Holiday gifts, cards can help businesses cultivate relationships
By Rhonda Abrams
Gannett News Service
In my company, we've just finished an annual ritual — placing our holiday card and gift orders. Every year, I send dozens of gifts and hundreds of greeting cards.
But yesterday, an acquaintance asked me, "Is it really worth sending out that stuff? What does it get you?"
So I've decided to answer him with a holiday gift and card guide:
• Why send gifts or cards?
Like most small businesses, we don't have a big marketing budget. The money we spend on gifts and cards represents a meaningful percent of our total marketing dollars. It not only takes money, it takes staff time. I can't afford to spend that money or time frivolously.
But I know the best businesses are built on relationships, not just transactions. Most of us do business with the same customers and vendors repeatedly. The holidays are the traditional time of the year for gift giving — the time to show people you remember and value them. It strengthens relationships.
Sending greeting cards is not only a way of showing someone you remember them, but it's a way of keeping your name fresh in their mind.
If you need to feel you're getting more bang for your holiday gift-giving buck, you can follow the lead of one salesperson I know. She brings all her customers their gifts in person. That gives her a reason to call on customers, even ones she hasn't seen in some time. At the same time, of course, she can see if they need anything. What starts out as gift giving often turns into a sale.
• Who should I give gifts?
Start with the obvious: Send gifts to your important clients or customers. Next, include referral sources — after all, they send business to you. Colleagues and industry associates might also be appropriate.
I also send gifts to some of my key vendors. Without them and their good will, my business would be a lot more difficult. I have a publishing company, and my print salesman told me I was the first customer to ever send him a gift instead of the other way around.
• What kind of gift should I give?
This depends, of course, on who the recipient is. You might have a few big clients or referral sources deserving a substantial, personal gift.
But we're a small business, and our gift budget is limited. I send the same gift every year — See's chocolates. Many of my recipients tell me they look forward to getting this excellent candy every year.
It turns out, however, that candy is a good choice. Virtually everyone likes and eats candy. Sending a bottle of wine or bottle of liquor isn't advised because many people don't drink alcohol. Gift baskets of food are almost always appropriate and appreciated, although they can get expensive.
But candy and food are quickly gone. A better choice is something with the name of your company on it. If you can afford it, send something the recipient is likely to value and keep — a desk clock, a carry-on bag, a wooden box with candy inside — imprinted with your name. That way, they'll remember you all year.
• What kind of greeting cards should I send?
I send a greeting card that has a calendar as part of the card. Each year, I choose a design that isn't too "holiday," so the recipient can put it up on their wall and keep our company name in front of them throughout the year. Another choice is to send an imprinted calendar instead of a greeting card; the price might be fairly comparable.
Cards with a religious theme should be saved for your personal list, not for business. Send "Season's Greetings" cards not Christmas cards, and keep the sentiments nonreligious as well.
Because many businesses display the cards they receive, you might want to consider selecting a card that allows your company's name to be seen from the outside if it's tastefully done.
Finally, consider sending Thanksgiving cards. They arrive earlier and stand out more than Christmas-time cards. And what better time to say "Thank you" than Thanksgiving?
