Why branded corporate gifts are a good idea

Gift-giving is an age-old technique of improving brand awareness.

It’s tried and tested.

From building new relationships to grabbing the attention of prospects, gifting is one of the best marketing decisions your brand could make, and we love it!

27% of businesses believe that giving gifts increases referrals and helps build and strengthen your customer base.

Your gift doesn’t have to be big or expensive; it’s the very act of giving a gift that makes that lasting impression (the phrase “it’s the thought that counts” rings true for corporate gifting, too).

Whether you decide to give a gift or not could sometimes mean the difference between winning that big account and missing out, and it’s not for the reasons you might think.

Looking for branded corporate gift ideas? 

We have an excellent variety of corporate gifts, from premium high-end gifts to budget gifts, depending on your marketing budget. Our goal is to help you give quality corporate gifts that look great when branded at an affordable price. Browse our full range below now. 

In Short…

Corporate gifts are a good idea because they help you to:

• Build stronger relationships – Show customers and clients you value them.
• Stand out – Give your brand a way to cut through digital noise.
• Stay memorable – Create positive associations with your brand.
• Encourage engagement – Use the power of reciprocity to nurture connections.
• Think beyond the budget – Thoughtful and relevant beats expensive every time.

Why gifting is great for your brand

1. Gifts strengthen your relationships

Gift-giving is one of the best ways to strengthen relationships that last. Daniel Farrelly, professor of psychology at the University of Worcester, argues that because we’re a social species, gifting is in our DNA: 

“We’re an extremely social species, and much of our success is due to the fact that we get along in groups by being able to co-operate with others. One great way to do that is by exchanging gifts – incurring a cost to benefit another individual – and special times of the year like Christmas are such an opportunity.”

We’ve written about the gift of giving before, about how they create a touchpoint for your relationships to flourish. A well-thought-out gift can make the difference between having your monthly catch-up call postponed and them chasing you to share snaps of your recent holiday.

Read more: The Gift of Giving

2. They also nurture new ones

With everyone being bombarded with emails and calls promoting great offers every single moment of every single. day…catching your prospect’s attention can sometimes feel like you’re wading against absolute chaos. 

If you’re in the habit of CTRL-ALT-DELETE-ing everything every morning, what’s to say your prospects aren’t doing the same? To grab their attention and keep it, you need to stand out from the crowd; you need to make a big impact.

By sending a personal, thoughtful gift that makes a lasting impression, you’ll do just that. If you start your relationship off with a superbly positive tone, you’ll be on your way to a positive working relationship in no time.

3. Gifts are the rocket fuel to brand awareness

Getting your brand in front of people is half the battle; the rest is keeping their attention. 

Everyone loves to receive a gift, right? Even you! You’ll know that any brand that has sent you a gift, be it a free chocolate bar or even just a card to say thanks, they leave a lasting impression, right? 

The emotional bond that forms puts their brand in the forefront of your mind, and the next time you need them, you know exactly who to call.

Read more: 7 seasonal gifting secrets for branding success 

 4. The science of reciprocity

Gifting isn’t only theoretically beneficial to your brand; it’s been proven to be. In their book, Yes! 60 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, Steve J. Martin, Noah J. Goldstein, and Robert Cialdini explore how you can use reciprocity to benefit your brand. 

In an experiment performed by behavioural scientist David Strohmetz, a waiter gifts customers different quantities of mints. When the waiter gives a table two mints per person, tips increase by 14.1%. When he gives them only one, tips increase by a measly 3.3%. However, when the waiter gives tables one mint per person, walks away, and then comes back and gives everyone an extra mint, tips increase by a whopping 23%. 

This is reciprocity in action. The customers wanted to give back to the waiter who had exerted an extra effort in making them feel special, with a gift. 

Reciprocity is the secret sauce of making your gifting campaign worth it.                     

Bonus: why gifting is great for you, too

Giving gifts isn’t just good for your brand; it’s biologically good for you, too. It has been scientifically proven that gifting: 

• Lowers blood pressure
• Increases self-esteem 
• Reduces depression 
• Helps you live a longer life

And that warm, fuzzy feeling you get after giving a gift? Scientists have worked that one out, too. It’s actually a chemical reaction where serotonin (aka the mood-mediating chemical) is released in your brain, along with dopamine (a feel-good chemical) and oxytocin (the bonding chemical). These all combined create that wholesome, satisfied feeling we get when gifting.

FAQs

1. How can gifting benefit a brand?

Gifting can help brands strengthen existing relationships, nurture new ones, increase brand awareness and create memorable experiences for customers, clients and prospects.

2. Does corporate gifting really help build relationships?

Yes. A thoughtful gift can act as a personal touchpoint, showing customers and prospects that you value the relationship beyond a straightforward sales interaction.

3. Do branded gifts have to be expensive?

Not at all. The most effective gift isn’t necessarily the most expensive. Relevance, usefulness and thoughtfulness can matter far more when it comes to making a memorable impression.

4. How can gifting help a brand stand out?

Most prospects receive a constant stream of emails, calls and marketing messages. A physical gift can break through that digital noise and give your brand a more tangible way to make an impression.

5. What is reciprocity in marketing?

Reciprocity is the idea that when someone does something positive for us, we naturally feel inclined to return the favour. In marketing, a thoughtful gift can help create that sense of goodwill and encourage further engagement.

6. What makes a good corporate gift?

A good corporate gift should feel relevant to the recipient, useful enough to be appreciated and thoughtful enough to be remembered. Personalisation and a clear connection to your brand can make it even more effective.

Branded gifts can make a lasting impression

There’s a reason gifting has stuck around for thousands of years. It makes people feel valued.

And in a world where brands are constantly competing for attention, that feeling can be surprisingly powerful.

The right gift gives you more than another branded touchpoint. It gives you an opportunity to strengthen a relationship, create a positive association and put your brand in someone’s hands rather than just their inbox.

It doesn’t need to be extravagant, either. A useful, thoughtful gift that genuinely suits the recipient can say far more than a generic promotional freebie ever could.

So, if your brand could use a little more connection, consideration and memorability, perhaps it’s time to give gifting a bigger role in your marketing strategy.

Looking for branded corporate gift ideas? 

We have an excellent variety of corporate gifts, from premium high-end gifts to budget gifts, depending on your marketing budget. Our goal is to help you give quality corporate gifts that look great when branded at an affordable price. Browse our full range below now.