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The Importance of Corporate Gifting

Corporate Gifting.

Ugh. It just sounds stuffy and dull. When asked to write a blog on corporate gifting, I won’t lie. My inner child threw herself on the floor kicking and screaming in an epic tantrum, “Noooo! I don’t wanna! It’s so boooooring!” But it’s my job and my assignment so I mentally pulled myself together and a-googling I went. Boy, was I surprised by what I found. Y’all. It’s a BIG. DEAL. Seriously. And when done right, corporate gifting can have a tremendous positive impact on your business!

Benefits and Why It Matters

When hearing the term “corporate gifting”, many probably have the same initial reaction I did and think of trivial keychains, coffee mugs, pens, mousepads, and other knick-knack objects adorned with a corporate logo. Most of these items are functional, sure, but eventually end up in the back of a desk drawer, left on a shelf, or worse – tossed in the trash. It is vital for corporations to recognize the opportunity gifting provides to grow business, increase brand awareness, strengthen external and internal relationships, and create connections.

Most people enjoy receiving gifts. When an individual is recognized personally or professionally, it triggers feelings of value and worth. When a client is recognized, their business is acknowledged as valuable and worthy. These abstract reactions can easily morph their way into concrete results such as enhanced productivity, increased revenue, and an improved image for your company as gifting provides extrinsic motivation for an employee to continue excelling at their job, a client to boost interactions and transactions with you, or a vendor partner to expand their relationship with your company.

Corporate gifting done well can propel your company upwards towards intended goals by intensifying good first impressions, influencing decision making in your favor, and winning over customers. Many corporate businesses tend to focus on numbers and statistics, forgetting the human element that exists within the business. Gift-giving can help develop that human connection by engaging with and impressing clients, turning “numbers and statistics” into “people”, and creating stronger relationships between you and your clients. Corporate gifting done well sends a dynamic and compelling message to the recipients that: “We care about you.”

Structure & Strategy

Now that we have the big picture of why gifting matters, we need to narrow focus down to the main objective. The best way to do this is to “work backwards”. What is your end goal? To engage and retain? To develop a relationship? To say “Thank You”? Determining the objective will help structure the preceding process of gift giving. The strategy of gift giving is also important to ensure the recipient will focus on the idea that you care enough about them to remember, recognize, and acknowledge them for a special reason and you are not just after them for their business.

All relationships, both personal and professional, require nurturing in order to flourish. Letting those with whom you do business know that their relationship with you is of prime importance and something to be cherished is paramount to maintaining the bond and advancing the rapport between you. Prospective clients or customers want to be wooed into doing business with you. A well-timed, well-thought gift may provide the push needed to prompt an introductory phone call to learn more, schedule a meeting to discuss options, or even finalize a pending sale. Current clients and customers shouldn’t be taken for granted nor neglected and need to be occasionally reminded that their relationship with you is just as valuable now as it was when you starting working together.

We all know the statistic that bad news travels twice as fast. What if you could get good news to travel even faster than that? When people are treated exceptionally well, they like to talk about it. When a person feels valued, they like to share that experience. When a person receives acknowledgement, rewards, or gifts, they like to brag about it. Authentic and genuine corporate gifting includes all these elements and puts your company and your brand into the forefront of what your recipients discuss.

A note of warning – giving too many gifts too often will diminish the value of the gifts and have the opposite desired effect. Creativity and thoughtfulness along with a well-planned schedule of gifting will generate the biggest impact and greatest potential results.

Choosing the Gift

Now that we know the “where, when, why, and how” of gift giving, let’s take a look at the “who and what”. We’re not just talking stress balls and paperweights, y’all. It’s important to cater to the individual needs of the gift recipients whether they be internal employees, meeting or program participants, or sponsors. Research corporate profiles, study business trends, recall personal conversations, and use the information to ascertain what kind of gifts will be relevant and useful. Remember – the last thing you want is for the gift to be forgotten, lost, or trashed!

