Choose Your Gifts With Care Choosing the right gifts is a layered process that requires not only knowing your budget but also the needs and preferences of your intended recipients. Gifts should be useful, personal and memorable. You don’t want to simply send a thing with your logo on it. Give some thought to who your recipients are and what they need and want. Choosing a gift that’s relevant shows that you understand who your employees and customers are. A gift that is useful, high-quality and relevant to the recipient means something they can and will use for a long time. New options for customization can add an extra layer of personalization for even more impact, and as 3D printing becomes more affordable, consider creating a truly unique, customized gift that only your recipients will have. Messaging matters, too – be sure to include a thoughtful thank-you note or a card expressing appreciation for the employee’s contribution or the customer’s business. “Get into some creative decoration or personalization, really dive into that thankyou holiday message or create a fun theme,” around your branded gifts, says Katie Kahler, a marketing specialist with distributor American Solutions for Business. “It shouldn’t just be putting a logo on something and sending it to your team.” Show Off Your Sustainability If you’re going to give sustainable items, make sure to say so, advises Mike Brugger of Fully Promoted. “You want to point that out so somebody doesn’t get a gift and think, ‘Oh, this is a waste,’ because that devalues their experience,” he says. Consumers want goods made from recycled and sustainable materials, so it’s important to make sure they know when they receive a green gift. It’s easy to do with a simple sticker that costs a few cents – a small investment with a big payoff when it comes to spreading goodwill for your brand. Choose Your Own Adventure Letting employees pick their gift is a huge trend that makes the annual holiday gift more fun, says Katie Kahler of American Solutions for Business, who is helping some clients create pop-up web shops featuring a curated selection of branded gifts. “That allows us to copy and paste the concept across the company, but it still feels really personal to the person who’s receiving the gift,” she says. 2022 Holiday Gift Guide | FEATURE | OCTOBER 2022 | 79
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==