The A - Z Guide to Give a Great Personalised Corporate Gift to Your Employees and Customers in 2019 + 10 Gifts That are Sure to Be a Hit!

Corporate gift-giving is a really old tradition that probably originated from the Japanese. For the Japanese, the gifts are a part of the corporate culture and are sometimes quite extravagant. This timeless tradition is widely accepted as part of the corporate culture worldwide. It might sound insignificant but it is something that indicates how much you value your customers and employees. That thought itself lends to the increase in customer satisfaction.

The standard corporate gift included cash gifts and recognizing employees who had performed extraordinarily. But the latest trends have seen a shift from cash prizes to gifts and experiences. But why is the corporate gift culture that important that the Japanese pay so much importance to it.

Businesses offer their employees a very attractive salary in the hopes of attracting the best in the market. But how do you retain them? The key lies in adding benefits and corporate gifts along with the salary. It makes them feel appreciated and valued. That, in turn, boosts morale and acts as an encouragement to perform the best for their company. But these gifts should be unconditional. It is vital that the companies don’t use this as a prize for the best. This might lead to resentment.

Corporate gifts are another way of putting your brand out there, especially for small companies and organizations. Particularly, personalized gifts contain your brand logo and are sure to instil some interest in people who come across them. You can also increase brand awareness via calendars which doubles up as your company brochure. This can be distributed to your customers in which case your company visibility increases.

The important reason why gifts are loved by everyone is that it builds relationships; be it personal or corporate. Gifts are an indication that you are important and are a valued person. It is a chance to bond, grow and form new relationships too. And then there is the excitement factor. That alone works wonders for your relationship with your employees and customers.

When it comes to gifts for your customers, it is more like a thank you for continuing their services with you. It is also about how much you enjoy working with them. In this case, the corporate gift is also about you relishing the relationship you have with your customer and rewarding them for choosing to stay with you. It is also a promise of better things in the future.

A corporate gift is not about the gift. It is a tradition and an opportunity. You need to withhold the tradition and grab the opportunities it presents. And for that reason, the gifts you choose cannot be one among the many. It needs to have certain attributes if you are to use it to boost employee morale, retain your customers, strengthen your relationships and grow your clientele.

You may be a small business with a tiny budget or a major concern with no limits. Whichever one you are, you need to make sure the gift you choose is classy. Tacky gifts are a turn-off and would do more damage than, even, giving no gift at all. Buy the best within your budget. Don't go for cheap stuff in the same price range. Another important point to note is not to stuff your brand down their throat. Subtle branding with a logo and your company’s slogan would do wonders.

As with all rules of gift giving, get something that is practical and is in use rather than something that gathers dust in the mantle or worst put in the attic. It is of no use to you and your employee/customer. Your brand is not put forward and it doesn’t achieve anything. Give it a thought before buying gifts and not for the annual tradition of giving corporate gifts.

This is specifically for small organizations. There’s nothing that gives a feel-good effect like a personalised gift. A personalised gift can be something that is etched or engraved with the employee/customer’s name but not definitely restricted to that. You can also add a personalized note conveying your thanks to the person. There’s nothing like receiving a corporate gift addressed personally to you. It not only assures your employees, but it also conveys to them their value to the organization. In the case of customers, you can put together a gift basket with your products or even chocolates or cupcakes in general. All that you have been working for in the past year would be culminated by this simple gesture.

When it comes to gifts, it is very easy to go over the budget. But it is imperative that you stay within your budget especially in a corporate atmosphere. Make plans and fix a budget early on. That gives you ample time to score deals and get the best of what can be bought in that price range. Instead of making do with the budget and getting cheap and tacky stuff, go for simple and elegant gifts which are sure to be appreciated.

When in a huge corporate scene, it is not possible to get to know all your employees, but you can know the pulse and the wants of your customers. In any case, it is vital that you get something that will be universally liked. In big companies, you can also give a few carefully selected options for your employees to choose from. This would help them feel valued and not one of the many. The same goes for customers. Make sure you get them gifts tailored to their needs and wants. This goes a long way in cementing a customer relationship in a corporate atmosphere.

A pen is a common gift but it is sure to be a useful one when it comes to corporate gifts. Not only can you hand it over to employees and customers but also in conferences and meetings. It can also be laser engraved with your company name for better brand awareness. Available at Vista Print, you can get your pen in two different options; Metallic and Velvet Touch. It costs you Rs. 170 for the Metallic version and Rs. 200 for the velvet touch version. It is also available in multiple colours including blue, burgundy, black, and gunmetal.

