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The Gifting Game
A Guide to Sending Client Gifts
Season 1, Ep. 1
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In this episode of the podcast we discuss all things clients and ways to show them appreciation. To summarize, the benefits of client gifting are:
- Customer Loyalty: Gifts show commitment, encouraging clients to remain loyal.
- Business Connections: Gifts strengthen relationships and increase business returns.
- Competitive Edge: Memorable, branded gifts help your business stand out.
- When to Send Client Gifts: Sending client gifts is appropriate for holidays, milestones, or to nurture relationships. Consider legal and ethical guidelines, especially for government employees. When unsure, a donation in the client’s name is an alternative.
Choosing the Right Gifts:
- Personalize gifts based on what you know about the recipient.
- Set a budget and avoid overly expensive items.
- Be mindful of cultural customs to avoid faux pas.
Best Gift Categories:
- Business Gifts: Useful items like branded stationery or travel gear.
- Practical Gifts: Gift cards for daily needs.
- Unique Gifts: Novelty or out-of-the-box items to make a lasting impression.
- Challenges of Global Gifting: Global gifting can be costly and logistically challenging due to customs, shipping fees, and address accuracy. Platforms like Giftsenda offer solutions by sourcing gifts locally and allowing recipients to choose their gifts, eliminating common barriers.
Using Giftsenda for Client Gifts: Giftsenda simplifies global gifting by allowing businesses to send, track, and manage gifts online without needing an address. Recipients can choose gifts or donate to charity through a gift invite link. This method saves on costs and ensures accuracy.
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9. Why a human touch is important in the age of AI
05:16||Season 1, Ep. 9In this episode of The Gifting Game we discuss AI and how you can leverage AI but still maintain a human touch with corporate gifting. Some of the key points we discuss are:AI's Pervasiveness: AI is everywhere, from Siri to Alexa. Interestingly, most AI bots have female voices because people find them more trustworthy and helpful.AI in Business: AI automates processes and helps companies make better decisions through predictive analytics, streamlining operations and boosting growth.Keeping the Human Touch: Despite AI’s benefits, human connections—built on empathy, trust, and emotional understanding—are irreplaceable in business.Upskilling Workforce: As AI handles routine tasks, employees should focus on more creative, complex, and strategic roles to stay relevant. Upskilling is key to thriving in an AI-driven world.Personalization: AI helps scale personalization, but businesses need to ensure interactions don’t feel robotic. Authenticity comes from offering human support alongside AI tools.Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Humans excel at EQ, which is vital for navigating relationships, resolving conflicts, and building trust—skills AI cannot replicate.Corporate Gifting: AI can suggest personalized gifts by analyzing data, but the human touch ensures those gifts resonate on a deeper level, reinforcing personal connections.Balancing AI and Humanity: Success in an AI-driven world comes from balancing innovation and efficiency with genuine human interaction, ensuring long-lasting relationships and business success.
8. Holiday Gifting
05:10||Season 1, Ep. 8In this episode of The Gifting Game, the podcast focuses on optimizing holiday corporate gifting. The key takeaways are:Importance of Holiday Gifting in Business: Holiday gifting strengthens professional relationships, similar to personal gift-giving, and is seen as a business transaction that reinforces bonds with clients, employees, and partners.Corporate Gifting Stats: Approximately 80% of companies report a positive ROI from corporate gifting, with 3-5% of small to mid-sized businesses’ annual budgets allocated to this purpose. The majority of gifts are sent in December.Trends in Corporate Gifting: Personalized and sustainable gifts are becoming more popular, with 55% of businesses choosing eco-friendly options.Choosing the Right Gift: Understanding recipients' preferences is critical but challenging. Strategies include exploring social media profiles, sending surveys, or using services like Giftsenda, which lets recipients choose their gift.Practical and Functional Gifts: These gifts are appreciated because they are useful, ensuring the gift is remembered and valued over time.Overall, the episode provides actionable advice on the importance of thoughtful and strategic corporate gifting during the holidays.
7. Why Use a Gifting Platform?
04:01||Season 1, Ep. 7In this episode we highlight what a gifting platform is and its benefits. To summarize, a gifting platform is an online tool designed to simplify the process of selecting, packaging, and delivering corporate gifts to clients, employees, or prospects. Key benefits include:Efficiency: Useful for sending gifts at scale, especially when recipients are in different locations.Centralized catalog: Provides easy access to gift options and multiple delivery methods (direct mail, email, gift links).Automation: Gifts can be triggered by workflows, and activities can be tracked through detailed campaigns.Integration: Can integrate with systems like CRM or HRM to streamline data transfers.Payment Flexibility: Supports various payment methods, making it convenient, even for international gifting.Personalization: Offers features for customizing gifts with messages, logos, or recipient preferences, adding a unique touch.Overall, gifting platforms help businesses work smarter by optimizing corporate gifting strategies and enhancing productivity.
