With lockdowns and restrictions easing across the country, business owners and managers are now turning their attention to Christmas and ways to thank staff and clients for their support and commitment throughout 2021.
According to Jenny Folley, founder and CEO of co-working and private office space provider, @WORKSPACES, it has been a challenging year full of ups and downs, and this year’s Christmas gifts need to be extra special.
“This year, more than any other year, it is important to let everyone know how much you appreciate their hard work and incredible support,” she says.
“Run-of-the-mill Christmas gifts are not going to do it. This year we need to come up with something really special.”
Folley believes that corporate gifts are a fantastic way to show loyal staff and customers how much they are valued and to enhance the relationship between them and the business.
Folley has put together her top tips on how to give killer Christmas gifts this year.
Put time into building a solid list
“Build a list of gift recipients that includes staff, customers and others that have helped your business to get through the year,” says Folley.
“Consult with others and ensure no one is missed. Look across your suppliers and business partners as well. It takes an ecosystem of people and businesses to achieve success in business and everyone has played a key role this year. Ensure your list is solid and that it includes everyone that needs to be recognised and thanked.”
Personalise gifts
“Personalisation is super important this year as everyone has had to be extremely flexible in order to deal with enormous levels of change and during Covid. This year, ensure your gift-giving is meaningful for the recipient. It doesn’t just mean you put someone’s name on a gift, it means that you put a lot of thought into what you give,” Folley says.
“The art of personalisation is about understanding what makes a person tick and what type of things or activities they like undertaking outside of work. By putting more time into getting to know them, you are better able to provide a gift that is more thoughtful. They will truly value this.”
Thought over price
“Spending a lot of money on clients and staff may seem like the ideal way to show them how much you care, but spend is not always a measure of genuine thanks,” she says.
“The art of giving is more about the degree of thought, time and consideration that has gone into the gift, rather than the price tag.
“If you give clients gifts that are too extravagant, they may start to think that you are charging them too much. If you spend too little, they may think you don’t value them or you are not doing well financially.
“Be thoughtful as this shows you genuinely care about them.”
Gifts that keep giving
“The best types of gifts are those that keep giving and there are lots of ways to achieve this. Subscriptions fall into this category,” Folley explains.
“Giving a gift once a year is a wasted opportunity when you can provide them with a subscription that provides year round gifts. Wine, cheese, magazine, book, perfume, goodie box and sporting subscriptions are a great way to wow every month. Pet hampers that arrive each month with a new toy and treat are also highly popular and make for great subscription gifts.
“Monthly subscriptions over a period of four, six or 12 months keep people thinking of you often, rather than once a year.”
Timing is key
“While Christmas gifts are usually dispatched in December, make sure you take the time to understand when your recipients will be around and able to receive their gifts.
“If they are still working from home or are planning to go away on school holidays, ensure you check this information before sending out gifts. Timing is very important with gift-giving.”
Utility is important
“When choosing gifts for staff, clients and others, keep utility in mind,” Folley adds.
“People love using their gifts and enjoy being able to show them off to others. Gifts are better when they come with a story or a genuine connection. Try and ensure you select a gift that has utility and will be used by the recipient.
“Otherwise, it will end up at the op shop.”
Let them choose
“Gift cards are often seen as the easy way out when it comes to gifting, and sometimes this is the case. The key is to give a gift card that has been purchased with thought,” Folley emphasises.
“For example, if you are giving gifts to staff that enjoys the outdoors and likes to go camping with their family, then a gift card for a retail outlet where they can purchase items to engage in this activity is ideal.
“This way they get to choose their gift and you know they will really appreciate it. It also shows that you have put time and thought into coming up with the ideal gift for them.”
