The business person’s guide to life after five
by Mifi Purvis
Show Your Clients You Care
Still finding stale candy canes left over from the sugar-laden gift baskets that arrived last December, one after the other, and jostled for attention in the company kitchen? More to the point, can you remember who sent any of said gift baskets? Did one stand out? If you gave similar festive treats to some of your best clients, chances are – five months later – they have no recollection of your gift either.
Doing All You Can
Tapping into your clients’ interests with non-standard gifts builds a relationship that can weather the ups and downs of the economy
May is the month of endless possibilities. Dream up something novel and seasonal to give your favoured clients now, a thoughtful something that won’t have 20 similar items against which to measure. Now is the time to tailor your gifts to your clients’ favourite activities or summer holiday plans. Better yet, plan a year’s worth of corporate gifting, staggering it so the expense doesn’t land in a single month. With a little thought, you can reduce your corporate gift budget and increase its effectiveness.
“It’s not the size or dollar value that’s important,” says Joanne Blake, president of Style for Success, a business image consultancy based in Edmonton. “We had a client who loved kayaking so we sent him a subscription to a paddling magazine,” she says. “It probably set us back a whole $15, but he mentions it nearly every time we talk. It speaks to his passion.”
Blake advises her clients to think closely about what they want their gifts to say. The corporate gift is a message about you and your company. “Without a personalized approach, a gift becomes generic,” Blake says. “Find out about your clients.” How about sending a tea set and green tea to coincide with Chinese New Year? Springtime might mean sending garden tools and seeds to a client who’s itching to play in the dirt. September means back to school; deliver a nice stationary set. “You could send Thanksgiving gifts. When was the last time you received a Thanksgiving gift?”
But take care – remember, your gift is a message. “We had a fellow who sent red roses to a female client,” Blake says. “They were not well received.”
The Personal Touch …
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The Thank-You Note Nothing, nothing beats a handwritten note for impact, whether it accompanies a corporate gift or arrives with no more than an envelope and your best wishes. This doesn’t mean a generic card sent by your computer and “signed” with your digital signature. Sit down, take a moment and write something personal. | The Giving Gift Aside from running a great business, your client is active in the community, spending countless hours volunteering. What are his passions? If he loves his dogs and spends time volunteering at the SPCA, send a small bag of gourmet dog treats for his pooch and a card indicating that you’ve sent a donation in his honour to the society. Give according to your budget and your client’s favourite cause. | The Wild Rose Basket Barbecue and picnic season is upon us. Send a gift basket with treats from around the province. Include some Cattle Boyz barbecue sauce, a set of tongs, a gift certificate to a local farmers’ market, a jar of Brassica mustard and a copy of Good Friends, Great Grilling, by Alberta publisher Company’s Coming. Top it off with Amber Brewing Company’s Sap Vampire Maple Lager or a bottle of Field Stone bumbleberry fruit wine. ~$135 |
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