We’ve all experienced it at some point in our careers: receiving bad or unwanted corporate gifts. Even when well-intended, 81% of professionals report feeling disappointed by the corporate gifts they’ve received.
Why do so many gifts miss the mark? Keep reading as our Gifting Experts name the top four reasons why corporate gifts usually leave people feeling disappointed. Plus, a solution that’s easier and more efficient than many might think.
No one wants to feel like a walking billboard
One of the biggest blunders of corporate gifting is putting the company logo on it. After receiving branded merchandise, 63% of professionals say they avoid wearing these items out in public. You may be wondering why something so minor causes such a strong negative reaction — the fact of the matter is that people don’t like feeling like a walking billboard.
Cheap goods don’t make great gifts
Mass-produced corporate swag is oftentimes made out of the cheapest materials available. This is because when it comes to gifting the majority of companies have one gift fits all mentality, simply because it seems easier, but unfortunately results in mass bulk orders and mass disappointment. No one wants to keep cheaply made plastic water bottles or thin shirts that are guaranteed to wear after a few washes.
What’s worse is that 11.3 million tons of gifts end up in landfills every year. And as the experts, we know gifts that end up in the trash erode relationships, miss opportunities, and waste valuable resources.
Continually missing the mark
Gifts are supposed to make people feel special, recognized, and appreciated. Yet, the one-for-all gifts companies continue investing in have the opposite effect. Gift cards can come off as thoughtless and underwhelming.
A memorable gift is one that connects a person to their values which inherently means that the person will have a need and use for the gift over a long period of time. Your company isn’t homogeneous, so your gifts shouldn’t be either.
Avoid gifts that are easily forgotten
Next to logo items, consumables are the next biggest gift fail. Allergies are often forgotten about. What if you gift an expensive bottle of wine to someone who doesn’t drink alcohol? What are the odds that the person consumes all of the items in the extravagant gift basket you sent? Most consumables end up in the trash. The moment of appreciation is gone the minute that gift goes bad, is consumed, or received. Consumables result in disappointed recipients instead of extending a bridge to building a relationship.
A solution everyone can benefit from
The solution to all of these blunders is easier than you may think, and it’s so simple it can be put into one word: Choice. Gifting with choice eliminates all of the potential pitfalls on this list and beyond. You can’t give a bad gift to someone who selects it for themselves.
With a variety of dynamic solutions, our team of Gifting Experts curates every program to fit your goals and helps you manage the details from start to finish so you can focus on what actually matters — the people you’re appreciating.
At the end of the day, corporate gifting can be a great way to show appreciation and build relationships with employees, clients, and partners, but only when done correctly. By gifting with choice, the element of personality is magnified. Connect with our Gifting Experts to experience what choice and real appreciation feels like firsthand. You tell us the details and we handle the rest to ensure your gifts are well-received and make a lasting impression.
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