Holiday Season is approaching, but with sales down, and company budgets cut, what's a business to do about giving gifts this holiday season? That's a question many companies are asking themselves.
One of the best ways to spend your business dollars is to thank your customers for their continued support. Especially in these difficult financial times, thanking those customers is more important than ever. A gift of thanks need not be expensive. Obviously, a beautiful $200 gift basket would be ideal but not all clients need to receive such an opulent gift. Creative gifts can be found for as little as $20. But before selecting client gifts, consider the following:
1) How much is your budget?
If you have a generous budget, great! The sky is the limit! However, if you're looking for gifts in the $20-$35 range, you need to get a little more creative, but gifts in that budget are absolutely doable.
2) Will this gift be for an individual; a family; or for an office to share?
An individual's gift could be anything from a gift basket filled with upscale chocolates to a selection of food items such as cheese, crackers, cookies, candies, etc. However, an office gift that needs to be shared by many, might have more snacky items that can go further. If you have a limited budget for your office gift, opt for a large tin of cookies or candies that many people can share.
3) Does the recipient(s) drink alcohol?
Alcohol can be tricky. Giving alcohol to a recovering alcoholic or someone who doesn't 'drink' because of religious reasons is in bad taste. When in doubt...don't. Beautiful gifts can be created without the use of alcohol.
4) Special dietary requirements?
Does the recipient have special dietary needs such as diabetes, kosher, low sodium, etc? If so, be sure to customize his/her gift so that it can be enjoyed by the recipient.
Buying gift baskets and gifts at the big box stores can be tempting, but remember that if you want your gift to be a standout, that may not be the best way to go. Besides, doesn't food taste better when it's freshly packed in October, November or December than when it was packed in April? Even if you find a great bargain there, remember that your customers shop those same stores and will know exactly how much you paid. Show them that you've spent time on your gifts by having your company name imprinted on the ribbon, or custom designs created for your business that no one else will receive.
