Personalised corporate gifts – what works and what doesn’t?

Giving Christmas gifts to employees, contractors and business partners is a way of showing respect and thanking them for the past year of cooperation. What is worth giving and what is not suitable as a business gift? Why is it better to give personalised gifts?

A business gift should be versatile – personal gifts should not be given, original and not necessarily expensive, and elegantly wrapped.

Why give business gifts and how to give them?

It has become customary to give gifts to business partners, and preferably personalised gifts. Why? It is a great way to express your appreciation and respect, and to thank them in an elegant way for a whole year of cooperation. Gifts are also good for employee motivation and well-being. They have a positive impact on business relationships with contractors and business partners.

The period around Christmas is the ideal time to give such gifts. It is therefore worth including funds for this purpose in the marketing budget. Keep in mind that gifts do not have to be expensive, the important thing is that they are imaginative – personalised corporate gifts work best. It is the gesture and the idea that counts more, not the value of the gift. It is also important that such a business gift sends a message about the giver (the company in question), so it is important to think about what message you want the recipient to receive.

There are certain rules for giving business gifts. Business gifts should be elegantly wrapped, given on a particular occasion at a particular place and time, and handed over in person – you can only send a gift if you are separated by a long distance, in which case you must enclose a note.

Personalised business gifts Some ideas for corporate gifts

Traditionally given and well-received business gifts include Christmas cards with handwritten greetings, gift baskets (containing sweets, coffees, teas, delicatessen products), sweets alone, accessories (wallets, cases, cosmetics bags, business card holders, umbrellas), notepads, calendars, stationery (pens and pens), baubles and other Christmas decorations, towels, business/travel books, gift cards.

It is common to give alcohol – although this may not always go down well – it depends on a number of factors. If you do decide on an alcoholic beverage, it is important that it is top shelf – such as wine or whisky.

You can also give a gadget of some kind – it could be a massaging chair cushion, speakers, headphones, a folding keyboard, a pocket projector, a USB fan, a pocket knife, a multitool, a key ring.

Other ideas include: a decorative paperweight, a tote for office accessories, a document case, a briefcase, a laptop bag, a phone stand, etc. Gifts in the form of vouchers – e.g. a ticket to a concert/theatre/sporting event, as well as vouchers for dinner/dining/so-called experiences – e.g. a ride in a sports car, a balloon flight, a trip to a spa – are increasingly popular choices. Ideally, such a voucher should offer the opportunity to choose from several attractions independently.

The ideal complement to a personalised business gift is a gift bag with a company print. Such bags can be easily and quickly ordered at: https://www.rajapack.pl/opakowania-ozdobne/torby-z-indywidualnym-nadrukiem_C2318.html.

What not to give as a business gift?

When giving business gifts, certain rules must be observed. You have to be careful, especially if your business partner comes from a different cultural background – it is easy to be tactless. It is important not to offend the recipient. In Asian or Muslim countries, there are different gift-giving rules than in Europe – it is worth becoming familiar with them. For example, no alcohol in Arab countries, no leather goods in India and no white wrapped gifts in Japan. If you make a mistake, it can damage – rather than improve – business relations and sometimes even lead to the termination of cooperation.

In our culture, certain gifts should also be avoided – certainly personal ones – e.g. perfume, cosmetics, ties, as well as advertising gadgets (these can be in addition to the gift) and company products (this rule can be waived if the company produces sweets, stationery, alcohol, etc.).