While run-of-the-mill branded company items may be a nice way to promote your business (we're looking at you notepads, water bottles & hoodies!) gifting with a little thought and personalization is a B2B game changer. According to research from Dr. Robert Cialdini, Professor Emeritus at ASU and author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, sending a personalized gift actually increases the odds 10x that the engagement will be reciprocated.

In a world saturated with digital and artificial connections, here’s how you can establish meaningful relationships with clients, partners and prospective clients as well.

 

Step One - Check The Corporate Gift Policy

This first, most crucial step is the one most often overlooked. It's easy for the quick check to get lost in the shuffle due to the hustle and bustle of the daily grind - we get it, businesses are pretty busy trying to meet quotas and deadlines (FYI - that's why we exist!) Then there are the people who get so excited about gifting they dive right into it, unaware that a corporate gift policy is even a thing.

Did you know that some companies may actually police the type of gifts their employees can receive? This means that their employees can only accept a certain amount of gifts or gifts with a retail price below a certain threshold. This is need-to-know information to ensure your gifting efforts won’t go to waste.

Our rule of thumb here at ThankYouKindly - we save ourselves the off chance of having a gift tossed out by taking a quick inventory of any gifting policy in place at the company of each recipient. Then, and only then, do we move on to step two.

 

Step Two - Think About It!

Like most things in life, when choosing a gift for your client, thoughtfulness goes a very long way. This quality is second nature for the best gift givers (we're looking at you TYK gifting concierges!) But how about the rest of us?

Well, 81% of shoppers conduct online research before making big purchases. If you do this for your own goodies, you should be doing this for any item you plan to buy someone else.

Where do you even begin - think about one element of your recipient's personality. Don't know this client, partner or prospective client well at all? Don't worry. You’ll be surprised with how easily you can still wow them. Consider little tidbits of information you’ve picked up during past conversations or even simple observation. Have they ever mentioned being a proud pet parent? Are they a diehard sports fanatic? If you’re still drawing a blank, go the extra step and Google them. Yes, we’re giving you permission to go ahead and toe the line of a little online “checking out” to complete your research. What makes a thoughtful gift? A thoughtful sender.

The cherry on top? Doing your homework will probably get you the most bang for your buck.

 

Step Three - Make It Pretty

Never judge a book by its cover, they say. However, sometimes people can’t help but make a snap judgment anyway.

Did you know that gifts have a 40x response rate in comparison to email? If gifts wrangle more of a response than traditional messages, wouldn’t quality wrapping paper be worth the investment? When it comes to your gift’s presentation, think of it as a way of representing your company in package-form. In addition to using quality wrapping paper, add a handwritten note. You’ve already checked the gift policy and settled on something that is thoughtful and personal, you may as well make it pretty and put something actionable there in writing as well. It's an easy difference maker.

The process of gift-giving can be a little nerve-wrecking, but with these tips in mind - it's nothing worth biting your nails over.

Oh and the alternative how-to guide for amazing gift giving? Step one - sign up here. Step two - let us do the work, and more.