End of Year Gifts (And Why They Matter)
As the year begins drawing to a close, we are entering the season of people frantically scrambling around searching for the next great gift idea. Even more difficult than buying presents for friends and family can be the role of a business trying to find the perfect end of year gift either for employees or valued customers. What do people like? Can I re-gift my student loans? What if I write them a song with their name in it? What's the next big thing?! Relax. Take a deep breath. It'll all be fine. We're here to help.
Let's Talk About Gifts
Let's talk about gifts for a second, shall we? When you're selecting a gift, whether it be for an employee or a valued customer, there are a few things you should always take into consideration during the decision making process:
Who is the intended recipient of this gift?
What is the purpose/occasion for the gift?
What is the longevity of the gift?
The first two are pretty obvious. You can't give a good gift without knowing who you're giving it to and why it's being given. But the third is something many people don't consider. What is the longevity of the gift? How long will it last? How long will the receiver have it?
(A great way to illustrate this idea is gift baskets. Often times, companies will send baskets of fruit or food as an appreciation gift to a customer or client. Seems fine, right? Everyone loves food. But! Food is eventually eaten (or spoils). And, then what? Do you think your brand will still be on your customer's mind a month after all the wrappers from your gift basket have ended up in the garbage? Doubt it.)
So, what does this mean for you?
You and your business
First of all, if you and your business are not giving end of year gifts (either employee recognition gifts, valued customer appreciation gifts, or both)... you should be. People love to be appreciated. Whether it's for the hard work they do for you all year long, or for the repeat business they continually bring your way, everyone wants to be shown a little love now and then. An end of year gift is a perfect way to express your gratitude (and still do a little marketing in the process, which never hurts).
Second, if you and your business are already giving end of the year gifts (great job), it might be time to take a look at what exactly you're giving out and what the purpose is. (The purpose is to get rid of these 3,000 mousepads that Diane in marketing ordered with the wrong phone number on them. No. Bad. Stop it.) Don't fall into the trap of making your end of year gift a way for you to get rid of crappy, antiquated marketing swag like notepads or stress-balls. (If it's something you are trying to get rid of, you can bet the recipient will feel the same. Never give a gift you wouldn't want to receive.) Take the time to find something the person you are giving this gift to will actually want to have around and use! Every time they do, they'll remember you and your business. Which is exactly what you want.
Take your gift game up a notch by branding your end of year gifts with your company's logo. That way, not only will the person you give the gift to be regularly reminded of you and your business, but anyone else who sees it in their home will also be exposed to your brand in the process. Now, that's a gift that keeps on giving.
Still Not sure What gifts to be giving?
Still feeling overwhelmed by the idea of end of year gifts? Don't worry. We've got a whole Series of Blogs on some of the Best End of Year Gifts coming soon. So, be sure to check back regularly.
Or, if you're looking for some personalized help, you can always feel free to Contact Us Directly. Our dedicated staff is always ready with ideas and suggestions to help out our amazing clients.
Or! Browse our Custom Gallery where you can find examples of all kinds of different items we've branded or engraved for our clients.