Having a large stash on-hand of “the usual” gift may be convenient and – let’s face it – cost-effective, but you’ll lose that little extra something that goes along with a unique and deliberate gift. By giving a gift that the recipient will find useful in their daily lives, you’re not just advertising your company via the logo stamped on it, but you’re advertising your company’s culture of observation, consideration, awareness, and tact. If your company can put that much thought and effort into a simple gift, how much more thought and effort will you put into the business relationship with the recipient? This is the mindset you want the recipient to have every single time they choose to use, or even just look at, the gift you gave.

For larger groups of recipients, choosing a personalized gift for each one may not be feasible, financially or otherwise, but that doesn’t mean it can’t still be thoughtful. Try to find what the majority has in common and work from there. It could be a similar job type, a geographical area, or even the average age of the group. For smaller groups, start the same way by finding a common trait among the majority and then find a way to make each gift as individualized as possible, even if it’s as simple as a name engraving or including a hand-written personal note.

Presentation

Think back to one of your favorite gifts you ever received. Chances are it was presented to you in a way that made the presentation itself just as memorable as the actual gift. Multiple studies have shown that gift recipients place a higher perceived value on gifts that are wrapped or presented in a creative way versus gifts that are simply handed over with little-to-no fanfare. Now think back to one of your favorite gifts you ever gave. Remember the anticipation you felt as the recipient received the gift, wondered what it could possibly be, then the dawning realization as the gift was revealed and the recipient favorably reacted? Part of the fun of gift giving and receiving is the anticipation and curiosity that builds as a wrapped gift sits in plain view, yet hidden.

Consider the “Voila!” moment a magician has when they sweep their cape around to reveal whatever they have made appear – or disappear. Hiding the “trick” is what creates the mystery and builds the expectations. If we could see how the magic trick is done, all the surprise and wonder would be gone and is wouldn’t be any fun to watch. Wrapping a gift creates the same feelings of drama and excitement until that big “Voila!” moment when the gift is finally revealed.

When it comes to corporate gifting, considering what kind of first impression you want to leave with the recipient is just as important as the lasting impression left. A great gift presented in a sloppy manner will not be perceived as high-value as a mediocre gift presented fabulously. Adding an extra personalized touch will also instantly make the gift more attractive, memorable, and valuable to the recipient!

Conclusion

So there it is. Corporate gifting in all its glory. Turns out it’s not so stuffy and dull after all. It’s a great idea and should be a part of every corporation’s policy but most companies have higher priority tasks to focus on than profiling other businesses, surveying options, and shopping for memorable gifts. If this is your dilemma, contact the experts to help you establish a customized plan that aligns with your business strategy.

At Galactic, we live by our founder’s motto: “People do business with people”. We believe corporate gifting should be used to show business partners that they are seen as individuals and not just numbers on a spreadsheet. Because it is an established part of our own business practice, we have developed vendor relationships with various companies nationwide that provide negotiated pricing and preferred shipping rates. We have customer service experts that will assist in selecting your gifts, promoting your brand, delivering your message, and making your recipients feel valued, all of which will help you keep your business booming!

You can successfully keep your company front-and-center in the minds of your clients, customers, and sponsors, drive your business closer to prosperity, and see higher profits by letting us help you create and develop your corporate gifting plan with smart and strategic gifting practices.

Contact Us Today!

America Awaits!

What is more American than hitting the open road with your favorite hat on, windows down and music blaring? Summer has just begun so you’ve got time to pack a cooler full and hit the roads - but one question remains: where to go? No worries, I’ve handpicked 10 of my favorite underrated small towns in America for you.

Perdido Key, Florida

"Perdido" means lost in Spanish but there is nothing lost about this place. Everything you love about Florida, minus the crowds, is tucked away here. Rolling white-sand dunes and stunning views of the calm Gulf waters offer the perfect getaway.

Bardstown, Kentucky

Bardstown is the second oldest town in Kentucky and is home to hundreds of buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Home to whiskey distilleries since 1776, bourbon has found its way into every nook and cranny.

