No, its not too early! Fall is here and is a great time to collaborate and create a thoughtful giving plan for this month, or for a traditional December parcel delivery. Highlighted below are some helpful ideas to consider when developing your gifting plan.
Why gift to staff, to clients, to members, or the like?

Gifting creates opportunity.

Gift-giving creates an opportunity for communication between giver and receiver. You may often offer words of thanks to your employees for their dedication. Staff gifts offer a different vehicle to reinforce verbal thank you messages, leaving mementos for your employees to recall and recognize your gratitude over time. Or, perhaps the gift paves the road to retrieve a signed contract that had lingered long under a stack of files on your client’s desk. Gift giving provides an opportunity to reach out and connect to those you value, providing a lasting reminder to your clients of a valued relationship you share.

Gifting helps differentiate your company from competitors.

Some companies opt out of gift-giving to any of its would-be intended audiences. Your decision to gift sets you apart, as do your gift items of choice. Gifting to your customers and to your employees makes a statement. Consider what message you want to send. A company’s core values may be used as inspiration in helping choose gift items and offers another avenue in distinguishing your company or organization from competitors.

Gifting fosters loyalty.

Showing appreciation to valued employees, members, and customers, serves an organization well. Holiday presents, thank you gifts, employee incentive gifts, and membership rewards all work in part to further bond relationships, and to support growing connections with prospects. Gift giving strengthens the bridge between the giver and receiver.

Gifts can be used to incentivize employees.

One option is to consider a multiple-gift approach. For example, you may choose to select several items to present to your team members, with customer satisfaction survey data or sales volume guiding which gift is rewarded to each employee, either a gift valued at $50, $100, or $150. Whatever your budget, Morgen Marketing works to collaborate with you to select meaningful gifts.

What is the ideal timing of gift-giving?

Consider varying circumstances. Perhaps you’d like your gift to arrive early without having to compete with other gifts your clients may receive during the busy holiday season. Or, maybe December is the opportune time to present, at your company’s holiday party, hand-delivering your gifts at that gathering to lend an added personal touch. January is another good option, as many have returned from holiday vacations. In January, the holiday wrapping paper that had piled up through the busy year-end, has been recycled and the desk is tidy again in honor of the new year’s resolutions. Another idea is to give at different times throughout the year, riding the coattails of a holiday like Valentine’s Day or Independence Day. Simply put, there are many options that could serve a company well depending on the purpose and intent of the gift.

Consider gift packaging.

What is the first impression you want to impart to your gift recipient? There is a variety of different packaging materials available. Consider specialty gift bags, tissue paper, tags, ribbon, or gift-boxes made of varying materials. Any of these items may be imprinted with your logo, your company motto, core values, or a colorful photo. Packaging offers another subtle reminder of your company, gratitude, and message, and helps reinforce that positive connection that you want to build or reinforce.

Selecting gifts.

Your Morgen Marketing representative is happy to assist you filter through the nearly endless options of gift items and packaging. Your representative will guide you in creating a successful gifting plan that works to fit your different needs. A simple Q & A is a great place to start, either via email, phone, or in-person. Our online store at www.morgenmarketing.com is another route for inspiration. Of course, you may also make an appointment to view an assortment of items at our showroom in downtown Boise.

You may find your sales rep on the home page of the Morgen Marketing website. Click the photo to find your contact’s name and to send an inquiry her way.