Corporate Gifts May Have to Be Formal, Doesn't Mean They Should Be Boring! Give Clients and Employees Gifts to Get Excited About: 10 Unique Corporate Gifts for 2019

When we observe the universal corporate gifts at conferences, sporting events or gifts that arrive with return address labels, some of them are worth every penny spent, while some are just about acceptable, and the rest completely useless! To avoid incurring expenses on worthless gifts that you send on your company’s behalf, the selection, the designing and the packaging – everything about your gift should exude class.

When giving corporate gifts, it is essential to share all that’s unique to your brand, and all that's fun to share with others, something that reflects your work culture. For instance, in an evolving world, Casual Friday’s a norm, where you can wear casuals to work, that says ‘Everyday Affair’ as part of your work culture. In that respect, a branded t-shirt, which, although, may not be unusual or creative in any way, holds a lot of meaning for your company since it has a direct relation to your culture with the people who work with you, and then, of course, people you’d like to share it with.

In choosing something appropriate for your work culture, it is equally essential to consider how your gift is chosen, keeping a diverse audience in mind. If branded t-shirts are sent to people who do not identify with the casual tees, or the way they are universally designed, it may be of no use to either your purpose or theirs.

Business gifts for clients and employees is a significant strategy to boost your company’s growth and performance. Hence it should be treated just as you’d treat any other investment. Your first step of getting a business gift involves identifying a budget. Most companies don’t really have a budget in place and hence cannot track the return on their investments either.

Being expensive doesn’t necessarily speak volumes about your gift. Gifts usually imply your gratitude for your association with your clients and employees and do not really affect the volume of business they contribute towards your company. An expensive gift may be misconstrued from the perspective of buying out your client’s business. It is best to select something that is a balance between being useful and of value. Going simple is much better than the going over the top! Furthermore, the best gifts are those which can be used every day, are troubleshooters or make life easier. For instance, a Bluetooth tag like Filo is a business gift you can happily give that fits all the 3 important criteria of usefulness, value and solution-oriented, in addition to being brandable.

We find most business gifts received lying around and gathering dust. To avoid your gift joining such piles, choose them wisely and pick items that are unique to your line of business. It is a good idea to research your clients and employees, gauge their preferences, take note of their interests in your company’s CRM database to keep track. In addition, when it is time to gift, whatever the purpose is – whether it’s the completion of a project or a special commemoration or an expression of gratitude, it is recommended that you know what your clients prefer. For instance, do they prefer technology over fashion, chocolates over cheese or travelling over sports. This implies creativity and thoughtfulness on your part. Factor in your conversations with them or a quick run through their social profile to gather more information on their interests.

Essential for little travel getaways and for comfortably carrying some daily essentials, this cool backpack comes out of a special leather and felt collection, handcrafted with 100% wool felt and 2 premium quality leather materials with different styling. The leather and felt backpack features a world map, laser engraved on the bag’s flap with a checkered cotton lining on the inside. With 2 felt pockets out on the front, a zipper pocket on the inside with enough space, and an antique brass hardware to give it an antique appeal, the backpack is priced at Rs. 3,000 and is available in two colors of Tan & Navy Blue or Grey & Black, measuring 16” in height, 13.5” in width and 4” in depth with a 30” adjustable strap. Get it at theblackcanvas.

A stunning set of marble coasters in white and grey with brass detailing, this coaster set of 4 hexagon pieces will make any cocktail party or casual dinner a classy event, keeping all the surfaces clean and protected! A perfect addition to coffee tables or a stylish addition to any bar accessory, these unique and stylish coasters makes a unique gift item that includes a wooden stand, making the set easy to store. This marble hexagon coaster set of 4, can be cleaned with lime juice or any cleaning agent to prevent the natural darkening of brass. The coaster set is priced at Rs. 900 at propshop24.

The essential brew box from Tea Lab comes with 5 luxury teas in test tubes with cork lids filled with 5 different tea flavours of Wildwood, Exotic Silver Needle, Lady in Red, Soothing Chamomile and Kashmiri Kahwa infusions; a teacup strainer and a Litchi Honey bottle, extracted straight from the litchi orchards of Muzzafarpur’s Terai Lands, presenting authentic raw honey which is light and buttery, creamy & has a distinctive flavor. The honey will crystallize. Each test tube is filled with 10gms tea that can easily make 5 cups of tea on the first brew. Priced at Rs.1,360 at amazon.in, the essential brew box makes an excellent gift and can also be combined with Tea Lab’s other offerings of tea cosies and eclectic strainers!

