Giving gifts is a way to improve relationships and express gratitude to the people you care about. The holiday season is just the right time to pay homage to your clients or employees. You can show how thankful you are for the effort that they are putting into their jobs. Gifting even a small but meaningful item straight from the heart can leave a lasting impression, boost morale, and make people feel special and joyful, even if just for a few moments. If you are wondering how to find the right gift, this guide will show you how to express appreciation while maintaining professionalism and how to effectively find a gift that requires balance, thoughtfulness, and a strategic approach.
What Is the Purpose of Holiday Gifting?
We believe that everyone knows that there are different reasons for giving gifts but if you are wondering what are the reasons for giving gifts for professional purposes, here are some of them:
- A simple Thank You – Gifts can be a great way to express gratitude to your loyal clients or show your best and hardworking employees that you appreciate everything that they are doing!
- Strengthening relationships – This gesture can leave a positive impression and strengthen the bond with your team or customers.
- Improving the image of your brand – A perfectly chosen gift can leave a lasting impression and leave a good opinion to your company’s values.
- Motivation and Loyalty – If you make your employees feel seen and valued, they will be more engaged and clients who feel appreciated and worthy will most likely stay loyal.
Gifts for Employees
Choosing the right gift for your employees might feel challenging, but it does not have to be! Prioritize the practicality and usability of the present that you choose. Everyone likes a product that is useful and fitting for everyone. You can even offer gifts that are not materialistic, such as spa vouchers, online courses, subscriptions, etc. Or if you want to foster team spirit and you do not know how to do it, Perfect Feast is a life saver that works every time! Holiday gift ideas that are popular include headphones, self-care kits, gift cards, tech gadgets, wellness kits, personalized items like mugs or pens for example, or a day off as a holiday bonus!
Gifts for Clients
When choosing a gift for clients, it is important to show a balance between being personal and being professional. A generic gift may go unnoticed but a personalized one can strengthen the relationship. Think carefully about what you should give to each client. Consider your previous interactions and their industry interest. Avoid overly personal gifts. Go with basic variations such as a notebook, branded merchandise, luxury food baskets, mugs, or pens.
If you work with international clients, consider researching their cultural norms and taboos regarding gifting to avoid any kind of inconvenience. If you choose the right gift it will surely reflect your company’s identity, and you can add a personal touch to it like, for example, engraving their name on the item, to make the client feel more special.
Top Holiday Gifts for clients are usually high quality planners or notebooks, gourmet gift baskets with premium snacks, no alcohol drinks, high-tech accessories, personalized office surprise,s and the best example of all the above – charity donation in their name.
Gifts That You Should Avoid
Choosing the right gift strengthens the relationship and shows appreciation, while the wrong choice of the gift can cause an opposite effect. So be extremely careful while choosing the right gift for your clients and employees. Here are some types of gifts that you should avoid:
- Avoid items like clothing, jewelry, or perfumes because they are far away from professionals. They can feel too intimate or personal. Also, there is a high risk of choosing something that your client or employee won’t like because they have different individual preferences.
- Cheap or low quality gifts can feel rushed and it may look like you didn’t put any effort into choosing a gift and sent the wrong message. An item that is low in quality can break easily and leave a negative impression on someone.
- Religious or politically themed gifts can cause inconvenience and even show disrespect towards someone. Unless you are sure of someone’s beliefs do not buy anything related to politics or religion to prevent misunderstanding and discomfort.
- Bonuses are totally fine but if you give direct cash gifts to someone, it may appear awkward and can feel impersonal, especially with clients. Instead of giving money, give gift cards or experience as they are much more appreciated.
- While giving away an item that has a discreet logo is fine, overly branded corporate swag can feel like promotional materials rather than genuine and thoughtful presents. It can appear like it’s given for self-serving purposes rather than showing appreciation and kindness.
Include a Personal Card With Your Gift
As we’ve already said, a well-chosen gift is appreciated enough, but adding a personally handwritten card takes it to the next level. It’s a small gesture that has a big impact and it can turn a simple gift into something more meaningful.
Here are some reasons why you should include a personal card:
- Gifts can sometimes feel like an obligation but a heartfelt and honest message shows how much you appreciate the person that is receiving a gift. A few kind and appreciative words can make anyone feel valued.
- A thoughtful note can slightly strengthen the relationship between you and your clients or employees. When you take your time to appreciate someone’s effort and hard-work that they are putting in, it creates a deeper connection beyond the business. After such a gesture, employees usually get more will and enthusiasm for work.
- Mentioning a great collaboration or a job that someone did well adds a meaningful touch.
- The handwritten message shows effort and sincerity and is really special as we live in a day and age where everything is written by email and where generic holiday greetings are an unusual thing. This gesture will surely leave a strong impression and make your gift even more memorable.
Holiday gifting is much more than a seasonal tradition. It is an opportunity to value other people and their hard work and improve the picture and reputation of your company by showing that you have put effort and time into someone while focusing on quality and personalization.
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