The document discusses the importance of business gift-giving as a strategy to foster relationships and enhance workplace culture. It outlines key considerations such as appropriate timing, etiquette, and tailoring gifts to individual preferences. The piece emphasizes that thoughtful gifting can lead to improved loyalty, morale, and ultimately greater productivity and revenue for businesses.

1. Business Gifting with Style and Strategy
The fundamental objective of gift-giving is to foster relationships between giver and
receiver. A gesture to show the other party that we care.
Gift-giving in a corporate setting shows, in a sense officially, that you know and
appreciate the people in relations to your business (these include both existing and
potential customers, vendors, suppliers, employees and even management).
There’s an element of surprise that leaves an indelible and remarkable impression
on the recipient.
In business gift-giving, the relationship is resting on goodwill, rather than one based
on a reward-and-punishment system or a transactional exchange.
The business of business gift-giving comes with its own set of considerations which
you should keep in mind, these includes:
• When it’s appropriate to gift and to whom
• Business gift-giving etiquette
• Choosing the right gifts, for the right occasion, to convey the right message
• Strategic gift-giving ideas
Other than showing appreciation to customers and attracting potential ones,
Business gifts can also enhance workplace relationships between both colleagues
and employers, all in all, bringing in greater revenue, productivity, performance, and
loyalty.
I am not saying that one should nor can expect any returns, but as the saying goes,
“Give, and you shall receive.” Clients, customers, or even employees who receive,
often give back. Either in terms of future assistance, help in your business, sales or
increase productivity and loyalty to the company/brand.
Why Are Business Gifts Important?
Have you ever examined what you feel when you give a gift? How about when you
receive one?
Like all persuasive, social exchanges, there’s a psychology behind gift-giving that’s
been at play since man first organized into civilized groups. Fast forward to today, of
course, and the types and practices of gift-giving have changed.
But the initial impetus remains the same: To create a bond.

2. A Peek at the Psychology of Gift-Giving
One reason gifts are so effective is that they are an expression of gratitude.
Researchers say that gifts are a symbol of spontaneous gratitude, thoughtful gift-
giving can be more effective than a monetary token.
Renowned French anthropologist Marcel Mauss backs up this sociological and
psychological view.
He focused his 1925 study, aptly named The Gift, on the conventions of exchange —
why we do it, what we hope to feel, and why, exactly, gift-giving can be so fraught
with social anxiety.
What he found is that the way everyone — businesses, their employees, and their
clients — approach gift giving is complicated. And that complicated mass is
ultimately a way to create the basis for strong relationships relationship.
In the case of business gift-giving, these relationships are all about internal
workplace culture and external, client-facing brand culture.
And the rules of gift giving are as rigorous as the rules and etiquette for receiving.
“These…are systems of gift-giving that aren’t just about gifts but carry a legal,
economic, spiritual, and moral significance that saturate the whole social fabric. [Gift
giving] is neither voluntary or altruistic. There’s an obligation to give, an obligation to
receive, and an obligation repay…[Gift giving] is a formal pretense and social
deception.” — Marcel Mauss, The Gift
Leah Ingram, an etiquette specialist, backs up this view by translating the
“experience of gratitude” to the tangible.
“There are two very real reasons to buy business gifts…One is obviously to thank
someone for their business. The other is to make sure you remain top of mind…”
Company Culture, Attracting Talent, and Gift-Giving
It’s often the giver, instead of the receiver, that reaps the greatest rewards from gift-
giving.
However, many people view gift-giving as simply what you do — or is expected of
you — when participating in a culture. And nowhere is that culture more apparent
today than in businesses of any size.
Why? Because top talent is scarce on the ground.
Companies like Google, Facebook, and even smaller SaaS outfits are scrambling to
offer benefits or perks to their recruits. These benefits build a culture that seems
welcoming, progressive, and geared towards the employee’s professional
advancement.
This attention to detail is all so that employees feel invested in and, in return, are
willing and enthusiastic to give back to the bottom line through time, creative ideas,
sales, performance, productivity, and more.
According to a Gallup poll, employees that remain satisfied and “engaged”
outperform their peers for 147% in earnings per share.

3. Strategically investing in employees helps businesses retain the best candidates.
And, In the workplace, appreciation and gratitude need to expressly communicate.
The numbers prove as much:
Notice that 64% of surveyed workers respond that they would leave their job to work
for a company that clearly recognized contributions. It’s a very detailed requirement.

