Corporate gifts occasion, period, budget and other considerations

Corporate gifts have three core aspects:

1. Marketing purpose, role, and the recipient and the budget
2. Practical considerations such as the selection of right gifts and the timing of gifts delivery
3. Ethical and cross-cultural concerns such as the difference between bribery and corporate gifts and overseas delivery of gifts

Marketing considerations

To describe the importance of such gifts in the marketing communication mix is the initial decision regarding the usage of these incentives. Thus, the other elements of marketing mix can receive the impact of corporate gifts and incentives, if organizations use them suitably.

Advertising considerations

A more physical reflection of advertising, effective advertisement for the recipient and spending is achievable through them. Definitely, for mainstream advertising they work as cost effective supplement.

Public Relations considerations

By creative impact and target ability, they can be helpful for greater awareness. To motivate personal communication corporate hospitality events have amazing effects.

Sales promotion considerations

Customers motivate to act faster; purchasing decisions can be accelerated through these types of incentives. New services introduction and acceptance pick up fast pace; on the contrary, customers (in the absence of gifts) usually act slowly.

Impact on personal selling

Such gifts can work to revive the memory of customers regarding the organization, specifically, after an absence of transaction. Logically, verbal communication effaces from the memory very soon. Nonetheless, incentives and gifts work as a reminder from the company that we had the relation 'where are you, we miss you.' This kind of activity turns business decisions in any organization's favor.

Timing and occasion

The timing of gift offering has significant and crucial importance for the recipient's decision making process. Therefore, always judge the occasion and timing precisely for their delivery.

Keep in mind following points when planning corporate gifts giving:

• The present expenses and future development
• During gift giving, consider ethical perspectives
• Kinds of gifts and are they customized
• Timing and occasion of gift giving
• Budget and decision making
• The importance of gifts and their utilization

An organization can choose from the given list its gifts:

• Retail vouchers
• Restaurants vouchers
• Travel and holidays
• Tickets for two (airline)
• Food items/alcohol/hampers
• Clothing items
• Watches/locks/jewelry
• Computers
• Stationery items like diaries, pens, showpieces
• Accommodation

An organization should give corporate gifts on the following periods:

- At the beginning of the year
- At New Year or Christmas
- In events like exhibitions and sales

Choose the following occasions for gifts giving

- At company's visit
- At the time of sales presentation
- During press events
- During trade fairs
- At lunch or at dinner
- Or at any other memorable event