Bisbee, Arizona

Nestled among the Mule Mountains, Bisbee is beautiful right now for many outdoor activities like walking through the heritage stairs and taking some gorgeous shots of the murals and landscapes!

Traverse City, Michigan

Traverse is known for its outdoor attractions and endless biking and fishing opportunities. Discover the radiant view of water, sky and sand dunes intermixed on the Lake Michigan shoreline at the Sleeping Near Dunes National Lakeshore.

Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Located along the state’s coastal highway is a small, European style town known for its old-fashion artistic vibe. Unlike many beaches in California, this one is more laid back and snuggled above a scenic white-sand beach where everything is within walking distance.

Clinton, New Jersey

This stunning small town embodies a painting in a museum. Stroll across the antique iron bridge, built in 1870, take in an unimpeded view of the 200-foot-wide waterfall and visit the Hunterdon Historical Museum, which has a collection of more than 40,000 historic artifacts.

Beaufort, South Carolina

Discover why the South is known for its Southern charm. Everything you can dream of is here. The colonial architecture, moss-laden oak trees, parks and Civil War-era homes will make you feel you are in a scene from a movie. If that’s not your thing come explore the nearby Hunting Island State Park and set your sight on the breezes of the white-tipped waves of the Atlantic.

Marfa, Texas

Marfa is known for its arts scene. This unique town is for those seeking a lifestyle of hipsters and nomads who have passed through the region over the years. Here you can stay in a 22-foot-diameter yurt with wood floors.

Astoria, Oregon

Explore Indian Beach, which is popular among beachgoers and surfers for its tide pools and breathtaking scenery. Just a few miles away visit Escola State Park and enjoy gorgeous views of rock formations.

Pella, Iowa

Founded by the Dutch immigrants in 1847, this town is home to Vermeer Hill, the tallest working grain mill in the country. Here you will feel you are in another country with Dutch influences from the tulip gardens, costumes, folk music and food.

I hope you are inspired and planning a trip soon or in the near future. Hitting the roads less traveled is a wonderful way to explore America. Explore iconic and historic towns, get close to nature or simply take a moment to take in the beauty this country has to offer. Safe Travels!

Let us get you there

Monetize Your Virtual Events

Ideals to Generate Revenue For Your Upcoming Virtual events And Meeting

In the wake of the pandemic, many meetings and events are taking place online. The opportunities to reach a broader audience have never been greater. As with many events, the key to any successful event is sponsorships. COVID-19 may have limited the opportunity to interact in-person but there are still ways to make a profit and attract prospective sponsors. Continue reading to learn how you can generate revenue for your next virtual meetings.

Email

Email i

s still one of the most powerful ways to communicate and connect with your attendees. According to the Content Marketing Institute, 93% of B2B marketers use email to distribute content and reaches about 85% of the people. In the email, you can include your sponsors’ websites along with news about them on your company newsletter or offer sponsors an email bundle deal where you can email featured content to attendees. 83% of B2B companies use e-newsletters as part of their content marketing program. (Content Marketing Institute) Also, you can do a post recap email. After each day of the virtual event, send an email with a recap to all your attendees with highlights stating “This event recap is sponsored by…”

Invitations

Receiving an invitation is always exciting. Invitations improve attendee satisfaction and build anticipation for the event. Virtual attendees will hold on to a printed invitation for a longer period, keeping the sponsor’s name top of mind longer than a meeting request sent online.

Virtual Waiting Rooms

Before the meeting or event begins, consider playing demos, ads or commercials. The sponsor can prerecord a short video or message for your specific event as well. This is a perfect place opportunity for your sponsor to get exposure because the audience needs a place to wait before the host starts the meeting. Be sure you are not just putting anything up for revenue purposes as people will catch on and get turned off. Make it have a call-to-action and be relevant to the meetings. Throughout the presentation, rolling sponsored logos could be displayed on the bottom of your live streams, or announcements can be periodically made stating the meeting is sponsored by “ABC” and/or “XYZ” companies. If there is a poll or statistic in your presentation, use that as an opportunity to involve sponsorships since people tend to pay attention to statistics.

