| A Guide to Corporate Gifting
for Clients... DO take care
that your gifts are generic in gender Food gifts are
good choices, and if you have the budget you can purchase items for
the men and items for women. (Example, his and her watches or logo
apparel in mens and women sizes).
DO inquire about gift protocol Check
with the company ahead of time about their gift giving policy. Some companies may have
rules about receiving gifts. You may want to consider sending a group
gift like a food gift that many can share.
DO double check spelling of names on outgoing gifts
Nothing is more embarrassing than spelling the recipients name incorrectly. Type
your own labels and include holiday cards that are checked by you when having multiple
gifts drop shipped.
DO send different gifts If you
have a group of clients you send to each year, give different gifts, so everyone looks
forward to what you've come up with this year.
DO use logo's sparingly. If
you decide to put your logo on a client gift, make sure the gift is in
the best taste and of the best quality. Your logo should be
understated, not look like an advertisement.
DON'T send a group
gift, unless everyone knows each other If your client is a large
company and you work with multiple people at the company, sending a group gift is only
appropriate if the intended recipients know and work with each other and you send the gift
to a central location.
DON'T reciprocate
automatically If a person sends you a gift, there is no need to give in
return. But do make sure you either call or write a thank you note to the giver, thanking
them for their thoughtfulness.
DON'T forget the
gatekeepers and assistants They will appreciate you and so will their
bosses.
DON'T overlook
international etiquette If your gift is being sent out of the
U.S, check
into local customs first. You do not want to accidentally send the wrong message, or have
the recipient pay tax or duty on the gift you send.
DON'T give gifts to
former clients Doing so will look like an attempt to win back their business. If
you must send something, send a card, but not for more than 1 year afterward.
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