Another gift that is quite practical and professional at the same time is the mouse pad. You can use it to create maximum visibility for your brand by personalizing it with your brand logo and other pertinent details. It comes in two versions; The Standard and the Premium. The standard version costs Rs. 275 while the premium would costs you Rs. 400. The difference between the two versions is the thickness, with the former having a thickness of about 3 mm and the latter, 6 mm. But the quality remains the same with them being smooth to touch and dye-sublimation printed. Available to purchase at Vista Print, the mouse pad measures 235 x 195 mm.

Fidget spinner is the best possible gift you can give to your employee. The reason being it reduces anxiety and keeps him/her focused. Though it was first developed for people with ADHD, it is now widely used by everyone. The fidget spinner we have selected is perfect for football enthusiasts. It is discrete and easy to carry. It can also be personalised with your company logo. Available at Business Gifts, it is priced at Rs. 74.

Polo T-Shirt is a standard corporate gift often given by organizations, big or small, at some point. It is not only famous as a corporate gift for festive occasions, but also during annual meets, conferences and sponsored gatherings. This is one thing that you can be sure of meeting standards and be universally accepted. The personalized T-shirt from Vista Print comes in 8 colour variants. The price starts at Rs. 450 and you can have them embroidered with your company logo. This multi-use corporate gift is a must-have in your list. You do not know when you need a few of these.

With everything digitized, and analogue being booted out slowly, a USB flash drive has become a mandatory part of our lives. You simply cannot list out its uses and benefits here. The Kingston USB drive holds 8 GB data. It is a USB 3.0, but also compatible with USB 2.0. It also comes with a 5-year warranty. Available to buy at Everything Corporate, the USB drive costs you upward of £10.89 that is around Rs. 650. You can also customise it with your company logo.

Computer Backpack is yet another popular gift in this list. Almost everyone owns a laptop or at least carries one provided by the company. This makes this entry a no brainer in our list. The backpack by Zoom Grid is available to buy at Everything Corporate starting at £33 that is around Rs. 2,351. Any laptop measuring 15” or less can be carried with one of these. The best part is that it meets the TSA requirements for travel. It is padded in the front and the back to provide extra safety for the laptop. It also has a trolley sleeve making it a perfect travel companion.

How about a gift that gives you the all-important charger and cables for both Android and iOS. The tech set has a set of 2 side data cable, a dual car charger and a metal pen. The 2 sided data cable has iOS on one side and the android charger at the other end; Both of them glowing when used. The pen and the car charger can be personalised with your company logo. The logo will be added to the car charger in such a way that it glows when the charger is plugged in. Priced at Rs. 359, the tech set by Business Gifts is probably the best among them all.

Are you an organization that pays importance to the employees’ health and fitness? If so, the flick top vacuum sipper would go very well with your motto. The sipper is a double-wall vacuum insulated stainless steel bottle. The main features include a leak-proof lid, spout shield, and also a one-touch button. It also fits most car cup holders easily. Priced at Rs. 482, the flick top vacuum sipper is capable of holding the temperature for up to 12 hours. It is available to buy at Business Gifts.

The photo desk calendar can be an ideal gift for your customer, especially around Christmas and New year. This is also an ideal way to get your brand out there. While other gifts allow for a name or logo engraving, you can use the calendar as your brochure and take your products out to the world. The calendar that we have selected is a desk calendar where every month is displayed on individual pages. You might want to consider choosing this option but accompany it with another gift such as a pen. It is available to buy at Vista Print starting at Rs. 180.

All our screens are being replaced with touch screens in recent times. It started with our mobile phones, now it has reached even our laptops. It is imperative that you hold a stylus pen for those long periods of work. Not to mention, you also look stylish and professional while using it. The bottle-shaped stylus keychain is a multi-purpose product which holds three products in one. One end works as a stylus while the other a screen cleaner. It also has a keyring attached to it. Priced at Rs. 44, it is available to buy at Business Gifts. You can also get it engraved or etched with your company name or logo; whichever is possible.

Coming last in our list is yet another multi-use products; This time it is a LED lamp with a 4400 mah power bank. The product can also be personalized as per your wish. The LED lamp is magnetic and sticks to any metallic surface. It is also quite powerful for an emergency with it containing 450 Lumens. It is available to buy at Portronics for Rs. 1,169.