The business industry has drastically changed over the last year. It’s more important than ever to let your customers and employees know that you value them. After all, a customer base and well-trained team are the difference between a successful and unsuccessful business.
The right gift can be challenging to find. You need to make a good impression while remaining professional and appropriate. Here are a few things to bear in mind when choosing gifts for your customers or employees.
Avoid low-quality gifts
Price does not always equate to quality. If you are sending out multiple gifts, you need to watch how much you spend. Opt for a gift that is good-quality, practical, durable and affordable. Avoid anything fragile that will break in the mail or edible items that can perish.
A personalised gift
Personalised items, like mugs and pens, make excellent gifts for employees. You could give them an eye-catching calendar or diary with their name printed on the front.
Give away your free swag to customers – just make sure to remove your brand logo from the item. A branded gift can look a little too much like a marketing tool. Stick to something that reflects your brand values but isn’t overtly marketing your business.
Photo by Renáta-Adrienn on Unsplash
Surprise customers with an upgrade!
If you are unsure of what to send to your customers, gift them a free upgrade instead. This works best if you upgrade the customer to a similar or even better item to their original purchase. For example, if you own a hotel business, you could upgrade the customer to a more luxurious room.
Focus your reward scheme on loyal customers who engage with your social media and leave positive reviews. An upgrade will encourage the customer to keep investing money in your business and hopefully share the word of your excellent customer service. Win, win!
Freebies
Include a freebie or sample size item in your customer’s order. If they like the sample product, they’re likely to purchase the full-size item later. The UK-based printing service, instantprint, uncovered that one in ten consumers found freebies the most memorable style of local marketing.
In fact, free samples can boost your sales by 2000%. Just make sure to factor in the cost of free samples to your business expenses.
A gift basket or coupon
You should send a gift to employees who are doing exceptionally well at the moment. Consider sending them a gift basket with locally sourced sweet treats and baked goods. It shows your employee that they’re valued at the company, and you value other small businesses in the area. Leave the basket on their desk as a surprise, and avoid the expense of posting and packaging.
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