20 Oct The How-To Guide on Corporate Gifting Tip #4
The HOW-TO’s of corporate gift giving
Rule #4 — “BECAUSE WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT THAT WAY.”
I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the response, “We always give nuts. We’ve been doing it for 22 years. That’s just what we do”. And here’s my thought on the subject, I LOVE TRADITION when tradition makes sense. I think as long as that tradition is being evaluated each go-around and other ideas are discussed, then tradition may sometimes win out. Often though, we are simply “stuck” in old ways and not refreshing our image.
Look at Google. You would be hard-pressed to find a more innovative and exciting company. Most people would go so far as to say they ‘admire’ Google. Would you be surprised to know how many times it has updated its logo? Google just released its 8th logo since inception. It is also known for the many fun and funky variations of the online logo, called “Google Doodles”.
So how does this relate to gift giving? Well, for one thing, it is much easier to change up your corporate gift giving than to change the use of your logo. But what really matters is that you are still relevant, exciting and thoughtful. You give gifts for two reasons — 1) you want to thank or recognize and 2) you want to be remembered and hopefully appreciated. So if tradition tops your list of priorities when it comes to gift giving, be sure being memorable is among that list as well.
By the way, I love nuts. And apples. And toffee. And cookies. And popcorn. I love them so much, I sell all of them. Just be sure to ask the question, “Do we do this because our clients love it?” OR “Do we do this because it’s easy and THAT’S WHAT WE’VE ALWAYS DONE?”
Don’t forget the basics. Give in small ways. Give often. Give when you think of it and don’t procrastinate. Giving feels good and instills the habit of thoughtfulness — something we can always use more of in the corporate world.