How to Get Good Corporate Gift Ideas

Corporate gift giving is an important part about doing business. Whether the gift is intended for a client or an employee, it makes for a great way to say thank you, and to keep your company's image clean and shiny.

Getting a good corporate gift idea isn't always easy though. While there are a lot of possibilities out there, they won't all be right for you.

Large corporations buy gifts for hundreds or thousands of people or companies, while smaller businesses will have a much smaller list.

Whatever the situation is, the cost per gift is still the underlying concern.

To figure out your budget, you'll need to first know how much you can afford to spend overall, and then workout how many gifts need to be divided into that amount.

Don't forget to factor in shipping costs to the gift receiver, should this be necessary.

Next, start brainstorming gift ideas and let others take part.

If the gifts you are responsible for are the employees, then you naturally won't involve them in this part. If it's for clients however, get a few trusted people together and come up with corporate gift ideas together. Based on what you've received in the past and what each of you would like to receive, this shouldn't be hard at all. When it's done, make note of the ideas you all like the best.

Decide Whether You Want It Branded Or Personalized

Sometimes a gift works all by itself, but other times you want to stick a logo on there or personalize it to the receiver. These are important considerations, with the latter always costing more. Branding gifts is usually a good idea as it keeps your company's name fresh in people's minds when they get and later use the gift. Not all gifts can be branded though, so you'll need to go over that list with this in mind.

Filter The Ideas Through The Offense-O-Meter

The offense-o-meter is your own understanding of what may end up upsetting someone. Feel free to go back to that group you brainstormed with if you want help with this. What offends people isn't clear-cut these days. Certain things you may not find offensive, others will. Whether you agree or not, you're out to create a good image, not spread your point of view.

Now You Need To Start Shopping Around

Even before you make a final decision you may choose to start shopping around. This way you can see which of the ideas you've wound up with can be done for the best price. A good idea is to look for your corporate gifts online as this will almost always turn up the best bargains.

If brainstorming isn't your strong point, you can make use of the web for more than just shopping. Checkout sites that specialize in corporate gifts and you'll find all sorts of things that stick out in your mind.

Choose the one you feel is most appropriate and run with it. Good luck with the shopping, and hopefully everyone enjoys what you buy!

Saving up enough time to think about your customers at the end of the day reaps more benefit than harm.

If you reward the customers that are most likely to use your services, or the customers that are most loyal to your cause, you get converts.

But by providing them with free corporate gifts and promotional giveaways, you convert them into avid followers and they will be even more enthusiastic about the company's dealings and affairs.

The word "free" talks to every person in the same way in the present day and age. And that very word translates into happiness in the customers' minds and eventually into stronger levels of customer satisfaction for the company.

If your company is thinking of giving away free merchandise or giveaways to its customers, you need to follow a concrete set of rules and principles - the do's and dont's of corporate gifts. Following is what you should and should not be doing in that regard.

Do look at the Customer Base: Before providing the customers with free giveaways, always remember to see what the customer base is, study their demographics, their needs and their reasons to be with the company. Finally, you need to provide them with something they can use themselves and something that holds value for them.

Don't give customers clichéd rewards: Do not give your customers what others companies give away. Such objects tend to become a cliché and gradually lose their appeal. Eventually, you'd just lose your customer base if you keep at it. People want something different so if you can give a unique gift, you will attract new customers that want what you're giving away.

Don't knock your competitor: Your gift should be just that. There shouldn't be a hint of knocking your competition. Some people may perceive that as unfair and rude. You want to give the gift to show appreciation, not to send the message of competition.

Do always reward your Customers often: Always reward your customers for anything they do that is good for your company. If you just reward them the first time and then forget about them the next time they do something exceptional for the company, you will lose customers like sand through your fingers. Reward your customers often because they are the wheels your company moves on.

The more you reward your customers, the more likely they are to become your followers and would more likely bring in more people like themselves within your company's customer base.

A little budget set aside for rewarding your customer's loyalty can go a long way towards increasing your ROI (return on investment) and bring in a tremendous increase in your customer satisfaction levels. The praise and appreciation you get from your customers should then affect the company's morale and credibility both.

Whatever you choose to do just keep in mind your customer wants to feel appreciated. The more they feel like you care, the more loyal they will be and will feel free to refer your business to their family and friends.

