A lot of hard work goes into cultivating successful relationships with your clients. After all, while delivering quality products and services goes a long way, it’s only a part of what goes into pleasing your clients. Clients, especially those who spend a great deal of money with you, often expect a tad more than the obvious, i.e., excellent customer service, ethical business practices, etc. One thing that is a great way to sweeten the deal with your clients, and is all too often overlooked, is corporate gifts. Some entrepreneurs and business owners refrain from giving out corporate gifts as they don’t want the item being misconstrued as a bribe. However, that seldom is the case (outside of government contracts), and tokens of appreciation are actually an essential component of your relationship with your clients.

Here are just a few reasons why you might want to start thinking more about budgeting for and giving more client gifts.

A gift can help you bridge any divides

No matter where your clients might be in the world and the type of culture that they come from, I’m sure that most will certainly appreciate receiving a gift periodically. Even if they are very far away from you geographically, they might feel a lot closer once they receive their gift.

It makes your relationship more open

As soon as your client receives a gift, it provides an opportunity for them to open up and communicate with you. After all, they will no doubt want to get in touch with you to thank you for their fantastic present. When they do get in touch, you can then use this as your chance to discuss important work and future projects with them.

It helps reinforce your company’s branding

When it comes to sending business gifts, you have the chance to deliver something to your client that is personalized and representative of your unforgettable business’s branding.

Gifts may be tax deductible

Of course, always check with your accountant before making the assumption that you don’t have to pay any taxes on them. Typically there are tax rules regarding client gifts, and it behooves you to know what they are to avoid getting in trouble with the tax man!

So, as you can see, there are many different advantages and benefits of giving out business gifts to your clients. But what’s just as important is knowing exactly should you get for your clients. If you have never given business gifts before, then you might not be too sure of what constitutes a great gift that will wow any client. Well, no worries, as here are some of the more common options.

Gift Baskets

One of the most popular business gifts for clients is a gift basket. These are especially great if you know exactly what your client likes because you can then fill it with their favorites. Even if you aren’t too sure whether your client would prefer fruits or chocolates, there will still be a wide range of other available items that you can please them with. There are many more specialty baskets on the markets these days, such as ones filled with beers and fine wines. Most basket companies will give you the chance to personalize the message on the card that is placed inside, so make it special. If you order far enough ahead, you might even be able to get your company logo printed on the card as well.

Custom Water Bottles

Most of us know about the importance of staying hydrated in the office, and we often encourage our employees to drink plenty of fluids throughout the work day, especially during the warmer months. Therefore, some of your clients would be very pleased to be gifted a delivery of custom water bottles that they can give out to their team. Make sure you get your own company’s logo added to the bottles so that they won’t be able to forget where they came from. For all your printing needs, you will be able to go to your local print shop or use one of the many online printing companies. Most will be able to print your logo directly onto a bottle but, if not, they will be able to print customized labels that you can stick onto your bottles.

Coffee Blends

Coffee is a trendy commodity these days, so there is no wonder that lots of small businesses are on the caffeinated bandwagon. Many small and medium-sized companies now have specialty coffee companies making blends just for them. They then give this out to their clients as gifts. You might want to send them a bag of coffee with some delicious scones to go with it as well. If you don’t want to go to the expense of having your company’s own blend of coffee created, then you can always simply buy regular coffee and have it packaged in branded gift wrapping paper.

In a competitive business market, it pays more than ever to consider giving client gifts. Stay memorable. Remain #1 in the minds of your customers. Goals!