5 Ways to Avoid Disaster When Buying Client Holiday Gifts
It’s October, and you’ve realized you need to start thinking about client gifts for the holidays. You want to let your clients know you’re thinking about them with a gift that will stand out and keep your company fresh in their minds as they enter the new year.
This all takes planning, and while it may seem like it’s a simple push of a button, we have some insider tips to share with you that will help you plan for next year’s client gifts.
Our number one piece of advice for client gift shopping? Do it early! The holidays are the absolute worst time to start thinking of business gifts! You stand less chance of being stressed out if you mark your calendar for September (or earlier!) to order your client gifts.
If you miss out on the advice above, consider looking at client thank you gifts in January. Yes. January. No competition!
Keep reading for more tips and tricks on how to avoid a disaster when it comes to buying client gifts.
More Than Just a Click of A Button
With 19 years of experience, we know a thing or two about this process. We love our customers and want to make client gift selection easy for you. However, on our side of the screen, there are a lot of moving parts, which all take...you guessed it...planning. These moving parts need to seamlessly come together to make your order a success.
To help you avoid the problems that make this more difficult for all of us, we’ve compiled a list of solutions to the top five most common problems we see every holiday season.
Avoid the Disaster
PROBLEM: Last year’s gift was a dud; we wasted our budget.
When you wait until the last minute, you up your chances of choosing a gift that was based on what’s cheap and can ship quickly. BAD IDEA! Quantities become more limited and manufacturers are rushing to fill everyone else’s last-minute order too.
TOUGH LOVE: If you’re selling enough products or services to say thank you for your business with a gift or you’re marketing something that requires a significant financial outlay on your customer's part, how does it reflect on your company to thank them with a super cheap gift?
SOLUTION: Match the gift to the level of the client - or higher!
Think about why you’re giving the gift in the first place. It’s probably to say thank you - to say, “You matter!” The holidays are a perfect time to make your appreciation heard and the gift you choose will reflect that as will your timing. Be intentional, buy a gift that matches your client’s financial contribution to your business (your top buyer should get a top gift), and don’t wait until the last minute.
PROBLEM: The gift isn't appropriate.
Remember the story about a boss who awarded his employees with gift certificates to a steakhouse? His vegan employees. Yep, you read that right. You might be buying the most expensive gift, but if it doesn’t reflect your brand and isn’t a great match for your clients, you’ve wasted not only your marketing dollar, but you’ve also given them the wrong impression of your company.
SOLUTION: Know who you’re buying for!
Having an idea of who will receive your gift shows that you are invested in the people, not just hoping to win their business with a generic gift. If you’re stuck, we offer marketing consultations to help you choose the perfect product. But, overall, your gifts should hit a few targets:
- Choose quality gifts
- Keep them appropriate and valuable to the recipient
- Opt for gifts that get used often so they stay visible
- Match them to your company brand
PROBLEM: What our company wants isn't available
There are hot ticket items when it comes to company swag and some of the most popular items sell out as early as late summer to early fall. Not all of this is restocked, which is disappointing and leaves you scrambling to buy last-minute gifts.
SOLUTION: Order your customer gifts early!
We’ve all been there. That infamous groan when we see Halloween decorations in August and Christmas decorations shortly thereafter. BUT! You’re not decorating for the holidays here. You’re investing in your company’s brand and ensuring your clients know they are appreciated.
If you’re struggling to get in the holiday spirit while temperatures are still soaring, we understand. Give us a call. We can help you choose the right gift while we still have the cool tech items you have your eye on.
PROBLEM: Delayed shipping.
Companies are promoting their products earlier than ever. People are buying more on line both personally and for business in 2020. The increase in volume and staffing can trigger chaos during the holidays, which means you run the risk of experiencing a shipping delay. Throw in bad weather and you’ve got the perfect recipe for disaster. We can’t predict these delays, but we can do our best to avoid them.
SOLUTION: Start shopping now!
We hate to be a broken record here, but ORDER EARLY to make sure you get the product you want...and on time. Or order in 2020 and we'll ship in January, after the rush!
PROBLEM: There isn’t time to research the hottest products.
You might be feeling a little out of the loop when it comes to those must-have products, and you’re running out of time to do the research. You want a unique gift for your customers (and possibly staff !), but you’re only seeing what others are buying. No one wants to look just like the competition. We get it.
SOLUTION: We do this for fun!
We’re in the business of company swag and we have the resources to help you choose the perfect gift - wisely and efficiently.
We know which swag sells and why. And we share it with our customers.
- Choose the Hottest Tech Products
- Sustainable Products, Sustainable Brand Presence
- Don't Miss the Gift Guide Download Here
What’s HOT for Client Gifts for the Holidays
So, what exactly is hot for the holidays?
Personal care from custom journals to adult coloring books to insulated coffee tumblers and games - think working from home, nurturing the soul type gifts.
Tech. It remains a top-selling category, which makes sense given that we all use it in our daily lives. It’s an easy way to promote your brand and give a gift that is useful and fun.
Here are options to consider:
- Mobile power chargers continue to be a hot ticket item. This wireless charger doubles as a stand and is also a screen cleaner. This swag makes so much sense for team work from home!
- Audio gifts fit in with the self care theme -- music soothes the soul or gets you up and moving.
- Journals have always been popular, but they are currently even more popular. Our clients are loving this custom notebook that can be printed on the edges and covers, and this MADE IN THE USA journal
- Insulated Travel Mugs are a nice way to incorporate your custom logo and give clients something they'll actually use. This custom printed tumbler is a crowd pleaser, comes in two sizes and you won't believe the decoration area that's available!
- Umbrellas? Yes. This inverted or inside out umbrella is cutting edge and it works. Why didn't someone think of this earlier?
- Food gifts can be fun. Our clients are loving this gift box set. You can choose just snacks or add a 'crumbs be gone' mini desktop vacuum. And the packaging? Check it out!
- Cooking. Cooking at home has trended all year. This grill set would be a perfect client gift for the holiday or these steak knives are two examples. Ask us about others.
As you can see, there are plenty of great options for your client gift giving needs, and you’re not too late to get started on this, but you need to start TODAY.
Give us a call. We’ve got our Santa hats on and are waiting to help set you on the right path for choosing a stellar gift for your clients, prospects, and/or employees.
