When you run a business, regardless of its size, you want to ensure that it does well. And, while in the traditional media, it’s associated with buying favor, there’s a real advantage to all businesses engaging in gift giving with their clients.
Of course, you’ll need to research the clients that you work with to ensure that the gift you buy is appropriate, but there are many ways that sending the occasional gift to your client for the holidays or other special events can help your business to grow. How, you may ask? Read on to find out!
Building Relationships
When it comes to networking and building your brand and your business, it’s all about maintaining good relationships. Giving gifts to clients or even investing in corporate gifts helps to strengthen the relationship between the two parties and fosters a sense of goodwill and appreciation. This has an obvious benefit for business, as it means your clients will feel valued and will want to continue working with you and purchasing your services. Great result!
Improving Communication
There have been countless instances in the history of business where information hasn’t been clear, resulting in frustration for both clients and businesses. But interestingly, gifting can open up lines of communication and provide opportunities for further discussions, leading to improved business dealings. After all, you’re more likely to want to talk to someone if you feel that they value you enough to purchase you something meaningful.
Showing Gratitude
Irrespective of the size of your business, you need your clients to succeed, whether you have just two or two hundred. Gifts are a way of expressing gratitude for a client’s business and loyalty, demonstrating that their relationship is valued. As before, you’ll need to ensure that the gift is appropriate for them, so be sure to do some detective work before buying anything.
Differentiation
Suppose your client has a business that’s engaged in creating online content, and you’re a freelance writer. Chances are, that as a business, they have several writers and other specialists working for them. By giving gifts, your business can differentiate itself from the other writers or specialists and will help you to stand out in your clients’ minds.
Brand Awareness
Giving gifts that bear your company’s logo or branding can increase brand awareness and help build your brand or company’s reputation. While this may not be such an issue for smaller businesses, if you have a mid to large-scale business, this will also help with brand recognition.
Creating a Positive Image
A big no-no in the world of business is having a bad or unprofessional image; it’s more than just a black mark against your name! It represents being poorly motivated and not caring about your clients when they are in fact your company’s lifeline! As well as being polite, being open to feedback, and getting work completed on time, giving gifts can help your business create a positive image and be remembered positively by clients, helping to build trust and increase the likelihood of repeat business. Great!