Interactive Games

The beauty of the online experience is the ability to do so many different things. Consider interactive activities like a virtual scavenger hunt. This is an excellent way to engage attendees and provides a unique sponsorship opportunity. The scavenger hunt can be attendees going into different sponsored websites and finding facts and information such as the year the company was founded and the company’s mission statement is. A virtual scavenger hunt is a win for everyone involved. Not only is it entertaining but it provides vendors and exhibitors with additional lead generation opportunities and web traffic. Another idea is between sessions, you can hold quizzes, challenges, or competitive play to allow your virtual attendees to take a break while you highlight a sponsor. In return, sponsors can reach out to participants and offer them a discount code or small gift as a way of saying “thanks for playing”.

Food And Drinks

Catered luncheons and dinners used to be the highlight at any event. Consider partnering with local businesses to deliver a meal, coffee or a snack to each attendee. If you have attendees in many different cities, consider getting a sponsor to provide a discount code or coupon for Uber Eats, Grubhub, DoorDash or other delivery platforms so participants can order a meal or snack from their favorite local restaurant.

To increase engagement and to ensure participants attend the virtual meetings, you can ‘buy” your participants a drink. Participants that register by a specific date will be eligible to receive a beverage in a sponsor-branded box, or a small bottle of wine or glassware. Be sure to have non-alcoholic options available so all who want to participate are able.

Without a doubt, this is a time of unprecedented change in the meeting and events industry. The good news is that hosting a virtual event does provide a broader reach compared to a physical one. People are more likely to attend virtual events as there is are no airlines, no hotels, and far less money is spent on or by the attendees. With a little bit of creativity and planning, you can take full advantage of new opportunities with a virtual audience.

See how Galactic can support your virtual meetings!

Palo Duro Canyon

Jeanne Debo's Road Trip

My goal was to go to Palo Duro Canyon to see the outdoor musical, Texas. Little did I know it was scheduled to begin the weekend after Memorial Day but I had already made reservations for the weekend of Memorial Day. I didn’t get to see the musical show but what I saw was one of the most breathtaking shows, one that I will never forget; Mother Nature’s Palo Duro Canyon.

My husband, Vance and I rented a travel trailer and drove from Fort Worth to Canyon, Texas. It’s a six-hour drive so we arrived around 8 pm. There were no restaurants open for dine-in service in the town before we arrived. We set up our camp Friday night and had peanut butter sandwiches. The only restaurant we dined in that weekend was the one in the park with burgers and sandwiches. All the park staff we saw wore bandannas to cover their faces. We saw other hikers and campers, and even met another couple from Fort Worth, whom we saw multiple times throughout the weekend. Social distancing is easy when you are in a canyon. We also met a couple who had driven in from Kansas.

On Saturday we drove all around the park. It is much larger than the other state parks I’ve camped in. We had a map from the visitor center, and I’d mark where we were each time I found something. A tip for other first timers: bring your bicycles! I wish we had brought ours with us because the ride would have been wonderful. Later we went to the information center and the canyon overlook, where a map shows the name of the different monuments.

My daughter, Rachel had hiked the longest hike to The Lighthouse the weekend before our visit. She loved it, but she was tired after the ten-mile hike. Our campsite was at the bottom of the canyon, and it was amazing to look out over the top of the canyon and see all the colors-red rocks and green grass. It was stunning! We also read the history of some of the of the battles that had happened in the canyon. Palo Duro Canyon is also home to a few long horns who enjoy grazing the sunny, green valleys.

Saturday evening Rachel joined us at the campsite. We had dinner, played horseshoes and enjoyed each other's company. Before Rachel arrived it rained and then hailed so you could say she brought the sunshine. Each rain storm lasted about 15 minutes. We just sat on a swing outside and watched the weather- it was a magnificent show.

