New Year's Gift Advice for Your Business
Don't worry if you missed giving out business gifts during the holidays. In fact, New Year's can even be a better time to give!
Why New Year's is a Better Time to Give Gifts
During late November and December, people get snowed with mail and email. Some are friendly holiday greetings. Others are advertising offers because businesses know that people are in a buying mood around the holidays, both at home and at work. At home, purchases are for gifts and celebrating. At work, companies are often scrambling to either spend up existing budgets or plan for the next year. On both fronts, people are so overwhelmed by January 1 that they're just interested in plopping in front of the TV to watch the Rose Bowl before they have to go back to work. Ugh! The party's over.
In many areas, January is a month of drab winter weather and few, if any, holidays. Add that to the back-to-work doldrums. It's a time a year that needs some excitement! Why not be the provider of some excitement with an unexpected New Year's gift?
One company found out how valuable January was for gift giving after their gift supplier messed up and sent the packages out after New Year's. The company's surprise gift was so well-received that calls of thanks and appreciation came flowing in. With it being the beginning of the year, those kinds of calls can provide a great opportunity to talk about doing business in the year ahead.
Types of Business Gifts that Work for New Year's
With the element of surprise that a New Year's gift provides, really any type of gift might work. But here are some ideas that could be winners for a business:
- Fresh Fruit and Healthy Snacks. After indulging over the holidays, a healthy eating gift of fresh fruit, nuts or snacks could be welcome. Gift packaged fruit boxes are available from many online sources. Some even offer a "Gift of the Month" type program where a different fruit of food gift is sent to recipients once a month for the entire year. This is an effective way to keep in touch with mega or key clients.
- New Year's Themed Gifts. New Year's might be over by the time they receive a gift, but any gift sent in January can feature the theme. Ice buckets and champagne bottles filled with candies or food fit right in.
- Calendars. Surprisingly, paper calendars are still popular in the age of e-calendars on mobile devices and computers. They become changing works of art! So choosing themed calendars with beautiful photography and artwork get attention. Or choose a 3D calendar that can occupy a special place on a customer's desk. Giving calendars in January is best, but anytime through the first quarter of the year can still work.
- Super Bowl Gifts. Got football fans as clients? No doubt that right after New Year's they're getting pumped up for the Super Bowl, especially if the local team is in the playoffs. Sending a food gift of snacks and cheeses the week before the big day can be quite a surprise and will definitely get used. Pizza gift certificates or certificates to restaurants that will be showing the big game can also work. Also use football theme promotional giveaways with the business name on them, but DON'T put the NFL team's name on them! Big licensing no-no.
Chinese New Year and Jewish New Year Gifts
For some businesses and communities, alternate "New Year's" celebrations are even more important than the end of the calendar year. Two of the most widely celebrated are Chinese New Year (usually occurring in late January through mid-February, depending on the year) and Jewish New Year (also known as Rosh Hashanah, which occurs in early September to early October, depending on the lunar cycle).
Each of the cultures has traditions that need to be observed so as not to offend recipients. If you are not well familiar with the traditions, consult a marketing consultant specializing in these markets before purchasing gifts.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.
© 2013 Heidi Thorne