From the ancient merchants of Egypt, Greece, and Rome to the traders on the Silk Road, corporate gifting has a long and storied history. For centuries, savvy business people have used corporate gifting to strategically build lasting relationships, show appreciation for valued contacts, and make a memorable impression.

Corporate gifting is an enduring tradition for one simple reason: it works!

The Psychology Behind Corporate Gifting: Why it Works

In psychology, there’s an important principle called reciprocity. When you receive a gift, you feel like you should be nicer to someone or return the favor in the future with a gift of your own; that’s reciprocity. It’s not just a theoretical principle: it’s a tried and tested concept that plays out in the real world, whether amongst friends or business partners.

The reciprocity principle applies across relationships, industries, and contexts as an enduring principle governing human interactions. Reciprocity isn’t merely transactional; it contributes to building real and lasting emotional connections between gift givers and recipients. Reciprocity is a cornerstone of international relations, it’s a feature of social life, and it’s no surprise that it’s an essential part of marketing and business, too. Gift-giving creates positive memories between giver and recipient, leading to improved relationships and better brand recognition. 

Studies show that 43% of businesses report improved client retention after using corporate gifting relationship marketing strategies.

The ROI of Relationship Building: Measuring Corporate Gifting Success

Fond memories and emotional connections are nice to have, but when it comes to business, the results matter. For corporate gifting to be worthwhile, it’s got to generate tangible benefits to your business, and fortunately, it does. 

52% of businesses using corporate gifting report increased sales, while 43% report improved customer retention. Businesses using personalized, high-quality gifts report a 47% increase in customer engagement. Gifting can even boost employee morale!

Importantly, 83% of customers receiving gifts report feeling closer to the company that sent them. These figures show corporate gifting is far from a fleeting fancy: it’s an important strategic choice that can deliver lasting benefits to your business.

The Anatomy of an Exceptional Corporate Gift

Just any gift won’t do. While clients and employees alike are appreciative of a gift, not all gifts are made equal! At best, a mediocre gift will be forgotten, and at worst, it will be remembered negatively! To avoid creating bad memories and impressions, corporate gifts should be meaningful, thoughtful, and most importantly, aligned with your brand and its values.

Crafting a valuable and valued corporate gift needs time and consideration, and special attention should be paid to certain key areas:

• Personalization:Gifts should feel personal, like someone took the time to think about them, not something mass-market like a branded mousepad.

• Quality:High-quality gifts from off the beaten track convey a sense of importance, giving the gift psychological weight.

• Brand alignment:Gifts from businesses with similar values of quality, authenticity, and style turn your gift into an effective advertisement for your own company values, positioning you as authentic and memorable.

• Presentation: The gift experience matters, how the gift arrives, what it looks like all wrapped up in its packaging, and the experience of unboxing. When done right, unboxing can be a pleasure in itself, lending a much-needed wow factor to the gift that creates lasting memories and a positive association with your business.
  

Strategic Gifting: When, Who, and How Much

The best time to give corporate gifts is at milestone moments and large holidays. Leveraging the goodwill and cheer surrounding a large holiday links your business and gift to the event, creating lasting memories. Make important company milestones stand out with a strategic gift, and treat your employees to a thoughtful gift after they finish a big project, gestures that go a long way..

Gifting can also be used effectively during the client relationship-building process; a thoughtful gift after a quote for business or negotiations can turn a potential client into a solid ongoing engagement. A really thoughtful touch is sending a gift on a client's anniversary, not only does it show your appreciation, but it makes the client feel valued and gets them thinking about the work you’ve done together.

Gourmet Food Gifts: The Ultimate Corporate Gesture

Food is far more than just simple sustenance. It’s a powerful tool for bringing people together. It transcends culture and hierarchical barriers to create emotional bonds through shared experiences. 

A shared meal or a gourmet gift: it’s a primal, ancient ritual that’s bound people together since the dawn of time, and it can be leveraged to provide thoughtful, effective corporate gifts people appreciate far more than a branded company pen! High-quality, premium produce exudes luxury, and it’s a valuable, practical gift people can use and enjoy.

Virginia Ham: A Tradition of Excellence in Corporate Gifting

A country ham gift box from Padows’ Hams Co. is more than just a high-quality box of produce. Virginia country ham has a rich, unique flavor to go along with its rich, unique position in American history. It’s the quintessential taste of the South: packed with flavor, dripping with Southern charm and heritage craftsmanship. 

It’s uniquely American: a distillation of luxury Americana served on a platter for everyone to enjoy. It’s a versatile product, shelf-stable, and can be used to feed many different guests. 

Padow’s Approach: Crafting Memorable Corporate Experiences

Padows’ Hams Co. is a family business. We’ve been making traditional Virginia hams since 1936, and we’ve always understood the importance of customer relations. Our ham gifts are luxury, artisanal produce drawn from a strong tradition of heritage ham production from the earliest days of America.

Our corporate ham gifts are heritage products packed with flavor and traditional charm. Our gift hams are customizable, so you can deliver thoughtful, personalized gifts of mouth-watering, luxury traditional produce.  When you send a ham gift, it’s not just ham, it’s a taste of American history wrapped in a luxury package that says “you’re valued.” 

That’s the Padow’s Hams Co. approach.