blogimage-092016Today’s business world is all about relationships. Take a step in the right direction and cement your relationships with clients, colleagues, employees and partners with business gifts given during the holidays. When you make an effort to offer a gift, the result can make business dealings easier and the relationship stronger for a long time.

Here are three do’s and a don’t in the quest for perfect presents to strengthen those bonds.

DO give with a goal, and measure how well you achieved it.
Don’t give just to give. Find the best way to present your brand with a clear communication of the message the gift is supposed to get across. For example, if the goal is to thank recipients but also stay top of mind on a regular basis, then a useful gift is going to mean more impressions over a given time.

DO use the right presentation to increase a gift’s effect.
Creating a big deal around a gift’s presentation will raise it’s effectiveness. A thoughtful presentation not only boosts the perceived value of the gift, it boosts the perceived value of the recipient. If your gift is a nice pen, use a lined box wrapped with ribbon, accompanied by a hand-written card with a message specific to the recipient.

DO customize and personalize as much as possible.
Evidence of your thought and effort in selecting the gift pays big dividends. When you personalize a gift, the recipient knows that the gift was meant for them, and this creates a greater emotional connection and a feeling of being valued. Plus, personalization o is a classy touch that encourages frequent use.

DON’T buy at the low end of a product category.
It’s better to buy at the high end of a lesser product category. If you’ve got a smaller budget to work with, pick a higher quality item in a more modest product category. In other words, always choose quality. If you buy too cheap, the item won’t be used. The goal is to deliver perceived value, which results in a favorable cost per impression.