Made of Sheesham wood, the set of two premium quality wooden bookends comes with a rotatable hourglass sand timer made of brass metal with a silver metallic finish, set firmly in between the two varying wooden panels, with a wooden base. An excellent choice for corporate gifting, the premium wooden bookends with the hourglass timer measure 22.5 x 18.7 x 17.5 cm overall and weigh 939gms and is priced at Rs. 2,099 at artshai.com.

Measuring 16.9" L x 12.5" W x 2.36" H, the acrylic Knee station lap table makes a liberating workspace, that can rest comfortably on the lap, giving a much stable and comfortable surface support to work on, in comparison to bean bag lap trays! Designed as an ergonomic laptop desk, the Knee station enables the user to sit on a comfortable chair and work, or play video games for long, protecting the skin from CPU’s heat. The smooth devices stay protected with the table’s non-slop silicon pieces that protect the tray from scratches and can be cleaned with a quick wipe. This elegantly designed lap desk is priced at Rs. 7,095 at uncommongoods and makes an excellent corporate gift.

Perfectly sized and ultra-chic in visual appeal, the Nappa Dori metal and leather tray is a perfect add to any space at home or work. Made of powder-coated sheet metal, lined with water-resistant vinyl wooden flooring material, the mini tray is made with authentic leather handles for a stable grip. Measuring 12.5″ x 8 x 2.5, the Mini F tray comes in yellow colour with dark brown leather handles and is best cleaned dry or vacuumed. Each tray is priced at Rs. 2,800 at joinpaperplanes and is also available in a smoke grey colour.

The Urban Forest Gift Sets for both Men and Women is an appropriate choice for corporate gifting solution. Packaged in a yellow-grey gift box, the gift set for Men includes a stylish and robust dark brown leather wallet and casually perforated dark brown belt combo. Measuring 1.5”, the belt is adjustable for size. The Urban Forest gift set for Women includes a stylish and elite leather wallet, that’s lightweight and has a compact design. This stylish journal like wallet comes with 2 separate openings. The front flap with button closure opens into a tri-fold with 12 card slots, 5 clear pockets, 2 currency pockets and a large zipped compartment with 2 coin slots. Teal blue in colour, the wallet is made of full-grain leather material with best fibre strength & durability. The combo also includes a fancy crystal pen. The gift sets for men and women from Urban Forest are priced at Rs. 949 at Amazon and Rs. 849 at Amazon respectively.

Creating an illusion of a misty waterfall, this lovely showpiece is a Back Flow Incense Burner, which can be used by simply placing an incense cone at the top of the waterfall and lit. The cone’s unique properties will emit a cloud of smoke that flows in reverse direction, i.e., from top to bottom, creating a beautiful fragrant smoky waterfall, that falls in waves around the showpiece. The showpiece has a mini Buddha figurine with folded palms and serene expressions on one side of the waterfall, and a clear small glass vase on the other side to hold fresh or artificial flowers for décor (not included in the gift). Priced at Rs.1,800 at pepperfry, the Black Resin Backflow Smoke Fountain measures 4.5” x 3.1” x 3.1” in length-width-height, weighing 181gms and comes with 1 incense holder showpiece with 5 backflow incense cones.

This magnetic pen doubles up as a decision-making tool and a desktop fidget gadget to help de-stress and be used as a paper-weight or décor item. The pen can be used for both writing purpose as well as creatively for decision making, by just spinning it up quickly and pointing the pen at options of: Yes/Stay/Try/Go Ahead/No/Buy/Sell or Give Up. A fun way of twisting & twirling, the pen will not only help relax its user during a break but is also easy to carry around. A stylish tabletop accessory, the magnetic decision making pen comes with a metal base with a truncated magnetic metallic column measuring 7.5cm, while the pen is 13.5cms and is priced at Rs. 1,399 at bigsmall.

A unique piece of art that doubles as a clock, helping one not only in telling time but also aiding in de-stressing the atmosphere, this Upcycle Rim Wall clock is a 100% recycled, handmade item, made of repurposed bicycle wheels and other associated parts. Ideal for art showcase and sustainable living standards, the wall clock functions with AA battery and measures 16.5”, weighing 998gms with a depth of 5”. Priced at Rs. 2,300 at Amazon, the Upcycle Rim Wall Clock comes with a set of instructions to help install the clock easily and effortlessly.

There really isn’t a specific season or day for giving business gifts, what is important is the choice of gift. Business gifts are a tad different from the usual gifts we exchange with our loved ones. Here are the top 5 tips that can help you in the art of corporate gifting.