Why offering a business gift?

Before detailing the interest of offering a business gift, it is important to differentiate the notion of business gift from that of promotional item. They correspond to distinct commercial objectives and a different range of gift products. If the advertising or promotional object is intended for a large-scale communication operation, the business gift is part of a desire to consolidate an existing and privileged business relationship. It is the expression of a thank you from a supplier to his customer, for example, for his loyalty and trust.

The business gift: building a personalized relationship

Far from the classics and basics pens, key rings and other promotional goodies, business gifts are positioned on product ranges that give priority to quality rather than quantity, they are generally branded gifts. Intended to consolidate the bond with the recipient, the business gift builds a more personal emotional bond by developing the purely commercial relationship. If it is a tool to build loyalty with a business partner or a customer, the business gift is not intended to put pressure on him/her at the time when the partnership has to be renewed or a contract has to be signed. The business gift is a subtle attention bringing together a personalized gift to the right recipient, offered at the right time. This attention remains natural and pleasant for the recipient, it intervenes in a stable and balanced partnership relationship. The business gift is the tool that differentiates you from the recipient's other business contacts, by going beyond the simple commercial relationship, it keeps the link with the recipient over time. The business gift assures your chances of being in the memory of the recipient in his new search for a partner or service provider, it indirectly creates the feeling of being indebted to the sender of the gift. If the priority of the advertising object is the enhancement of the brand image and the communication by the object, the interest of a business gift is above all a personalized relationship or the brand must not be too visible. If an advertising marking is possible, the logo must be discreet and the marking elegant so as not to transform the object into an advertising medium. It is better to privilege discretion so as not to disturb the recipient and avoid his embarrassment with his employees or other service providers.

When to offer a business gift?

As mentioned previously, it is awkward to offer a business gift just before the decision to sign a contract or renew a collaboration. The recipient risks feeling that the purely commercial objective of the gift is a form of pressure. It is better to favour traditional times for the giving of gifts, depending on the relationship with the recipient and the known information about his or her private life. Year-end periods are traditionally preferred for giving a business gift, but the disadvantage is that your attention may be drowned out in the middle of all the promotional gifts received by your recipient at the end of the year. The business gift can be offered as a token of appreciation after the signing of an important partnership or its renewal, it then formalizes the renewed trust with your client, this is where it has the most impact and relevance. As part of a deeper relationship with the client, you can also send him a business gift for an important event directly concerning his professional life such as a promotion or a more personal event: birthday, birth, etc... Finally, when choosing a corporate gift, seasonality should not be forgotten. In the case of a garment, for example, you should think carefully about the season when choosing an advertising textile suitable for summer or winter.

The priority: personalize your business gift

To offer a business gift, the approach is similar to that of a gift for a loved one. It requires a thorough reflection of the client's personality and the field in which he or she operates. The present can be personalized to his personal environment, his hobbies in his free time or the subjects he is passionate about. This requires a fairly in-depth knowledge of your recipient, which is why the business gift is limited to a selected number of recipients, according to their commercial potential for your business. It is better to prefer a small quantity of high-end gifts than a large quantity of basic gifts to be sent on a large scale. This balance between quantity and quality should be assessed according to the potential of each customer and the business they are able to bring in. Whatever the type and amount of the gift, do not forget to mark your intention and its personnalisation with an elegant card with a handwritten word.