Category: Promos & Gifting

Holiday corporate giving lets your company or organization show appreciation to your employees and clients in a meaningful way as well as celebrate the year-end with the people who mean the most to your business. The right corporate gift can bring immediate delight and, when well-thought-out, continue to have a lasting value for the recipient long after the gift has been shared. Gifting is an ideal way to strengthen office morale and nurture and deepen relationships with the customers who’ve played a role in your success over the past twelve months.

Before identifying corporate holiday giving trends in 2023, let’s explore what makes a corporate giving program for both employees and clients successful.

Creating the Holiday Giving Program

When developing a corporate giving program, there are two questions to start your gift search: how much to spend and how to make the gift stand out from all the others being exchanged this time of year.

Budgeting for Holiday Corporate Gift Giving

Finding thoughtful, sustainable, and memorable holiday corporate gift items, even with limited resources, is not a problem with the large variety of gifting options at different price points. The old axiom ‘it’s the thought that counts’ really is true.  What matters most is that the gift is of good quality. Gifts of food packages that are stale, apparel and swag that falls apart after limited handling, or tech that stops working after a few weeks of use leave a bad impression.

Making Your Holiday Gift Stand Out

Year after year gifting requires a creative approach to avoid giving the same-old, same-old. Gift givers should also consider commonly given gift ideas to help your company stand out in the crowd. The ideal corporate holiday gift should two one of two things: should have a high perceived value or be an item that would not typically be purchased but becomes indispensable to the gift receiver (thus keeping your company top of mind).

After selecting your standout gift, a recommended practice is to use white label branding to personalize gifts with your logo or branding and giving a nod to your company through each use of the item. Another creative approach is to package uniquely paired gifts in themed gift boxes that bundle premium products. This can be especially effective if the products themselves have a special feature that adds extra value. Presentation matters, and sometimes the unboxing experience is one of the most enjoyable parts of getting the gift. The experienced Marketing.com corporate gifting team can help you develop this season’s giving program from concept to professional kitting and shipping services.

Five Trends for Corporate Holiday Gifting

There’s a reason so many businesses spend the time, effort, and resources on holiday giving programs each year.  According to a Business.com survey, 46% of corporate professionals admitted that getting year-end gifts from vendors made them more likely to continue working together. In today’s world, with fewer in person business meetings and more employees working remotely, a thoughtful corporate gift enriches relationships with clients.

Here are five ways business are making their corporate giving programs more memorable and meaningful this year:

1. Personalize the Gift –Personalized gifts can build deeper connections with your clients. In addition to giving white label products, including personal notes using handwriting software adds a touch of elegance and sincerity to even the simplest of gifts. According to a recent Packed with Purpose survey, personalization was the leading component of success in a gifting strategy.
2. Stay on Brand – Just because you’re sharing the goodwill of the season, it doesn’t mean you can’t get a little brand promotion from your corporate giving plan. Your gift is not an ad, but it can reflect your corporate values and unique corporate identity. Add your logo to drinkware, backpacks, blankets, umbrellas, and other items that are practical and sure to bring a smile. When approached to participate in a Cartwright & Butler corporate gifting survey, 85% of the respondents reported that their corporate gifting strategy strengthened valuable relationships.
3. Used a Tiered Giving Approach with Clients – Not all clients are created equal, The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80:20 rule, represents that 80 percent of your revenue is from 20 percent of repeated customers or loyal customers. Pay them a little special attention by creating a multiple gifting tier that sets a gifts based on the number of years they’ve been a client or annual order amounts. According to a Coresight Research study, over 80% of corporate gift buyers said gifts have improved relationships with employees and/or clients, with 48% saying gifting delivered a substantial benefit. 
4. Make the gift useful –Clients will especially appreciate a holiday gift that makes the workday a little easier. Think about items that help them stay connected with high valued tech, such as earbuds or wireless phone chargers.
5. Gifts for a Healthier Lifestyle – Corporate gifts that help clients take care of their physical and mental health and create a better work/life balance are becoming increasingly popular. These gifts can include items such as fitness and health trackers that show you care about their well-being and want to help them achieve their fitness goals.

Not sure where to start with a corporate gift? Marketing.com can help your business on trend with the latest holiday gift giving ideas. Let Marketing.com connect the dots and provide you with the guidance and experience so your corporate giving program runs smoothly and on budget.

There’s been a growing movement for businesses to act responsible in the ways they treat the environment, whether it’s through reducing harmful emissions, conserving energy, or producing/purchasing products made with sustainability in mind. Marketing promotional products, also known as swag, are one of the easiest and most effective ways to get the word out that your business cares.

Before introducing you to some of our favorite sustainable swag, let’s take a moment to briefly define swag and describe what makes swag sustainable.

What is Swag?

