Odds are, you can’t name most of the gifts you got last holiday. But what’s interesting is that doesn’t mean those gifts aren’t still impacting your life. Each gift you received made you feel a certain way toward the person who gave you the gift. If it was a very personal gift, perhaps you felt the gift giver was very sensitive. If it was expensive, perhaps you thought they were generous. If it was obviously something they picked up at the grocery store on their way to your event, you might have thought they are, well…you know.
Over time, these impressions are part of what creates your idea of who this person is, even though you may not remember every gift they’ve given you.
When it comes to client gifts, this same principle holds true, but perhaps in an even more noticeable way. Many times, your face-to-face interactions with clients are limited, so your client gifts are a bigger percentage of your communication than, say, gifts to your spouse.
Gifts are a way of showing your clients you recognize they have lives outside the office, i.e. when they aren’t spending money with you. You are interested in their hobbies, their big life events, and their family time. You are connecting with them by showing you care about them, not just what they can do for you.
Great salespeople know the power of client gifts, but some entrepreneurs and managers don’t really get it. They don’t place it high in the budget or the priority list. So, their client gifts are either overlooked or underwhelming. Womp womp. Don’t let this be you. Use client gifting to strengthen the bond between you and your customers.
What kind of occasions lend themselves to client gifts? The list is endless, but here are a few:
– Holidays
– Weddings
– Birthdays
– New babies
– Finalized adoptions
– A promotion
– When a child gets into college
– New home
There are so many opportunities to connect with clients in a way that speaks to their personal lives, and when you do, you are making those impressions that create their perception of you.
Building client relationships can be very fulfilling. As your relationships grow, visiting with these clients becomes more enjoyable, and conversations can go deeper than surface level. They can also be profitable. Clients who feel you truly appreciate them can refer your business, push for more budgets for projects with your company, or expand your product line in their store.
The key to the success of client gifting is to be genuine in your appreciation of their non-work self. Don’t use it as a way to “buy them.” Use it as a way to show you don’t take your relationship for granted.
For those of you that know our story, you know beCAUSE minded was founded to fill a void in the client gifts category. Jessica, our founder, wanted thoughtful gifts for her clients that were also making a positive impact on the world, something many of her clients also valued. Jessica knew that client gifts are such a powerful relationship-building tool and now we have built an entire line of client gift boxes to help you connect on a deeper level with your clients!
We want to hear from you – do you find client gifting relatively easy or do you consider it a chore?
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