5 Steps To Selecting Executive Gifts

It’s the thought that counts: That’s the gift-giving mantra that many of us embrace—and one that rings true when considering executive gifts: Putting thought and effort into the discovery process first is what helps us arrive at the right gift, for the right occasion, and at the right price. 

The "Gold Watch" gift is rare today!

Here are my 5 essential steps to gift-giving success:

1. Vet your client list. Consider there are many organizations that cannot accept gifts from their clients and vendors. It’s important to vet the client/recipient list so that the gift campaign does not work against you.
2. Identify your demographic. Think about who the gift is going to and then, how will it arrive—wrapped? In original retail packaging? Personalized with your logo? Will it be shipped, hand-delivered or presented at an event? 
3.  Consider the occasion. Is the gift commemorating a holiday? An anniversary? A thank-you gift?
4. Identify how the gift will be used. Do you see your gift sitting on your client’s desk? Is it a lifestyle product that you hope makes it to your client’s home? An impact piece? Something that has a short shelf life, such as food?
5. Establish a budget. Does that include packaging and shipping?

These discovery prompts lead to solid gift-giving solutions. For example, one of my customers wanted to spend $50 on an apparel item for a client gift—but was worried that putting their logo on the chest might prevent the client from wearing it. The solution: We imprinted the customer’s logo on the lining of the jacket, which gave a nod to their brand without making the gift feel too self-promoting. My customer was pleased with the result—his gift was the right product, presented in the right way (with subtle branding), and at the right price.     

Shamrock jackets using the subtle 3-ring version of our logo.

Some customers start the gift-giving process backwards—starting with the item first. But to get it right, it’s more about knowing your audience than picking the right product. Using this discovery process as a guide, you’ll find that you arrive at the ideal gift.

What’s the best executive gift you’ve received? I’d be interested in your feedback tberry@shamrockcompanies.net

Take care,

Tim Berry    

Incentivize Your Workforce!

We all want to feel valued and appreciated by our employers. Studies show that employees who are recognized for a job well done are more motivated and satisfied at work than those who don’t receive affirmation. The proof: Employers with an incentive program in place for at least 12 months see an average 44% increase in performance.

It’s no surprise then, that employee incentive/performance programs in the United States are a booming $90 billion industry. These programs take on a variety of forms and are implemented on dramatically different scales: Whether companies are celebrating a service milestone or sales contest, and giving away gift cards or travel packages, more employers today are using merchandise incentives to invest in employee satisfaction and drive performance.

What’s appealing about these programs is that they are easily implemented; customers can launch turnkey websites that tally employee points, allow employees to “shop” online for available merchandise or simply purchase specific premium items based on their budget.

Regardless of incentive program format, the majority of employees are cashing in their incentive earnings for intermediate- to high-end products—those that don’t bear the company logo: The most-desired gift items are still electronics. Among my customers, the top redemption for 2016 merchandise included flat screen TVs, the Echo, Bose headsets/speakers, and Apple iPads to name a few.

If you don’t have a formal incentive program in place, there’s no time like the present to get started. If you’re interested in learning more about options, connect with me at tberry@shamrockcompanies.net.

Best of luck,
Tim Berry
Promotional & Premium Products Director