Corporate gifting is indeed a great way to show your love, support, and goodwill. There will be too much brainstorming to find the perfect gift to touch the right chord. Since you spend so much time, effort, and money on this, it’s important to see whether the gift is well received by the recipient.
Oftentimes, corporate companies have tight deadlines and low budgets, which don’t give them a great number of options. At these occasions, the gift they select might not create the expected outcome. What is the purpose of gifting then if it’s not appropriate to the party and occasion?
This is why you should know about gift giving etiquette in business set up. This will guide you to find the right gifts for the right person suitable for the occasion.
What is Gift Giving Etiquette and why does it Matter?
Gift giving etiquettes are a set of rules and guidelines that you have to consider while gifting a person. This is particularly effective in business backgrounds as you don’t know the recipient personally. Following them makes you a considerate and thoughtful corporate gifter.
Gift giving etiquette with a small example
Think of a LinkedIn post where an employee raves about his company’s festival gift set. You can easily say that it’s the most expensive set with branded accessories and premium-quality merchandise. You are quite impressed until you notice that it lacks personalization or creativity. Even the captions are copy-pasted which is used by the whole company. The company here didn’t spend time investigating their employees’ interests and decided to go with lavish gifts to create a positive impression.
Why is gift giving etiquette important?
You send gifts to celebrate or appreciate something. So it’s done with good intentions in mind. But the outcome must be positive too. This can happen only when the receiver appreciates and accepts the gift without any regard for negative emotions. So, gift giving is important to
- Not be ethically wrong while selecting the gift.
- Be fair and equal while selecting gifts for a large group of people.
- Not leave any space for complaints about internal favoritism or political agenda.
- Not go overboard while expressing gratitude and happiness.
- Be appropriate while gifting a person from a particular background, region, gender, etc.
- Not be taken as an act of bribing in order to gain some favorable decisions.
This clearly explains why you should consider every probability to not send an unwelcoming and inappropriate gift. The thin line of difference between being professional and being intimate must never be blurred.
General Gift Giving rules to consider while sending Corporate Gifts
Here is a compilation of a set of rules and gift giving etiquettes in India that businesses commonly follow. You can follow them to ensure that your gifts have created the right impression and aren’t misunderstood.
When in doubt, ask the recipient
Whether the gift is for a special occasion or as a general thank you gesture, ask the receiving party. If it is a client, you can ask their corporate policy about gifts they can accept. Certain companies will have gifting regulations that their HR personnel will know about. By checking with them, you ensure that you don’t overcross your boundaries.
For employees, you can send a poll or quiz to see what kind of gifts the majority are interested in.
After all, your gifts must be resourceful for them. Clarifying this openly will help you find the right gift that the other person will appreciate.
Go with the generally accepted gifts
Most companies have strict ethical codes and policies against bribery. So, your gift must not fall into that category and be acceptable by clients. Follow these rules to send out generally accepted gifts by most corporate companies.
- Perishable gifts like dry fruits and nuts (Unless the other person has nut allergies).
- Customized water bottles or shakers
- Backpacks with company logos
- Basic electronic items like bluetooth gadgets, power banks, etc.
- Not so expensive office supplies like utility pens.
For employees, you can choose the following gifts which are popular and are welcomed by all.
- Polo t-shirts
- Wearables like smart watches
- Airpods and speakers.
- Office essentials kit
- Beverage sets like tea tubes
- Office planners
- Active sportswear.
You can never go wrong with these commonly accepted gifts. They can be customized to your taste and preference if you want to appear unique.
Remember the don’ts while corporate gifting
Certain gifts are a clear no despite the context it is given. You must consider them while gifting your clients.
Don’t gift your clients these
- Clothing, as you never know their size or preference. A big no if you are sending clothing with personalized logos.
- Cash and gift cards as they can be considered as an act of bribery in many cases. Gift cards aren’t personal too.
- Lavish and over expensive gifts as they may appear as an effort to incentivize your clients to prefer you over your competitors.
- Gifts that request them to offer donations or make donations in their name. (While this may come across as a generous act, you are not exactly gifting them here. So, reserve it for certain occasions only).
- Invites to parties, dinner, or trips where no business activities are involved.
- Plants as you never know if your clients are allergic to them or not. Though this is an interesting and personalized option, it may not have the same effect all the time.
- Perfume, scented candles, and aromatic gifts – It might indirectly convey that they don’t smell good and have to use more of them.
- Jewelry and accessories as they are too personal and are not suitable for business relationships.
- Stay away from funny, offensive, and inappropriate gifts.
- Repeated gifts one after another.
- Don’t send holiday-specific gifts with an assumption that everyone celebrates them.
The ultimate goal of gifting clients is to strengthen your business relationships. So, keep it tasteful and personalized, without overdoing it.