4. And this turnover issue is real: 40% of dissatisfied employees leave their jobs,
and disengaged employees cost employers up to $450 – $550 billion in lost
productivity, annually.
But as a means of expressed gratitude, then, business gifts can combat this trend,
since they help in these areas:
• Drive loyalty
• Improve morale
• Boost your reputation as an employee (being seen as an employer that readily
prioritizes workplace culture
• Supports employees so they feel drive to outperform peers and innovate on
projects
So ask yourself: What does business gift-giving really mean for your bottom line?
Be selective. It’s okay (and sometimes necessary) to have a “cut-off” budget for
employee gift-giving. You can use your own metric for justifying value (such as
seniority/legacy, performance, notable achievements this year, etc.)
When To Gift, and Who To Gift To
For both employees and clients, receiving a gift is about recognition. When
employees receive gifts, they feel as though their employers tangibly expressed
gratitude for their hard work.
When clients receive gifts, it builds a relationship because there’s a sense of
reciprocity and exchange. You’re thanking them for doing business with you, which
inspires them to feel valued and return with repeat business.
A rather beneficial win-win situation, right?
Before sending out business gifts, however, take the time to decide when you’ll be
doling out these tokens of gratitude. Who your receivers are also matters because, in
the context of your business, roles justify reward types.
Insiders
Insiders are those on the operations side of your business. Giving gifts to
employees, supplies, vendors, and peripheral support staff (like janitors or the
cleaning crew), can help boost morale, productivity, and overall goodwill.
According to the Millennial Impact Report, 53% of employees say that their top
reason for staying with their companies is the fact that their passions and talents are
recognized and rewarded.
Employees have come to expect rewards tied to performances, as well as unique
gifts of recognition when:
• It’s the end of the year, during the holiday season
• A particularly large-scale or complex project closes, in both celebration and
recognition
• An employee has been at the company for a preset number of years, as a
distinguishment for their service and loyalty
• Employees earn promotions

5. Especially around the holiday season, a survey by PureProfile shows that the holiday
season is an ideal time to give and receive because individuals are already in this
mood. 15% of receivers don’t even mind what they receive!
For businesses looking to give employees a token of appreciation, items like gift
cards (40%) can go a long way since 31% are hoping to receive this anyway.
The Middle Ground: A Note on Vendors, Suppliers and Support staff
Think about those individuals you want to say “thanks!” to, who don’t necessarily
show up as part of your company’s payroll.
Maybe they’re even categorized as expenses — integral in their functionality but not
a steady part of your workplace.
Ad-hoc IT specialists, out-sourced accountants and lawyers, couriers, and even
consultants are crucial as service providers, of course, but they’re not quite
employees.
Do you go about the business of gift-giving in these situations?
In a word, yes.
But, there are some caveats. First off, certain positions like lawyers, doctors,
specialist individuals can’t accept gifts beyond a particular monetary value
(depending on industry guidelines).
Secondly, you want to base the value of your gift on whether or not you see a long-
term relationship with this supplier or vendor. If you’re gifting them during the
holidays, gift cards or practical gifts tailored to their profession (or their personal
likes) are the best choices.

6. If you’re gifting them at the end of a big project, or to say thanks for going above and
beyond, then gift vouchers, Thank you packs or even cash are your best bet.
Outsiders
When you think about outsiders, you instantly think of clients. As the bread-and-
butter of your business, client relationships call for consistent maintenance.
Once a year, it’s good practice to give a small token of your appreciation to
“outsiders” — and this includes both existing and potential clients.
However, the size (monetary value) of the gift and the type of gift should directly
match the value of your customer/client may brings.
With insiders and the Middle Ground, your “gift” is a token of appreciation and
gratitude.
But with “Outsiders,” the giving of gifts can serve an additional function: as a
means of reciprocity and exchange, i.e. more sales/referral for the business.
There’s real significance behind your choice of gift, of course. If you can learn more
about your clients’ personal preferences, that’s even better, because it shows
genuine desire to understand them.
To enhance the meaning, you can also personalize or customize the gift,
choosing details as personalised engravings, prints or embroidery on items that
would be joyously welcome.
However, there’s an added dimension of strategy to client gift-giving — as with any
level of client interaction. Giving out client gifts helps you to remain top-of-mind. It
creates an incentive to stay on, bring in more business, and tells the client you value
them.
While many Western-based companies and businesses choose the holiday season
that falls at the end of the calendar year as the best time to give out gifts, that’s not a
hard and fast rule.
Consider, for example, the significance of the Chinese Lunar New Year for Asian
and South East Asian-based businesses. In Chinese culture, it’s customary to give a
pair of mandarin oranges for good luck and hand out monetary gifts through a red
packet or envelope.
Business gifting can include Hampers, Red packets and sleeves, orange carriers
and many other unique items symbolic with New Year, Luck, Wealth, Health and
even Studies.
Cultures around the world vary their gift-giving season — and their gift-giving reason.
For example, you can just as legitimately send your client a business gift when they
complete a big project with you, or they reach a particular dollar amount in expenses.
You could also send clients a gift at varying times in the year, at a point that’s
significant for them. Just reached a major growth milestone? That’s when you send
them a gift? Expanded to a new location? ‘Tis the season!
Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind when gifting to outsiders:
• Small doesn’t have to mean cheap
• Gifting during the holiday is ok but make your messaging as holiday-neutral as
you can
• Always check compliance laws, especially if your potential contacts or clients
are government officials.

