holiday gifts

All business is about relationships and gift giving is about nurturing just that. By giving gifts one not only say's 'thank you' but also tells a story about one's values and their relationship. Thoughtful meaningful gifts go a long way, letting your clients and employees know they mean more than dollar signs and cogs in the wheel. Good gifts say that you're listening, attentive, respectful and honouring, all things of value in relationships, business and otherwise.

1. A good gift is a great investment. Last Christmas one of my clients sent a gift to a consultant that had sub contracted her some work over the last year. At the time the gift recipient just happened to be looking for some extra help to fulfill a contract. The gift she had sent had put her top of mind and got her the work. The $100 gift turned into a $10,000 contract, a 100X return on investment!
2. Appreciation is one of the strongest ways to build your business. People make your business what it is and appreciation can make people feel good about their contribution if its done the right way. We've got some great tips on how to appreciate people, just ask and you shall receive. A thoughtful gift basket is a lot cheaper than a raise.
3. A difference between good and great companies is healthy corporate culture. Gifts are an easy way to let people know what's important to you and your business. This works both internally and externally. Corporate gifts can tell a story about who you are as a company and why people work for you, do business with you and refer business your way.
4. When friends and family ask your employees "how's work?" during the holidays you don't want them to answer "whatevs?!?". Even a small gesture of some delicious holiday cookies can raise moral.
5. Taking care of the details shows that you're good business. If quality is part of what makes your business successful, tasteful holiday gifts that are enjoyed, are creative and respect our community and environment can tell a lot about your business. Not a fly by night opperation but here for the long haul. Who do you want to deal with?

All business is about building relationshps. Gifts are an opportunity to say more than 'thank you' for a job well done, a great contract, or employee appreciation. By building values into gifts and customizing them to tell your story, successful corporate gifts tell people what you're all about and why they do business with you. These types of memorable experiences build relationshps in a meaningful way and help you give more than 'stuff'.

Top 5 things to remember about corporate gift giving

1) Make it memorable, no one needs more 'stuff', if you wouldn't want it yourself, chances are your clients' don't want it either. You can do more harm than good if peoples' reaction is 'thanks?'

2) Wine or alcohol can be a good gift BUT ONLY if you know them personally and that they'll appreciate it. The last thing you want to do is make someone uncomfortable becuase of personal or religious reasons. Remember, we're trying to build relationships here, not destroy them.

3) Have a budget in mind. Know what you're comfortable spending and give a range to your service provider. Let them customize a gift program for you that makes sense based on your needs and values and go from there. High price point gifts can be really nice for some select clients but you don't always have to break the bank. Creativity can go a long way on a limited budget.

4) Tell a story. Use the gift to create an experience that tells your story and shares your values. By sourcing local products for example you tell a story about your values for community and a strong local economy. Sourcing premium artisan products tells a story about quality. Organic and fair trade items tell a story of environmental and social responsibility. What's your story? Let us help you tell yours.

5) When giving gifts to an office that lots of people are going to share, make it easy for them to all get in on the action. Our local artisan cookie gifts, artisan organic chocolate truffle gifts and local artisan specialty nut gifts were designed with this in mind. Lots of small items that people can each get a taste for, enjoy a fresh tasty treat and know who was thinking about them. Its a quick and easy way to get a great point across. Not only do you have good taste but also a sense of practicality.