On Sunday morning we hiked into The Big Cave. It looked enormous from the road, and it was even bigger when we got inside. We saw a few people as we came out and another group going into the cave. A lady was carrying a baby, a few people were walking, and two guys had bicycles for a different hike My husband noticed that one of the bike's “quick release lever” on his wheel was not locked in and told him. Vance closed it for him. I don’t think the guy realized Vance might have saved him from his wheel falling off when he was flying through the air on a trail.

Rachel returned to Lubbock that afternoon on a one and half hour drive. Vance and I hiked to the Spanish Skirts that evening, looked at the stars, and watched the sunset. It was so beautiful everywhere.

On Monday morning it had cooled off just as we packed up and went home. It was such a magnificent trip and one not affected by COVID. There are so many beautiful places you can explore right here in America where you can still feel safe and practice social distancing. Happy Travels!

Reach out to see where in America you can venture next.

Engage and Motivate

Engage & Motivate

Get Your Workplace Reward and Recognition Programs Ready

The workplace may have changed due to COVID-19, but what keeps employees motivated remains the same. As we all adjust to the “new normal”, this is a great opportunity for employers to enhance recognizing and rewarding their employees. Providing computer equipment and conducting Zoom check-ins isn’t enough during the uncertainty and fear brought on by the pandemic. Now is the time to earn your employees’ trust and create a rewards and recognition system. If you already have one in place, take a moment or two to give it the makeover it needs to really work in today’s changing business landscape.

Humans tend to be quite simple in terms of finding motivation to get things done. For example, I can easily bribe myself to finish my daily tasks by telling myself I can end the day with a delicious doughnut.We all can muster up enough motivation to do something – either with a reward or recognition on the horizon, or simply because it takes us one step closer to reaching our goals – we get things done. Keep reading for some ideas to start or improve your workplace rewards and recognition programs.

1. Create an open and fun virtual workplace culture

Embrace the current situation and let your employees know it’s okay if kids are in the background and dogs are barking. Make efforts to include the new work-life balance by posting fun pictures of each other’s new work stations and pajama-ready office attire. Avoid scheduling meetings first thing at 8 am and refrain from doing conference call check-ins to make sure your employees are working. Give them flexibility and autonomy during these challenging times and in return they will feel more valued and trusted. That is the ultimate reward.

2. Promote health

Continue to send out regular communications and helpful tips to keep your employees’ mental and physical states healthy. Encourage employees to do virtual happy hours and virtual team building activities with each other so they feel connected and not isolated. Forbes.com reports that Amazon offered unlimited paid sick leave during the month of March for those who tested positive for COVID-19, and dozens of health insurance companies are waiving all fees for COVID-19 testing. For the complete list from Forbes of what some companies are doing for their employees, click the link below.

50 Ways Companies Are Giving Back During The Coronavirus Pandemic

3. Recognize in public

Celebrate wins and successes through some type of internal or social platform. Everyone should be able to view, share, and participate in the recognition process. Employees will feel more connected if they can share and celebrate the goals they achieve – thus driving motivation. Peer recognition works if you make it public, use consistent methods, make it part of your office culture, and make the reward an experience – not cash. When done right, it is more meaningful and memorable. According to Psychology Today, an employee study shows recognition matters more than money and 76% of employees in the study found peer praise “very or extremely motivating”.

4. Encourage and support professional growth

One way to reward employees is to give them tools and opportunities to grow and develop professionally. This could include free or discounted classes or courses that would benefit their current job roles and help them harness and develop new skills. If possible, provide paid time off for your employees to participate in these courses. This will not only show them you are invested in them and their careers, but will also instill in them a loyalty to you for providing them with the opportunity to enhance their qualifications, which in turn will show during their performance reviews and likely result in bonuses or raises. This is a great way to motivate employees to be more productive!

In the midst of COVID-19, it is more than ever to keep your employees engaged and happy. As a result, you will continue to further your business and get positive results. Engagement and motivation can be built even during these challenging times.