7. Business Gifting Etiquette - 5 Strategic Rules
Rule #1: Avoid “Funny” Gifts
Humor, like art, is entirely subjective.
And, in a professional context, humor is tricky — it’s a valuable connector and it
forges a warm and positive relationship between giver and receiver.
But humor is also about value: What one party values and finds humorous, the other
may think of as crass or rude.
If you’re ever concerned about the interpretation of a gift, it’s best to consult with
your HR department. In general, HR really should be involved with corporate gift-
giving — both internally and externally.
Your marketing department may work together in the gifts decisions, especially when
it comes to client gifts. But it’s also the job of your HR department to outline a
cohesive guideline for you, the business, as a giver of external gifts.
This policy should also include rules on receiving gifts, as a corporate entity.
Rule #2: Keep Your Goal in Mind
This applies to both internal and external parties.
Internally, your goals with your employees could include:
• Expressing gratitude
• Rewarding performance
• Recognizing talent
• Incentive for innovation development activities
• Creating a relaxed and friendly but professional workplace culture among co-
workers
• Fostering inter-team creativity and communication
You’ll notice that the nature of the goal steers your choice in a gift. For example, a
goal of team-building might mean that your gift to your employees is to put together
an afternoon out at an Escape Room event, or all-expenses-paid for a conference,
out of state.
Rewarding performance could call for a award ceremony with trophies/medals and
monetary incentives, or even an experiential gift — such as gift card for a spa day.
Recognizing talent, again, could include a gift of spending the day with a coveted
mentor.
Are you seeing a theme here? Your goal should be in keeping with the nature of the
gift — you don’t need to make it a one-size-fits-all giving. Not all employees will
receive the same thing when the goal (or the time of year, for example) varies.
The same goes for your clients, business partners, prospects, and
suppliers/vendors.
Likewise, goals for external parties could include:
• Maintaining communication and excellent customer relations

8. • Expressing gratitude for the business received
• Attempt to convert prospects by highlighting how valuable they are
• To incentivise returning clients/customers
Again, these goals —will guide you on the kinds of gifts that align with your strategic
purchases.
Rule #3: Make it Tailored To Receiver’s Needs or Interests
As a test for understanding your clients and customers, you should be able to ideate
the kinds of gifts which will evoke the most joy, surprise, or delight to them.
Many businesses take custom-made or personalized to simply mean slapping your
logo on the item, making it huge to be seen from miles afar. While some gifts
designs may suit such a strategy, most may make it less likely for your recipient to
even use the gift — some may not even find it of value.
The best strategy? Choose gifts that form an emotional connection. This means it’s
not just a preference for particular colours or a gadget over a gift card. Instead, you
want to show your client you have a relationship — almost akin to friendship.
You know what’s meaningful to them and your gift choice should, as much as
possible, reflect this significance.
The truth is that any business could gift a branded chef knife set or an engraved
writing pen. But you’re going to only stand out when you go beyond preference,
weaving meaning and significance together. Working with a professional gifting
company to curate and craft your next gift may just aid you to achieve the desired
outcome faster.
Rule #4: Group Gifts Call for Generosity
It is good to plan in advance your gift-giving campaign — especially when its for
mass quantity gifting.
Mass quantity gifts are a little tricky because they all need to be of the same value.
You’re not intending to single anyone out. Through this gifting action, the goal is
simply to express gratitude — usually, at the end of the year or the close of a big
project.
This might be a standard reusable tote bag, Bluetooth speakers etc, where each
individual might get the same gift item as thanks.
There’s another way group gifts could go: It’s one large gift that everyone can
partake in.
For example, if you’re rewarding your lean, but effective, three-person accounting
team, consider a large gift — in value — that all three of them could avail of, such as
a gift basket hamper or gift certificate for lunch.
Rule #5: Always Check for Compliance Laws
It’s not just your jurisdiction — compliance laws also mean for your industry and your
clients’ industries.
There are certain rules and/or thresholds that are pre-established when it comes
to corporate gift-giving. You need to make sure that both your total expenditure and
those individual gift choices are appropriate, running by the letter of the law.

9. For example, Under Singapore’s Code of Ethical Conduct for Interactions with
Healthcare Professionals, medical sales personnel are to limit their token of
appreciation to maximum SG$100 per person only.
Conclusion
Planning for and buying business gifts is much more involved an endeavour than it
seems. Many business owners get hung up on the legal and compliance issues.
As long as you have some kind of company policy in place regarding gift-giving, you
should be fine. The true task begins when you’re trying to choose the right gift for the
individual and the relationship you’re trying to build.
Of course, this guide is just a starting point. When in doubt, seek assistance from
corporate gifts/business gifts companies, which can give you a structured and
experienced headstart. Remember that It’s never the actual gift itself but the
meaning and gesture that take over your receiver’s perception. So make the motion
count!