Businesses thrive on relationships.
Of course, there are other elements that will help drive success. A unique product and fantastic customer service will certainly help, but in order to attract new customers as well as retain existing ones, you need to develop long-term, strong business relationships that help clients or customers see the value in your service or product.
Just like your personal relationships, business relationships take time to develop. This means dedicated resources and investment into going beyond what’s expected. So strategies like discounts, email response time and marketing campaigns might not actually have enough of an impact on their own. You need to be able to establish positive relationships that are built on trust, understanding, communication and mutual growth.
Unfortunately, this challenge is only becoming more difficult as we continue through on and off lockdowns and social distancing measures. Thankfully, there are still opportunities to connect with customers or clients on a personal level with the help of gifting.
The gifting tradition dates back as far as cavemen! Leaders of tribes would present gifts to an individual who had accomplished something great for the rest of the tribe and gifting was a great way for them to show appreciation to that person as well as rewarding them for their hard work. Even cavemen who weren’t tribe leaders would give presents to show affection, and showed an ability to support and provide for a family – pretty cool, right?
Nowadays gifting is still understood as being a crucial part of maintaining and strengthening relationships with those around us. Receiving a gift makes gives us that fantastic warm fuzzy feeling of being appreciated and can make us feel happier and more bonded to one another. No wonder 63% of companies have credited better customer relationships to gift giving!
Why You Should Include Gifts in Prospecting
Gifting can do wonders for your prospecting efforts. We’ve spoken about making a good first impression with new employees with the help of gifting, but sales prospecting gifts will help make genuine connections with new customers. It’s one of the few prospecting strategies that allows you to be a bit more personal.
Let’s look at the stats. Sending platform Alyce carried out a corporate gifting survey that
· 70% of respondents thought that a uniquely picked gift will encourage them to do business with a company.
· 8 out of 10 people agree that uniquely picked gifts create a positive impact on behalf of the gift giver.
3 Ways to Stand Out with your Sales Gifts
Customise the Gift Box
Presentation is important and is an essential part of sales prospecting gifts.
A lot of people believe that the way a gift is wrapped or presented is just as important as the gift itself. You could be making a personal connection right from the moment your potential customer receives their sales prospecting gift, before they’ve even opened the box.
The packaging is often overlooked in corporate gifting, but a gift box that has been designed well and with a thoughtful gift inside, makes it feel a that little bit more special. Bright, interesting and colourful packaging also will remain in people’s minds for longer. A study from Dotcom Distribution found that 50% of shoppers are likely to recommend a product if it comes in well-designed packaging.
Having your own logo on the box is also a great way to maximise the impact of your personal gifts and can really help with brand loyalty. It can be an easy way to publicise your organisation without going too overboard as well as helping with brand recall rates. Apparently, 66% said that they could remember a branded logo on a gift they received after a year. You should see the gift as the first opportunity to introduce your brand to new prospects, but make sure that it is personal to them as well as any company specifications.
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Think about your Buyer Personas
Buyer personas are her for a reason, and when you’re getting ready to send a prospecting gift is actually one of the best times to utilise them. In your buyer persona you should find exactly what you need to know about your ideal customer. What do they spend their time doing or what are their interests and hobbies?
If you’re looking to get a bit more granular with your personalisation, try looking at your prospect’s social media pages for inspiration. When doing your research think about some of the following:
- What does your prospect like?
- What do they do with their free time?
- Where do they live?
- What type of job do they have?
- Any specific interests that stand out on their pages?
Social media platforms vary. You’ll want to be strategic about where you look. Here’s a quick breakdown of what platforms can be helpful in finding what:
LinkedIn – Find more professional information like their alma mater, current position, professional interests, and specific organisations that they belong to.
Instagram – Find out if your prospects like to travel, have pets, or value family time. This is great, not only for fuelling gift ideas but finding a common connection to build a relationship off of.
Twitter – If your prospects are active on Twitter, this is a great platform to gather more up-to-date insights on their work-life and schedule. You’ll also gain further knowledge on their interests, and maybe even their day-to-day schedule. This is helpful in knowing when to reach out, and when might be the best time to send a gift.
Google – Let’s not forget about the tried and trusted Google search. A quick Google search of your prospects can give you great insight into what they might have done. For example, any professional awards, conferences they’ve spoken at, events they’ve attended.
Mutual Friends – Don’t forget to look at who they’re friends with. There’s nothing better than finding a common connection with a prospect and using that to build this new relationship into a friendship. Understanding who they associate with, will also give your insight into what type of gifts they might enjoy.
Don’t forget to get personal
Once you have your products packaged safely away in your customised box that shows a potential client what you are all about, the next step to complete your sales prospecting gifts is a personalised message.
A handwritten note shows the human side of your company and tells your prospect that this isn’t just a marketing ploy. You’re truly interested in getting to know them as people. It also gives you the opportunity to let them know why you’re giving them such a gift. If you’ve done all your research, you could use this as an opportunity to show that you know what you’re talking about.
Handwritten notes are also a great prospecting tool in and of themselves. While doing your research, take note of any accomplishments your prospects might be posting about on social media. Celebrate these successes by sending a personalised note that compliments their accomplishment and encourages continued growth. This is a great way to connect with your prospect on a personal level and show them your human side. People want to buy from people. A handwritten note will actually be able to build a new relationship and show prospects that you’re not just in it to win a deal.
As well as during your sales process, finding that perfect gift is worthwhile for showing appreciation for your employees too! Here’s three reasons why gifting within the workplace is important to finish up:
Gifting is a great way to show your employees that you value them.
Employees respond to appreciation that comes when their hard work and dedication is recognised. You want to be known as a company that really cares about the wellbeing of your staff and sending them a gift will reinforce that positive relationship.
It will help you stand out against competitors.
When your employees receive their gifts, it will remind them why you’re a great company to work for and boost engagement amongst your team. Showing your appreciation with a gift could result in them sharing and praising the company online and in person to potential employees.
Gifting can help improve overall company culture.
This small gesture can have big benefits for the whole company. Having an employer go the extra mile can really ease any concerns or worries your employees might have, helping them settle in and feel connected to the organisation.
Did you know you can make your very own sales gift with us at HappyCo.?
We create corporate gift boxes bespoke to your culture and brand. With over 250 locally sourced items to choose from; food, drinks, health, wellbeing, lifestyle and swag, there’s something for everyone to love!
Every order includes a co-branded gift box and personalised message card as standard. If you want to take it a step further, we can design and print your very own branded gift box.
There’s no need to worry about catering for remote teams when you partner with us. We’ll store your corporate gifts and swag in our warehouse, and ship them anywhere in the world as and when you need them.