Swag, Stuff We All Get, is term used to describe the wide range of promotional products given as employee and corporate gifts or distributed at trade shows and promotional events. Its purpose is to create a favorable impression and positive brand image and increase staff morale, build customer trust, and continue to create bonds with repeated use. Swag can include a wide range of items such as apparel, tech or travel items, candles, drinkware, tote bags, and office supplies, just the scratch the surface of options. To be considered swag, it should have the name or branding of the business prominently or tastefully displayed to spread brand awareness.

What Makes Swag Sustainable?

Consumer demand is dictating a move towards environmentally friendly, sustainable, and recyclable materials. This material can be sourced sustainably, produce a small carbon footprint in production, last longer and be easy to repair or recycle, and have low negative toxic environmental impact. Some of the most common natural materials used in swag and promotional marketing include recycled fabrics like PET fabrics and recycled cotton, bamboo, hemp, and other biodegradable substances.

The Growing Movement for Sustainable Swag

Consumers today are more conscious than ever of the ways the products they purchase and, yes, the gifts they receive impact the planet.. A Global Ad impressions study found that 46% of people have a more favorable opinion of a company if the branded corporate gift they receive is environmentally friendly.
One goal of promotional gifts and swag is to convey shared values to consumers. Businesses must adapt to the latest trends in customer behavior to stay current on the issues that matter most to their customers. When people see, touch, handle, and wear swag that you share that has been sourced from sustainable sources, you’re telling them that your business is committed to making a positive impact on our world.

This Year’s Sustainable Swag Trends

The challenge every business that uses sustainable swag faces is the same every year: finding new, creative, and memorable swag items that make people sit up and take notice. Finding a great gift for your employees and clients means matching it to their way of life. Here are a few popular sustainable swag items you might want to put on your list to make a memorable impression.

Carry-All Swag

People always need a way to carry their stuff. Practically everywhere they go, they’re taking something with them or bringing something back. You can find the perfect travel swag to match their lifestyle.

• • Quick trips to the market? A reusable tote bag to carry groceries and household purchases is a terrific promotional gift that will get used. Emblazoned with your logo, it will stand out in a sea of plastic bags and reflect your commitment to the environment.

• • Get-aways for a day or a weekend? When your staff and clients pack and carry a branded recycled backpack cooler, your commitment to a cleaner and greener way of life world travels with them. This sustainable and popular swag lets them keep food cold or stored conveniently, and can have carrying handles or shoulder straps that make it perfect for a picnic or a hike.

• • Traveling for business or pleasure? Durable recycled duffel bags and luggage carrying your logo on the outside will get noticed in busy airport terminals and other transportation centers. Your gift, with zippered pockets, adjustable shoulder straps, or top grab handles and wheels, will be appreciated and used by people on the move.

Customized Water Bottles and Tumblers

At home, in the office, or when travelling about, people have water bottles, tumblers, and mugs with them. When you give sustainable drinkware swag you’re reducing the use of plastic and paper cups that end up clogging landfills.

• • Branded sustainable water bottles look great at the gym and keep liquids handy throughout a workout. They make an especially pleasant statement when manufactured using recycled plastic or other eco-friendly materials and have your logo proudly printed on the outside.

• • Reusable sustainable tumblers will get used by those coffee and tea lovers who love to fill up at coffee shops or take their drinks along when they hit the road. You can make your swag tumblers stand out and truly represent your company with either printed or engraved company logo displayed where it can’t be missed.

Personal care

Giving your employees and clients gifts they can use for personal care and health shows that you care about their well-being.

• • Eco-friendly blankets provide comfort and warmth that’s derived from sustainable organic fabric and material.

• • Customized yoga mats are a wonderful way to pamper and provide a personalized gift that contributes to their mental and physical health. This wellness gift provides fun branding opportunities on both the yoga mat and carrying case it comes with.

• • Branded, sustainable sleep masks provide sweet dreams and help people block out distractions for deeper and better-quality sleep. Did you also know that sleep masks have been shown to relieve headaches, minimize dry eyes, and help people fall asleep faster? Give your clients the gift of a good night’s sleep.

Office/Remote

Whether your gift recipient works in the office or remotely, printed notebooks and tech swag can be both useful and fun. A promotional office gift works best when it evolves into being something used every day or becomes an essential component of keeping them connected and more productive.

• • Even in a world of tech, recycled notebooks are still a treasured and used gift, and when manufactured from previously paper and other materials and bearing your logo, you help people stay organized while also going greener.

• • A custom, eco-friendly mouse pad is ideal sustainable swag that can brighten up a desktop, enhance the movement of the mouse, and be a daily reminder of your brand. It can be made of sustainable material like bamboo, cork, and recycled rubber that will last a long, long time.

• • Wireless charging stations make terrific swag because you’re giving your staff and clients the gift of convenience while also reducing electronic waste and eliminating the need for batteries. Every time they hook their phone or mobile device to the branded wireless charging dock, they’ll appreciate how you’ve made their lives easier and the world a little cleaner.

