Corporate Gift Giving Etiquette - What to Give, When and How - a Small Business Perspective

by Sophie Charalambous

No matter how you define it, motivating and rewarding can be powerful tools, especially for small businesses whose results are generated mostly by people's performance.

Congratulate: a new promotion, a new baby, a wedding, the opening of a new office, the completion of a major project, meeting a deadline

Celebrate: a birthday, a business or personal anniversary, a holiday, a retirement, a new job, a successful project or proposal

Motivate: for difficult personal or business goal, an unpleasant task, boring work, problem solving, coming up with an idea

Promote: yourself, your product and services, colleagues, referrals for new business

Thank: for business, hard work, extra help, working overtime, opening doors for you

Cheer: during a serious illness or hospitalization, when a deal falls through

Apologize: for missing an important meeting or deadline

Above all, do not forget that one person's great gift can be another's horror story. To make sure your gifts are memorable � In a good way � and appropriate, learn some basic gift giving etiquette.up

1. Giving gifts year round to reward performance, results and to motivate, will have more impact than simply waiting to do so at the end of the year, where your gift will compete with many others.
2. Do not drop your gift program because of a weak economy. Your team needs the most motivation when times are bad.
3. Set goals for gift giving. Do you want to recognize employees? Thank customers for their business? Celebrate a company anniversary or milestone? Do not start giving unless you have a clear goal.
4. Make sure that the recipient's company policy allows gift acceptance. If that is a concern, send items that can be shared within the office such as: gourmet gift basket, industry trade magazine subscriptions, charity donations etc.
5. Find time to find meaningful, thoughtful gifts that fit the recipient. Do not assume that everyone likes things that you like. Keep in mind cultural, dietary and religious restrictions. Gifts should not be lavish or very expensive, but appropriate, timely and of good quality.
6. What you give is a reflection on you and your organization, so avoid sending inappropriate, tasteless, offencive gifts.
7. Try to include a personal note with every gift you send. Use a custom card and state briefly your purpose for sending the gift, offering your best wishes. A custom designed note card (4x6) will cost you around $99 for 500 but it will be highly appreciated.
8. Deliver gifts in person when you can, otherwise send gifts priority or express mail.
9. Consider the presentation since the first impressions are always important. Even expensive items might not have the effects you expect them to if they are presented in a tasteless way. Consider adding your company's logo on the paper and ribbon.