Shiny Objects Dull Relationships. Steps To Avoid Tarnishing Brands

February is the ideal month to talk about the minefield that is picking the perfect gift. The pressure surrounding buying the right gift or Valentine’s Day present, is for many, overwhelming. Afraid of potential missteps, streams of panicked men rushed to the grocery store to stand in line with sweaty brow and palms waiting for their turn.

The principles for how to buy a personal Valentine’s gift are actually an excellent guide on how to correctly buy corporate swag.

#1 Beware of the glare

What’s shiny, what’s new, what’s trending?...is the mistake many make when buying corporate swag. Start with “let me tell you about my audience” and “this is how I want them to feel”. People always remember an emotional reaction, a moment. That's a solid start, build from there.

#2 Listen and plan plan plan! 

Your significant other, just like your business audience will give you clues all year long. Take note, keep this stuff in mind when you are buying for them. The gift that says ‘I thought about you, I remembered what you said last June’, is the gift that going to make a big impact. Last minute panic purchases rarely work. You inevitably focus on just "getting it" before the event and don't have the time to ideate and build creativity or feeling.

#3 Buy for them! 

For goodness sakes stop buying what YOU like. Think of the person or group receiving the gift, what their days are like, their interests, what would make sense for them. Thinking lawnmower for a condo owner, a charcuterie board for a Vegan, how would that go over? Think of their day, think of their night. Literally in your mind walk through their shoes all day long, every step, getting out of bed, hitting the shower, commute, work, lunch. It may seem silly but there is gifting gold hidden in those day-to-day activities.

#4 Is it relevant your business? 

Does it make sense coming from you, the time, the place, your story, your call to action, does it build on them all? A luxury lifestyle audience is not going to respond to an item best suited for a tractor pull. It may seem silly but use a Captain Obvious filter on everything.

#5 Personalize

Personalized items feel tailored and this increases sentimental value. Ethnographic research shows that people feel guilty at the thought of throwing away personalized items. Customization means that your gift won’t go straight in the bin.

#6 Delivery

Great, you’ve bought an awesome gift, how are you getting it into their hands? Trade show, room drop, shooting out of a t-shirt cannon? Consider that they may be travelling home, think of carry-on space and airline restrictions, just make it easy.

None of this is set in stone, its part art, part science. In the speed of business, we seem to have forgotten fundamental considerations. Although we get some immediate reactions from standard merchandise, effective gifting is a long term plan that builds reciprocity in a relationship.

Yet, just like the malls on Valentines Day, the business market is awash with thoughtless swag. “Stuff’ that has no relevance to your brand and no worth to your audience, so it’s a waste of marketing budget…the equivalent of another useless piece of…. 

Gift giving to strengthen connections is as old as culture, but beware of shiny objects and don’t forget to invest in decent packaging; it is a gift after all.

Want gifts that drives business, retention and a connection with your audience? Lets connect.