3 Emerging Sustainable Swag Trends for 2024

It’s never too early to start planning ahead to make sure that your company’s sustainable swag will continue to stand out from the competition and show your commitment to the environment. Here are some trends you can prepare for.

• • Sustainable and organic apparel as swag will never go out of fashion. Apparel will continue to be one of the most favored and effective ways for companies to promote themselves.

• • Sustainable kitchenware and lunchbox sets will make it easier for anyone returning to the office to save money and the environment when they bring their meals to the office in lunch boxes or reusable insulated bags. It’s easy to stylishly decorate these items that can be made from recycled materials or natural substances like bamboo or cork with colorful designs and branding.

• • Sustainable employee welcome kits create a sense of belonging and comradeship for your remote and in-office employees with welcome kits. Kits can quickly and easily be used to reflect and instill your company’s culture and values. These can include practical and useful items made from recyclable materials to demonstrate an understanding of the employee’s day-to-day activities.

Few better ways exist to show your employees and clients than through the sustainable swag and eco-friendly promotional products you give away to promote your business.

Contact a Marketing.com swag and promotional marketing expert today to learn more about how we can help you connect the dots to build stronger relationships with clients and employees.

Appreciating Employees and Clients with Well-Planned Corporate Gifts

Businesses use well-planned corporate gift programs to give meaningful gifts to employees, customers and leads. It’s a way to celebrate an employee’s work anniversary, say thanks for a job well done or strengthen company-wide morale. Corporate gifting to clients shows appreciation for long and lasting relationships, indicates how much their business is valued and improves the chances the relationship will continue in the future.

The best corporate gift is thoughtful and unique. Companies are stepping up from the welcomed but soon forgotten gift basket to develop corporate gift giving programs with more creativity and thoughtfulness with gifts that are remembered. The industry is forecast to grow at an annual average rate of 8% and hit $306 billion in 2024 according to a 2021 report by Coresight Research.

Why Corporate Giving Programs Matter

Large or small, businesses grow by building strong relationships, both in the office and with clients. A well-thought-out corporate gifting program makes it easy to let the people who matter know how important they are.

Companies that deploy planned employee gift programs throughout the year build a loyal and committed workforce. A recent Gallup/Workman survey found that employees at companies that recognized their contributions though giving programs were 56% less likely to look for a new job and 73% felt less burned-out from the job.

With strategic client gift programs, businesses are able to build on successful relationships and enhance their reputations with their customers. They’re also very effective for helping a business grow. According to a Knack Shops gifting report, 83% of businesses surveyed believe that business gifts generate measurable, positive ROI.

Strategies for Your Corporate Gift Giving Program

Approach developing your gift giving programs as you would most marketing plans: determine your audience, define your goal, set a budget, select gifts and devise your distribution channels. Here are five important things to take into consideration when you set out to develop your plan:

1. Don’t look at the gift you’re giving as a sales tool. It’s not about making a splashy first impression. Corporate gift giving is about making a deep lasting impression. Be tactful with your use of your company’s brand and make the message heartfelt.
2. If it feels like your gift giving program is ‘been there, done that,’ perhaps it’s time to think outside the box, or, in the case of kitted employee and client gift ideas, think inside the box with a selection of gifts you can include in unique corporate gift boxes.
3. Give personalized or branded white label products that are manufactured and personalized with your business’s name, logo and brand message.  Custom variable printing and on-demand printing allows companies to prepare and send corporate gifts for any occasion at any time.
4. Marketing.com can help you create a corporate gift storefront that allows your employees and clients to select the gift they want from a preselected variety of branded gifts. We’ll also manage gift packaging and shipping
5. Don’t forget to take shipping materials and gift weight into consideration when making your corporate gift selection. These factors play a role in determining your shipping rates and options.

Find a Gifting Program Partner

As companies recognize the value of a good corporate gifting strategy and realize the impact gift giving can make on employee morale and client retention, they’re turning for guidance from companies like Marketing.com. According to the 2021 Coresight Research report, 52% of respondents outsourced some or all of their corporate gifting needs. The percentage is likely to increase because experienced outside vendors can help alleviate challenges.

Using a full-service commercial printing or gifting service streamlines corporate gifting from concept through delivery. This includes proposals, gift design and packaging design. Most will also provide curating and fulfillment services to make your gifting program run smoothly all year long. These companies can provide guidance on issues like gifting frequency and spending. They can also keep your company aware of emerging gifting occasions, such as corporate gifting to support Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs that urge diverse representation and participation in the workplace from historically underrepresented groups. 

Conclusion

In today’s remote business world, an effective corporate gifting program should be just as much a priority for marketing and enhancing a company’s reputation as a strong social, digital or print marketing program. Factors like ROI, increased productivity and business growth are important. The difference is impact. Saying thanks and recognizing the importance of employees and clients generates good will that can’t always be measured.