Advice for Picking the Best Gifts for Clients
There’s only one rule you need to remember when selecting a gift for a client
Who should listen: Small-business owners in need of advice about how to use client gift-giving as a strategic marketing tactic that will reaffirm relationships and help create a unique connection with your clients.
Key idea: Client gift-giving is a highly effective form of advertising, and it needs to be given the same strategic consideration as all other aspects of your marketing plan.
There’s really only one rule you need to keep in mind to create a feel-good client experience that lasts all-year long: make them feel special.
Gift-giving sounds simple enough, but it takes finesse to select a gift that makes someone feel genuine joy when received and real affection for the giver.
In this Silver Dollar episode, we discuss why giving client gifts is especially important for small businesses. Then we explain some of the things that make a gift particularly memorable. Finally, you’ll hear us lament some of the ways that companies fall short when giving gifts to their clients.
It is the thought that matters
We use gifts as a way of establishing and nurturing connections with other people; they are a way of expressing our thoughts about a relationship, they reflect our feelings about the recipient, and they say a lot about us too. We attribute symbolic meaning to gifts, so the point of giving someone a gift (at least in part) is to illicit the proper meaning and feelings.
With so much riding on gift-giving, we want to emphasize that effective gift-giving takes thought and time. It’s why we’re airing this episode at the beginning of September. Anyone can quickly order a gift basket filled with sausage and cheese, but send something like that to your vegan or vegetarian client, and you’ve missed the whole point (and maybe a client in the process).
First, have your gift connect to something your client has an interest in. This is where getting to know your clients and having a robust database full of details become super valuable. Can you find a gift that relates to their hobby? Can you find something that reflects their love of pets, nature, gardening, hiking, books, or something else they feel passionate about? Thinking about what your clients already enjoy takes some time. It also means that one size fits all will not work.
Second, consider a gift your client can share with family or friends. Why not spread the love? If your client has children, include them in your thoughts. Maybe some tickets to an amusement park will do the trick. If they enjoy golf, perhaps a round with a couple of friends will be ideal. A newly married couple might enjoy a dinner at a romantic spot. The benefit of a gift that numerous people can enjoy is that they will think of you too.
Finally, you can’t miss when a gift is personalized with their name. Dale Carnegie is credited with saying that there is no sweeter sound than that of someone’s own name. There are dozens upon dozens of wonderful gifts that you can have engraved or embroidered with a client’s name. Each time they reach for your gift, they’ll feel singled out in the best possible way and will remember you for it.
But even these four tips will fall short if you succumb to the mistakes that so many companies make when it comes to gifting their clients. Listen to the full episode, and make sure your gifts leave the right kind of memorable impression.
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