Corporate gifting is used as a specific marketing strategy to build brand awareness and engagement. Unique corporate gifts are also an excellent way to differentiate your business, build relationships and have lasting brand exposure in front of your ideal target audience.
However, corporate gifting is often left to the last minute, and with the many many options available these days, it’s easy get daunted so it gets put in the too-hard basket. Well, we want to make things a bit easier for you.
We’ve created a 2018 calendar to help you brainstorm ideas and plan your corporate gifting occasions throughout the year. Also check out Tourism Australia’s calendar of major Australian festivals for more fundraising and social club ideas.
What’s your occasion?
Conference / trade show giveaways
Christmas / Easter gifts
Client / vendor thank you gifts
Gift baskets
Employee induction packs
Sales team equipment
Employee recognition
Staff travel packs
Birthdays
Branded customer merchandise
Special events
Personalised gifts
What to give:
These days we are spoilt for choice when it comes to the possibilities in gifting. One tip with creating enviable gifts is nailing the theme, or concept. There are too many options to list here, but let’s explore a few ideas to get the creative juices flowing!
Alcohol
Spirits, beer, wine or champagne make great gifts but have been done to death and can come across as a bit impersonal. Unless of course your client is a die-hard red wine fan and you’ve sourced an excellent Shiraz you know they are going to love. If your occasion calls for it, we would suggest you look at either building the alcohol into a hamper, or create branded packaging to bring uniqueness and “wow factor”, such as a paper or cloth wrap or carry bag. We can even source cleanskin wines and label the bottles with your company wine labels!
Office items
Everyday stationery items such as pens, notepads, and mouse pads can be handy to have, and certainly have their time and place. However, every man and his dog do them, so if your objective is to differentiate your brand, it pays to think out of the box. Leather-bound monogrammed journals, iPad holders, high quality boxed pens can make great executive gifts. Aim to get the best quality you can afford.
Leisure items
You can really have some fun with this category, and if you choose well, your gifts will hopefully be used again and again. The trick with leisure items is apply your brand in a creative way that feels designer. Beach umbrellas, beach towels, wine coolers, bar accessories, glassware, cheese boards and picnic sets make great gifts, especially when combined together in a themed gift.
Technology & Tools
Technology and tool items are very popular in some industries, but can sometimes be tricky to source high quality items that your recipients will actually want to use. Aside from the popular USB drives, companies are also opting for bluetooth speakers or earbuds, multipurpose chargers, digital frames, or computer accessory kits.
Food items
Food can be a great go-to with corporate gifts, and encourage sharing with colleagues or taken home for the family. They can come across as a bit generic, so the trick is to be creative and thoughtful. Make sure you understand the tastes and preferences of your recipient before you send your gift. Theming your gift into “foodie” experiences can be a fun way to approach food-related gifts.
Drinkware
Drink bottles and mugs are synonymous with the category of branded merchandise, and can be done really well. However, there are some very elegant and high quality items available these days, including eco-friendly options, that are worth the attention. Bamboo travel coffee mugs, vacuum flasks, coffee mug sets, metal wine coolers and desktop water jug/cup sets are among some of the most popular.
Health, Home & Personal items
These items will either be a good fit for your industry, or not appropriate at all, but gifts such as towels, first aid kits, wallets, manicure sets, cufflinks or mirrors make great gift options. Lifestyle items your recipient can use around the home are also very popular, such as pizza slicers, LED clocks, salad servers, BBQ set or folding chairs.
Remember, there can be a longer lead time on some items, so to be safe always plan ahead when you need bulk corporate gifts.
Remember we can source or manufacture just about anything!
Our solution:
Total Uniform Solutions are well positioned to assist with corporate gifting programs:
Procurement – We can source, or manufacture, just about anything you put your mind to, including all the packaging required. We have long-standing relationships with our suppliers and have our own manufacturing plants so you will be well taken care of.
Logistics – Our logistics service means we can take care of all the shipping or warehousing of the gifts. We can dispatch to one or multiple individual locations or you can use our 48 hour Pick Pack Post service to manage the warehousing and dispatch of all your branded corporate gifts and merchandise throughout the year.
Embellishment – Our embellishment services takes care of all the branding requirements, all you need to do is give us your logo! We can even do the artwork and mockups for you so you know what it will look like before you order.
Samples – If we have sufficient lead time, we can often provide you with samples of the items you are planning to order in bulk.
If you have some ideas for your next gifting occasion, or need some help, get in touch with us today on 1300 86 43 676 or sales@uniform.com.au.