The top 5 corporate gifts for clients that always make an impression

Finding the perfect corporate gift is so much more challenging that sorting a gift for a loved one. The rules of the game are completely different because this isn’t about winning affection or showing someone how much they mean to you – it’s about winning business and keeping yourself at the top of the heap in client estimations.

A good corporate gift finds the middle ground between the personal and the professional and in certain cases can even act as a catalyst for a deeper and more profound business relationship.

The general thinking is to think in terms of scale – what is the purpose of this gift and what kind of relationship do you have with the client? If the client only spends £1000 a year on your services and you lavish them with a £300 gift then the numbers simply don’t add up.

To offer some guidance, we’ve put together a list of five corporate gift ideas perfectly suited to several different working situations.

Scale models

Whether your client has a fondness for classic cars or is something of a nautical enthusiast, there have never been more options when it comes to quality, custom models.

Perhaps you know your client has a boat they call their pride and joy? A quality scale model of that boat would be an incredibly personal gift and if they truly cherish it enough then they’ll hopefully keep it in the head office in clear view of everyone.

Gift cards

You could argue that there are few gifts quite as generic as a gift card. That is, of course, unless you opt for a gift card tailored specifically to your client.

Rather than picking up a generic Amazon voucher, why not indulge in something a little more bespoke? Perhaps a ‘golden ticket’ to a brewery tour or a cream tea? Or perhaps something even more unique.

Charitable donation

For one reason or another, material gifts might not always seem appropriate. If that’s the case, make a more benevolent gesture by making a charitable donation in your client’s name.

Not only does this help to communicate the values of your brand (because every business has one) but it might make them feel a little better about themselves too.

Free product

What better way to show off your latest innovation than to let your favourite clients be the first to experience it for themselves? Of course, this will depend very much on the value of the product and how much you value your client relationship, but there’s always at least some wiggle room to be found.

Custom gifts

Just about anything you can imagine can be customised (within reason), so why not use this to your advantage and give the gift of personalisation? From mugs and golf clubs to beach towels, guitar picks, and USB chargers – if it can be engraved or printed then it can be customised to create a completely bespoke gift for your clients.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as one perfect client gift. The truth is, there are hundreds of right gifts and hundreds of wrong gifts – the important thing, particularly when dealing with corporate clients, is that you can sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. They say one man’s rubbish is another man’s treasure and that adage certainly applies here.

The suggestions above are just that; a jumping-off point for your own ideas. Because, ultimately, the gifts you settle on should reflect not only who you’re gifting them to, but what you represent and what that client relationship means to you. It’s a tall order, perhaps, but it’s certainly not insurmountable. And a good gift truly is the gift that keeps on giving.