Consider the legal aspects
Compliance laws may sometimes not be in favor of corporate gifting, especially if your clients are government officials. Or, check if there are any contractual inhibitions that may prevent your client from accepting goodwill gestures from you in the form of gifts.
Include everyone to your gifting list
Treating everyone fair and equal is one of the important gift giving etiquette. Hence, include everyone in the list, especially when you are gifting your employees and loyal customers. Leaving out some people can create unpleasant and hurtful experiences.
The same applies to clients as well. Include all of your clients, vendors, business partners, and stakeholders and send them personalized gifts to be fair and inclusive.
While this should be the common norm, it’s not always possible to send gifts to everyone.
Don’t send promotional gifts
Sending your own range of products is an accepted gift. But it may come across as an effort to promote your products. This applies to customers, employees, and business partners. Even if you send them, make it special by adding unique customizations. Don’t expect the recipient to promote it vocally through social media.
Personalized packaging
Your gift might be great and express your gratitude well. But the way you pack them matters as it creates the first impression. Sending the gift as it is without any special package shows lack of effort. The gifts must go out in neat packaging and covered with attractive gifting paper. This can vary based on the occasion, gifting product, cause, etc. On top of that, there must be a card addressing their name, designation, company, or location.
At Branded Corporate Gifts, you can get custom packaging support at a nominal cost which depends on the product. We even add your personal messages engraved to the product for ultra-personalization.
Show your responsibility by selecting sustainable gifts
Your company also has social responsibility which can be conveyed through your gifts to business users and employees. Send gifts that are long-lasting, hand-crafted, and are sustainable in nature. For example, this bamboo speaker from Branded Corporate Gifts is made of renewable and sustainable material. This can speak volumes about your corporate responsibility and appear unique, especially if sustainability is one of the values your company stands for.
Logo placement and size
Printing your company logo on gifts is a must for corporate gifts. This is going to stay with the product forever, marketing your brand indirectly wherever your client or employee goes. Make sure that the logo is well visible and clear if you want to achieve this.
At the same time, the logo should not be too loud, large, or bright as per gift giving etiquette. You don’t want your client or employee to think that they are carriers of your marketing message.
When you choose gifts from Branded Corporate Gifts, you can get your business logo or motto printed anywhere in noticeable size.
When in doubt, ask yourself
Stand in your clients’ or employees’ shoes to see how you would react to a specific gift. This is the best way to resolve doubtful gift options. Would you be happy when you receive it? Would you feel resentful, embarrassed, or angry? Or, does it make no difference?
This will help you navigate through multiple options and select the ideal corporate gift.
Keep in mind customary and cultural norms
It may be normal for you to gift a product in a business context. But, the same may not be applicable to your client who is from another location. So, it’s important for you to do your homework and understand these cultural nuances if you don’t want to damage a budding business relationship. Take into account their taboos, superstitions, cultural and religious beliefs before finding a suitable corporate gift for them.
For example, Asians, especially Indians don’t believe in gifting wall clocks as they symbolize bad luck for them. Yet, this is a commonly accepted gifting practice all over the world.
There are many cases and regional preferences like this. So, it’s evident that corporate gifting isn’t perceived the same way everywhere. Knowing these differences will definitely help your company shape its gifting protocol. This way, you don’t hurt anyone’s sentiments and choose gifts that explicitly reflect your gratitude and good will.
Final Thoughts
A gift isn’t just a product but the embodiment of values your business stands for. Your company not only spends money on this but also takes considerable time to plan and implement it. Make sure that it is worthwhile by picking the right gift for the right person. The above rules are enough to form your own gift giving rules checklist to select the most appropriate and sensible corporate gift.
At Branded Corporate Gifts, we are with you on every stage right from product selection till shipment, customizing and personalizing the product and experience for you. Go through our vast collections here to make your corporate gifting moments special.
FAQs about Etiquette for Giving Corporate Gifts in Various Business Settings
1. As per gift etiquettes for businesses, how should I react when I receive a business gift?
A gift is a gift, whether you like it or not. So, your first response when you receive it must be a thank you message. Ensure that it’s from the right person/company and cross-check if you are in position to accept gifts from them. If it is a yes to both, then send them a formal thank you email about how happy you are.
2. What are some great business gift ideas for employees?
For employees, you can send clothing, electronic items, accessories, and healthcare products. Go through our bestsellers including mobile accessories, electronics, and combo packages which are best for employee gifting.
3. Can I send gifts to my boss?
Since you earn lower than your boss, your boss is the person to send you gifts. However, if you want to thank them for their support and guidance, go for personalized, low-cost products like utility pens, keychains, etc.
4. What is the most popular, universal corporate gift for clients?
Chocolate boxes stand on top when it comes to corporate gifts for clients. They are affordable, easy-to-curate, and conveys the same message globally across everywhere. Check out our chocolate hampers and collections here.