History has it that expensive jewels, artillery, animals and other resources were offered by powerful kings and rulers as an ostentatious gesture, either to impressive a princess or while doing trading. The worth of a rule could easily be judged by the nature of gifts he would send. This legacy of relationship building has been handed down to the corporate world where the ‘Customer is King’ and ‘Shareholders are Family’. Today wine hampers, flowers and branded stationery have been accepted world wide as most commonly gifted items for any Corporate. We have seen a whole range of customized gifts like branded note pads, electronic tools, stationery and appliances being considered for gifting purposes. The call is the toughest when sending gifts to your clients and senior management, especially when a deal closure or a big promotion is round the corner. Though time and again, it has been proven that no gift can replace the warm gesture of sending nature’s beautiful wonders like flowers and plants. Among flower varieties, it is observed that Orchids, Lilies and Carnations are preferred for business gifting while the majestic rose is reserved for loved ones. Online gifting trends have shown that Gift Baskets which include a vintage wine and salty snacks, are the growing favorites of the MNCs. Assorted chocolates and sweet delicacies or an Italian Hamper comprising of olive flavored foods and wine, are newer babies entering the market, which has been predominantly ruled by flowers.
Different flowers signify varied meanings; though mostly specific to the country you are sending the gift. In China gifting flowers to Teachers is considered the most popular gesture of saying Thank You . In European nations, flower bunches of a single variety is usually the trend. The Phalaenopsis plant variety; belonging to the Orchid family of flowers, are considered very exotic and expensive in the West and are usually the first preference in USA for senior management and client gifting. Hunt down a bunch of the most exotic flowers or order a plant from across the globe and you’ll earn yourself the compliment and much awaited deal!
Due to budget constraints head offices would cast a clear differentiation in External and Internal Gifting. So while Gift Budgets for key clients, partners, external stakeholders may vary from $100 – $200 USD, employee gifting hits the ceiling at $80 USD. Here customized or unique gifts are sourced for external gifting while standard gifts are circulated across the company. It is a widely accepted practice to indulge in seasonal gifting during Christmas and New Years apart from the usual occasions like Birthdays and Anniversaries.
Tips: With companies expanding business globally, finding the right gifts for your partners in their country becomes a matter of reputation and relationship building. Several hundred websites and companies now specialize in corporate gifting, ensuring utmost attention to detail and customer satisfaction. They can assist in budget allocation, gifting options, packaging and delivering the gift with detailed reports and feedbacks as well.
– The biggest constraints faced are ensuring quality and timely delivery of the gift. Make sure you choose a reliable ecommerce website or agency with a proven track record.
– Choose a central agency with a worldwide reach to ensure standardization and freshest gifts.
– Be sure you have the correct and complete contact details before sending the list of recipients to your gifting agency.
– If your office is located far from the agency, call for physical testing of the gift samples and ask for diverse options from them so you can see the product for yourself.
Be sure you have researched well in advance and make wise decisions in choosing the right Corporate Gift!
View the Flora2000 Business Gifting Catalog
