Even though it’s still summer, business owners all over the world are starting to plan, buy, and give Christmas gifts to their clients, customers, and suppliers. Whether these gifts seem expensive and pointless or like a Christmas tradition that can’t be broken, the point is that you need to give at least something to someone if you want to make a good impression going into the new year.

If you don’t know what to give as a holiday gift yet and don’t know what to think about when choosing a gift, here are some tips that will help you and make sure everyone is happy with what they get.

Photo by Monstera

What Is Your Work Culture? 

If you can sum up the culture of your company in one gift, it will help people remember you and make sure that whatever you give is completely unique. To do this, you need to think about the work you do and the people who work for you. People might talk about how you let people dress down on Fridays or how fun your office parties are. Maybe it’s because you let everyone have the day off on their birthday or because you include the families of your employees in everything you do. Find a gift that says something about it, whatever it is, and give it to important business contacts you want to impress.

Be Inclusive 

It’s important to find something that you can give to everyone, since buying gifts for each person individually will be expensive and take a lot of time. For example, if you want to offer clothing, think about the fit and the material. Will everyone like it? Will both men and women be able to wear it? It might be better to give something more universal like whiskey gift ideas that are something everyone can enjoy. This is an important point that will help you stand out and show how caring you are and how much you think about others in all of your work.

Think Of Presentation 

Presentation is everything, no matter what you’re giving or to whom you’re giving it. Wrapping a gift well in nice paper, maybe with extra bows and ribbons, will always be gratefully received, especially when the alternative is a badly wrapped gift that shows no time, thought, or effort was put into it, if the gift is wrapped at all. Even though this is a gift from a business, it should be treated like any other gift you would give to someone you care about. Make sure it looks good because the first thing people think about anything matters a lot.

Ask Employees 

As the owner of a business, it’s up to you to decide what corporate gifts you want to give. However, it might be a good idea to talk to your employees and ask them what they think. If you can’t think of anything, ask your employees to give you some ideas that you can use. Because they work with your clients and customers more, they may have a better idea of what they want.

Again, you can ask your employees for help if you have some ideas but can’t choose between them. They might be able to help you figure out which of your two, three, or more ideas is the best, so you don’t waste money on something that won’t work.

Ask Questions 

Another important step is to be kind and to ask questions. You might think you’ve found the perfect gift, but if you’re not sure, calling the recipient to find out if this is really the case will help. This will show that you care about your clients and customers and aren’t just buying the first thing that comes to mind (even if, in reality, you are). For example, if you want to give someone a food-related gift, you should talk to them to find out if they have any food allergies or if they prefer beer to wine or red wine to white wine. You don’t have to tell them exactly what you’re buying, either, so it will still be a surprise.

Make It Local 

Gifts that have a taste of the local area are always well received. This is a great gift for someone close by or far away because it’s always fun to get something made in a certain place or maybe in a certain way. You could choose a calendar that shows off your area or some food that was made by a local person. If your area is known for something, this is a great gift to give because it will help the other person learn more about where you live and what it’s like.

This is also a great way to help small businesses in your area, which might be able to help you in the future. By doing this, you help the economy grow, which is another great thing.

Make It Personal 

You should make sure that whatever you give reflects your company in some way. The easiest way to do this is to put your logo or company name on it. Many companies make it easy to do this, and your logo can be put on mugs, coasters, pens, t-shirts, Christmas decorations, and much more.

But you shouldn’t brand yourself too much. For example, instead of putting your name on the front of everything you give away, you could just use a small logo to make yourself stand out. This can look a lot better and remind the people you give gifts to more about you since they are more likely to use things with small amounts of branding on them.

Give Quality 

No matter what you decide to give, it needs to be good. If you buy things on the cheap and give away things that aren’t well made, break apart quickly, or can’t be used, worn, or even eaten, this will make your company look bad. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to find good quality products, but you should take the time to read reviews and, if possible, try the products for yourself to make sure you’re happy to give them to important clients and suppliers.

Manage Your Budget 

Buying gifts has an effect on the budget, no doubt about it. If you spend too much on luxury items for your employees or clients, it might make them happy, but it can hurt the company’s finances. That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t be kind. Make a budget that is based on how much you can really spend. From there, compare prices from different sellers, see if you can get discounts for buying in bulk, and try to get as much as you can out of your budget.

Think Of Families 

Instead of just giving gifts to individuals, think about how the gift could help the families of your recipients. Experience days are a natural choice, but electronics and home appliances are also good choices. Shared gifts show that you run a family business that cares about not only the people you want to impress but also their families.

Give Unexpectedly 

Most companies give gifts at fairly regular times, like Christmas or the end of the year. Staff members and others do appreciate the gesture, but there’s something even more special about surprising people with your corporate gifting. When a company hits a big goal or lands a big deal, giving gifts to those who have helped is a surprise. It also shows that you care about your business and appreciate those who are helping you grow.