No matter where you’re from, gift-giving is a part of just about every culture. Whether you’re celebrating a holiday, marking a special occasion, or just want to let your loved ones know you’re thinking about them, gifts really drive your message home.
So why do we think gift-giving is just for our personal lives? Promotional gifts from businesses have so much potential for deepening bonds — especially when everyone is absorbed with their smartphones.
At the end of the day, it’s important to help customers remember your neat product features and why they love your brand. People remember how you make them feel. If it’s high time for you to reach customers, employees, and vendors in real life, create a promotional product campaign to seal the deal.
Try these nine promotional gift ideas to connect with your audience in a deeper and more authentic way.
1. Seal the deal at business meetings
Pull out all the stops to impress potential clients if you're courting multi-million dollar contracts. Kick off your important client meeting with a bang: give them high-end luxury gifts as a thank you for their time.
In this case, match the gift value with the value of the potential contract. A large contract means you can quickly recoup the cost of high-end promotional goods, so give out AirPods, leather handbags, or even branded luxury food goods to make an impression.
2. Thank vendors
Do you have a great vendor that you love? Giving gifts to your vendors might sound odd since you’re paying them for a service, but gifts can keep the relationship on good terms. This is critical if you rely on third-party vendors to keep your business running.
If you continue investing in this relationship and give vendors gifts a few times a year, there’s a good chance they’ll give you better contract terms or more favorable pricing.
3. Do employee outreach right
Your business is only as strong as the employees that make up your team. While employees absolutely want fair pay and benefits, they also like to be recognized for a job well done.
With a promotional gift campaign, you can foster a culture of warmth and generosity that gets employees excited about their work. Consider creating internal promo gift campaigns like:
You could even create a gift portal that allows employees to choose their own gifts. Implement a kudos system where employees can give each other points for their outstanding work. Recipients can then turn around and redeem their points for gifts online. It’s a great way to promote internal recognition, strengthen your team, and boost morale.
4. Onboard new employees — no matter where they are
Remote work is quickly becoming the norm. If you’re onboarding new remote employees, make them feel like part of the team with a welcome kit. You can curate a collection of great products for new employees and deliver it straight to their door, too.
5. Drive traffic to your expo booth
There’s a lot of chaos happening in the expo hall at a conference. How can you convince conference-goers to chat with you?
Promotional gifts are, hands-down, the best way to drive traffic to your booth and engage with attendees. Choose head-turning goodies that will make attendees ask, “Where did you get that?” to get more foot traffic to your booth.
6. Co-brand with a charity
Charitable initiatives do good in the world while promoting your brand’s mission. If you believe in a particular cause, co-brand promotional gifts alongside a charity. It’s the perfect way to spread awareness and raise donations for a good cause.
7. Connect with influencers
Influencers help brands get more mileage out of their marketing campaigns. Influencers can connect you with more people in less time, whether you’re a small brand or a multinational enterprise.
The best way to connect with influencers is to send them a high-quality boxed experience. Include a variety of your best goodies and a QR code to a digital experience like a game, contest, or online freebie. Better yet, you can blend your influencer partnerships with a product launch or seasonal campaign to get even more traction.
8. Creatively pitch the media
Unlike influencer partnerships, you can’t really have a paid relationship with the media. Media features are gold for brands, but they can be tricky to score. Promotional products are a creative way to get the attention of journalists within your industry, especially if their email inbox is full of pitches.
Branded marketing starts conversations, and that’s precisely what you need. It won’t guarantee a news feature, but a gift can definitely grab attention.
Just make sure you have something newsworthy to say. The media won’t cover your brand just for the sake of it, so tie your promotional gift in with social themes, recent news, or something else that’s truly exciting or different.
9. Customer appreciation
When was the last time you thanked your loyal customers for their business? Nothing lasts forever, but you can certainly use promotional products to keep your favorite customers on your roster long-term.
Consider sending quarterly gifts or annual gifts during the holidays. Some brands tier their gift options based on how long the recipient has been a customer or the size of their account with you.
Connect more deeply with promotional gifts
Promotional gifts are a surprisingly cost-effective way to connect with your audience, especially in the age of pricey social media ads. With promotional gifts, you’re investing in relationships in a tangible way that people appreciate.
There’s nothing wrong with digital strategies, but sometimes your audience wants to connect with you in real life. Try these nine ideas to get more mileage out of your promotional gifts while deepening the bonds you have with customers, employees, and even vendors.
These ideas are just a starting point, though. If you want to customize your next promotional gift campaign, connect with a Boundless Brand Consultant. See how we help the world’s most beloved brands convert gifts and Cultivate Brand Love™ moments.
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