6. How to Close Deals Faster
03:09||Season 1, Ep. 6In this episode of The Gifting Game, the hosts share strategies on how to close deals faster using corporate gifting. Key points include:Corporate gifting as an investment: Thoughtful, personalized gifts aligned with a client’s needs and interests can help build long-lasting professional relationships.Timing is crucial: Gifting should be done at strategic points in the sales process, such as after meetings or milestones, to keep your company top-of-mind.Simplicity matters: Simple, meaningful gifts like handwritten notes or practical items can make a big impact without being costly.Gifting platforms: Tools like Giftsenda can streamline corporate gifting, offering global delivery and customization to make the process easier and more efficient.The overall message is that strategic corporate gifting can accelerate closing deals and solidify lasting relationships.
5. What to Consider When Sending a Gift
03:41||Season 1, Ep. 5In this episode of The Gifting Game podcast, the focus is on providing tips for sending the perfect gift in a corporate or business context. The key points highlighted include:Recipient Preferences:It's important to consider the recipient's likes and lifestyle. Research their social media or send out surveys to gather information.Examples: Animal lovers may appreciate pet-related gifts; health-conscious people could enjoy healthy snack baskets.Cultural Sensitivity:Be aware of cultural differences and avoid offending the recipient. Research the country's gift etiquette and be mindful of religious and traditional sensitivities (e.g., avoid alcohol if it's not appropriate for the culture).Budget Consideration:Stick to your budget to avoid financial strain, but tiered gifts may be necessary for VIP clients. Different levels of connection require different levels of appreciation.Gifting Platforms:For convenience, using gifting platforms like Giftsenda can streamline the process. These platforms offer features like gift links and email invites, making global and multiple recipient gifting easier.The episode closes with a quote from Albert Camus, reminding listeners that generosity toward the future lies in giving in the present.
4. Campaign Ideas for Automated Gifts
04:18||Season 1, Ep. 4This podcast discusses how businesses can incorporate automated gifting into their strategies to stand out from competitors and enhance brand image. Here are the key points:Automated Gift Ideas:Use coffee vouchers in sales meetings. Sending a voucher via CRM workflows (like HubSpot or Salesforce) can help create a positive atmosphere before meetings and leave a lasting impression on prospects.Employee milestone gifts (e.g., birthdays, work anniversaries) can be sent automatically via HRM systems like BambooHR. Adding personalized messages strengthens employee engagement.Client onboarding gifts can be triggered when a lead becomes a customer, enhancing the onboarding experience with branded gifts or customized selections.Benefits:Increases ROI by fostering relationships with clients and employees.Personalized gifting adds a unique touch, whether gifts are automated or manually sent.Strategic Gifting Thought:Businesses should reflect on their goals. If building meaningful relationships is key, then automated gifting should be part of their strategy.The podcast emphasizes the importance of thoughtful and automated gifting to create memorable customer and employee experiences.
3. Using Gifts to Boost Your Sales Strategy
04:41||Season 1, Ep. 3This episode of The Gifting Game focuses on how sales representatives can improve their strategies through the use of corporate gifts. The host emphasizes that while gifting may seem counterintuitive for salespeople, 80% of customers are more likely to do business with companies that show appreciation through gifts.Key Points:Gifting can enhance sales at any stage: Whether during prospecting, pre-meeting, post-meeting, onboarding, or retention, a thoughtful gift can help build rapport, engage leads, and solidify relationships.Prospecting is a challenge: 40% of salespeople find it the hardest part of the sales process, followed by closing (36%) and qualifying leads (22%).Strategic use of gifts: Salespeople can use gifts to incentivize actions, create anticipation, and leave a lasting impression.Example: Sending a coffee voucher before a meeting, or a personalized gift that reflects the client’s interests, such as outdoor gear for a hiking enthusiast.Onboarding gifts: Welcome kits with branded merchandise or gourmet treats can help create a memorable start for new clients.Retention: Regular gifting during holidays or milestones can turn customers into loyal brand ambassadors.The episode concludes by encouraging listeners to incorporate gifting into their strategies and reach out for further tips.2. A Guide to Sending Marketing Gifts
06:43||Season 1, Ep. 2This podcast episode discusses effective corporate gifting as a marketing strategy, focusing on how it helps businesses stand out and strengthen brand identity. Key points include:Purpose of Corporate Gifts: Gifts help generate brand awareness, with 68% of companies prioritizing this aspect. Branding elements like colors, logos, and company values ensure that recipients remember your business.Using Gifts to Differentiate: Corporate gifting helps businesses cut through the noise and stand out from competitors, especially in saturated markets.Timing of Gifts: Send gifts during holidays, special achievements, product launches, conferences, and at year-end to build relationships and encourage loyalty.Trends in Gifting: Personalization (e.g., engraving), sustainability (eco-friendly options), and tech gifts (budget-friendly yet practical) are effective trends to adopt.Always Be Gifting: Consistent gifting keeps your business top-of-mind and enhances long-term relationships.The episode emphasizes strategic gifting as a key tool to enhance brand connection, awareness, and customer loyalty.