Have you ever received a corporate give you just didn't like?

Perhaps a simpler question would be, have you ever received a corporate gift you did like?

So many corporate gift givers get so fancy and creative with their ideas that they end up with gifts that no one really wants, but will end up being tossed in the trash.

Avoiding this is not only good for the company giving the gift, but it's good for the gift receiver and the environment as well.

Before you order this year's corporate gifts, ensure it's something that that won't meet that fate. It's not that hard. It's just a matter of thinking of the kinds of things that people actually use. Make a list of those things and go from there.

Clothing, for instance, is a great way to go. You don't need anything too fancy here, just a sweater, t-shirt or even windbreaker. These can be quite cost effective when bought in bulk, but provide other perks as well.

For one thing, they make for a great place to put your company logo because it will be seen by anyone who sees it being worn. In that way it's more than a gift, it's an investment in your company's image.

Many companies are turning more towards the practical. They choose bags as their corporate gift idea. Not just any bag, naturally, but a functional one that, like the clothing, can feature a logo that people can proudly display. Backpacks or gym bags are good examples of these.

People use them quite a bit but rarely feel like going out to buy their own. Getting it as a corporate gift will actually be more than welcomed.

While thinking about sticking your logo on things, consider a mug. This inexpensive idea goes over well, especially when giving gifts to corporate partners. If you don't want make it look cheap you can always spruce things up a bit by sticking something in the mug. It can be something relevant to the mug like teas or coffees, or something totally unrelated like candy.

Candy, incidentally, is all by itself a gift that won't be thrown away. In fact, any type of food you give as a gift is a gift idea that will be appreciated and put to good use. From candy and chocolate to cookies and other baked goods, there are all kinds of food ideas to choose from.

The downside is you don't get to give out a branded gift that will be kept around for years, but at least it will be something the receiver will look forward to each year.

The best thing to do when coming up with corporate gift ideas is to start with something that you would use yourself. If you would just end up putting it aside and forgetting about it, then there's a good chance other would as well.

So, choose one of the ideas above or go with one of your own, then run it past yourself and perhaps another person or two. If it meets everyone's approval, then it's the best way to go.

A corporate gift is a special thing.

It's something that will be given on behalf a company and therefore any idea will require special thought.

These are the gifts your company gives to its employees, those other businesses that work with it, and, most importantly, its clients.

Whether it's just being given as a general thank you or as a Christmas gift, or something for another type of occasion, corporate gifts are always a big deal.

Many things can work as corporate gifts. Over the years, various companies have gone in many different directions. Sometimes they choose fun gifts and other times they go with things that are more serious or mature. It largely depends on what type of company is in question, and what the clientele is like, should they be the ones receiving the gift.

It's important to note though that a corporate gift is something that represents the company that's giving it away. Therefore, taking it lightly should never be done. It's not like going to the mall and picking up something for your uncle. This is about coming up with a gift idea that will convey the attitude your company wants to project, impress the people your company wants to impress, and stand out from everyone else giving gifts at the same time.

Many companies choose to go with branded merchandise because it allows them to get advertising for their dollar. It also immediately associates them with the gift, even when the gift has nothing to do with who the company actually is. In a way it's a bit of a cheat, but in another way it simply insures people get something simple, yet tangible.

Popular corporate gift ideas include souvenir style trinkets such as mugs, key chains and t-shirts. They also include more practical things such as pens, stationary and watches. An increasingly common idea for corporate gifts is the gift basket, which could include all sorts of different things, generally edible. In that regards, it largely comes down to how much the company is willing to spend.

Some companies choose to stick with promotional items so that they keep their brand fresh in the minds of those who get the gift. In that way it's a bit of a dual purpose investment.

Part of the gift is just a gift, something that sends out a message of appreciation, and the other part is an investment in advertising, getting the company name more exposure. Other companies choose to take their name out of the picture. This type of gift is often appreciated even more as it suggests a higher form of class.

When it comes time to buying corporate gifts you can do all the legwork yourself, or go through a third party. There are those who actually specialize as corporate gift buyers and sell their services to big companies.

They handle everything from picking the gift to sending it out. A less expensive option is to turn to the internet where many websites are dedicated to sharing ideas and offering discounts on corporate gifts.

At the end of the day the final decision is yours.