Do you think business gift-giving during the holidays is a stressful waste of time? Think
again. It provides terrific public relations benefits.
Here are just a few:
- Elevates relationships with clients and referral sources;
- Increases the service level of suppliers;
- Establishes greater employee goodwill and productivity;
- Improves top-of-mind awareness among prospective clients; and
- Enhances relationships with the press.
To maximize the public relations benefits of gift-giving,
consider the following parameters.
Who Should Be on Your List?
Start the process by making a list of everyone who should receive a card and/or
a gift. You should include:
- Clients (current and those you’ve had during the year);
- Referral sources;
- Employees;
- Suppliers and vendors (these are the most overlooked and will be most
appreciative);
- The media (those you have been in contact with);
- Prospective clients you’ve had contact with; and
- Anyone who has helped your business in any way during the year.
Gift or Card?
Holiday cards are almost always looked upon favorably by the recipient.
Non-denominational cards, such as Thanksgiving, New Year’s or holiday season
good wishes are the best options. Snail-mail cards are best. They can be saved
and displayed, and provide a reminder about you and your business.
The worst thing you can do is send a card pre-printed with your holiday
wishes and no personal note. Here are some tips on making your cards great:
- Hand-write a personal note (preferably in your handwriting; otherwise,
you can have an assistant do this).
- Include the person’s name and mention how he or she has helped you this
year.
- If you’re giving a gift, tie the card’s personal note into the gift. For
example, if you’re giving a cake to a client, you could say, “Working with
you is a piece of cake. Thanks for being a great client.
If you’re in doubt about whether someone is allowed to accept a gift (certain
professions and the media, for example), send a heartfelt card with a personal
note. My favorite resource for personalized, inexpensive holiday cards is
Vista Print.
Choosing the Right Gift
When a gift is in order, send a handwritten card along with a great gift.
Here are some ideas:
- If the gift will be shared with others, send a gift basket of food. My
friend Promo Girl
suggests that if you do get a gift basket, include some sort of promotional
item with your logo and/or name so that, after the food is gone, the memory
of your company remains.
- If the recipient is involved with a charity, make a donation to the
charity in that person’s name.
- Business contacts often enjoy new business books, especially if signed
by the author.
- Gifts that come every month, such as food-of-the-month clubs and
magazines, will remind people continuously about you and your company.
Although many people enjoy cash or gift cards, I’m not a big fan of giving
them in a business environment. They’re impersonal, and people may think you
didn’t put much thought into choosing them.
When possible, give business to clients who offer great
corporate gifts.
What Should I Spend?
The IRS allows your business to deduct up to $25 for business gifts you
give to any one person per year. This is a good place to start, since deductions
are important to business owners.
Many times you will want to give bigger gifts than this, depending on the
amount of revenue a client represents, how helpful a supplier has been or how
dedicated an employee is.
Putting some thought into your business holiday gift-giving is worth it. The
benefits to your business will be priceless.