgotten — type of gift recipient, but an effective way of keeping those partners around for years to come. Whether it’s photographers, suppliers, agencies, consultants or influencers, consider including them in your holiday gift planning.

Looking to nurture sales relationships? A kind gesture very well could be the key differentiator to starting new partnerships versus leaving them in limbo. Not only does it provide a helpful nudge, but shows that transactions don’t have to be purely transactional. They do have the ability to be human-centric and full of intentionality.

Don’t forget about the ones that got the company where it is today. Reward your staff with a lovely surprise, promoting healthy retention rates and overall employee happiness. Employees should enter into the new year feeling valued and excited versus unappreciated and exhausted.

Talk about an act that goes the distance. Thanking your VC firms, advisors and mentors is a great practice to get into, and one we ourselves have tried to stay on top of. After investing quite the sum of cash in you, a returned favour that shows you’re investing right back in them says quite a lot.

Gifting the obvious (looking at you, customer VIPs) will always be top of mind. This year, challenge yourself and try extending that generosity to others that play a key role in your business’ success in a not-so-obvious way.

Holiday gifting, when done right, doesn’t stop with the gift. It goes on to breed long-term loyalty days beyond dispatch, a symbol of care that makes people remember not necessarily what they got, but how valued you made them feel. Curious about gifting with us? Get in touch.