If you go to Costco or similar stores, you will notice that in mid-September, Christmas trees and lights are already up, along with other holiday items. Jarring to some, others such as you, the promotional product distributor, understand that you need to think ahead of the season (no matter what it is) to be on time for your clients to enjoy the fruits of lively, productive, and effective promotions.
Really, it’s more than a month before Halloween, but it’s nigh time to think holiday season. And there are compelling reasons your clients should also begin to plan now for their gift promotions.
Lindsey Farm of Beacon Promotions advises to encourage your clients to focus on quality over quantity, as their logos will (hopefully) be on a holiday gift item used consistently and reliably for a long time. “The longer a corporate gift lasts and the longer its used, the more times people see and recognize the logo,” she says. “The more times they associate the brand with quality and value. This increases their desire to interact with that business. An unbranded gift is a missed opportunity to build brand awareness.
You very well may hear “but we give away gift cards, they’re easier and people will use them the way they want.” But – they will likely get gift cards from other sources, and those cards don’t have something personal or prideful attached. Carrie Lewis, marketing and communications manager for BIC Graphic, asserts, “A gift card is great but can only be used once or twice and then gets tossed into the bin. A thoughtful branded item is much more exciting than a gift card, which feels utilitarian and the easy way out. Popular and useful promo gifts will delight end users and help recipients recall the company that gave the gift.”
In the viewpoint of Joel Schaffer, MAS, of Soudline/Acclaim, when this pre-holiday season rolls around, it’s time for you to turn from a promotional products distributor into a “'gift adviser'. Now is the time when we leave the realm of promotion and branding and enter the realm of gifts and personalization. Our buyers already know we are a source of creative and functional product that can be branded and/or personalized, so it is easy to re-present ourselves under the gift umbrella.
He elaborated that when approaching a customer with the goal of being his or her source for holiday gifts, it is critical to assess how important gift giving is to the company and to the buyer. If he or she replies, “not really important” then that means that it’s a gift card, bottle of wine, or a basket from the shelves of a super store. “Not important” also signifies a need to “convince the buyer that a different understanding and approach can deliver more rewards to their company if undertaken in a better way,” he says.
Promotional products distributors represent a critical marketplace for brands in the gifting business. Bulova, emphasizes Adrienne Forrest of Bulova. The company was one of the first brands talking to distributors. “Distributors didn’t believe they could sell products at our price point,” she recounts. “They thought we were too expensive. We explained that we provide an array of Bulova clocks and watches in many price ranges so that we are important to the channel as a supplier of gifts.”
Schaeffer notes that in comparison to other nations where business gift-giving occasions are more frequent, in the US, it is primarily a month or so long. “If b2b gifting is founded on customer appreciation, then what better time to show your appreciation than Thanksgiving?” he suggests. “Every marketer knows that it is important to be first.”
Schaffer reminds that the card is also an important advertising item to go along with the gift. “A brand name consumer card manufacturer said 80% of all businesses buy something for the holidays and nearly 70% use greeting cards.”
There’s so much more available in the promo-products galaxy to select that will elevate the distinction your client wants to make with a promotional gift. More than ever, Lewis points out, gift-giving trends truly align with what’s popular within the industry as a whole. “Retail brands in promo are now available at a variety of price points so they may not be out-of-reach for companies with limited gift-giving budgets. The range of brands available also speaks to almost any lifestyle and activity so there are high-quality gift options for almost everyone.”
CASE STUDIES:
Carrie Lewis, marketing/communications manager, BIC Graphic: “An insurance firm had a particularly prosperous year and wanted give employees end of year gifts to show their appreciation. They placed a JAFFA® Round Zinc Coaster (#25039), mugs, and a gift card on each employee’s desk during the New Year break. Employees came back to a pleasant surprise and the gifts help inspire the team. The firm loved the visual in the office of the branded coasters lining the employee’s desks and also purchased additional coaster sets (#25164) for each of their conference rooms.”