9 Strategies and Tactics to Deploy Corporate Gifting Into Your SAAS Business
When working with another business, it’s easy to forget that you’re dealing with an actual person, not just four walls and a roof or an online entity. Because they are people, forming strong relationships with them is essential, no matter if they are local or based out of a company thousands of miles away. As a SAAS company, you know that building and maintaining relationships with your clients is a big key to your success.
But what can you do to stand out from the competition and cement those relationships? Corporate gifting is one strategy that can help set you apart.
This guide will teach you the strategies and tactics of corporate gifting so that you can put them to use for your business. You’ll also learn what types of gifts you should consider, and we’ll even list a few examples that we’ve seen work for other businesses.
The Top 9 Strategies and Tactics for SAAS Corporate Gifting
Giving a gift may seem easy, but there are many things to consider when it comes to corporate gifting for your SAAS business.
1. Connect Your Gift to Your Value Prop or Message
The first step is to decide what type of gift to give. There are many different options, so finding the right one for your client will depend on factors such as their industry, company size, and budget. But, it also depends on what type of company you are, what services you provide, and what message you’re trying to send.
For example, if you’re a SAAS company that sells project management software, you might want to consider giving a gift that helps your client stay organized and on track. A nice desk calendar or day planner could be a good option. Or, if you’re trying to promote your company’s collaborative features, you could give a gift that encourages teamwork, such as a group puzzle or game.
No matter what gift you give, be sure to include a note or card explaining how your gift relates to your company’s value proposition. This will help your client see the connection and remember your company next time they need SAAS services.
2. Make it Personal
Giving your clients a pack of golf balls with your logo on it is easy and fairly cost-effective. But, it’s not personal and likely not very memorable either. Once you’ve chosen a gift, it’s important to personalize it as much as possible. Add a handwritten note or choose a gift that is tailored to the recipient’s interests. If possible, try to coordinate the gift’s timing with an upcoming event or project your client is working on or a project you’ve worked on together in the past.
You want a gift that seems one-of-a-kind and shows your clients that you put thought into it.
3. Use Seasonal Holidays to Your Advantage
Seasonal holidays are another great opportunity to send a corporate gift. Many companies take advantage of the holiday season by sending out branded gifts, such as Christmas ornaments, holiday cards, and so on. However, you can also use other holidays throughout the year to show your appreciation. For example, you could send a summertime gift basket full of items to help your clients beat the heat. Or, you could send a back-to-school gift for people with children.
There are endless possibilities when it comes to holiday gifting. The key is to find a way to stand out from the crowd and make your gift memorable. If it’s something you just pulled out from your closet and threw in a bag, it’s going to send the wrong message.
4. Use Gifting Paired with Direct Mail Tools
Direct mail is a great way to send a gift to a client or customer. Even if it’s sent to the office instead of their home, it feels more personal to receive a physical gift in the mail rather than a digital gift through a computer screen. Using direct mail tools, you can keep track of addresses, gifts sent, and other pertinent information to provide relevant, personalized gifts to each person you hope to maintain or strengthen a relationship with.
Certain tools can even provide your team with a budget and help them track the results of their gift-giving practices. Over time, you can see the most effective strategies and tactics and which clients you may want to gift further or remove from your strategy completely.
5. Celebrate Wins with Your Clients
Everybody loves a winner! If you know your client just won a big account or you’ve both finished a big project that got amazing results, you should celebrate that win with them. Even if miles away, celebrating together is a fantastic way to solidify a relationship and link you or your business to their success.
It may even surprise them that you care enough to follow them outside the work you do together, which can increase their likelihood of doing more business with you in the future.
6. Give Gifts Based on Sales Cycle Stage
Most of us wouldn’t ask someone to marry us on the first date. Similarly, your gift-giving should be in line with where you and your client are in the sales cycle. For example, if you are at an early stage, providing an extravagant gift rather than something small and classy could scare them away before your relationship ever gets a chance to blossom.
Consider something personalized like stationary or a nice pen rather than an expensive bottle of wine or a weekend getaway for two.
7. Stay in Touch
The relationship shouldn’t end with a gift; you don’t have to get a gift every time you speak to your customers. Just as you would a friend, keep up with them throughout the year. Ask them how they’re doing and communicate about things other than work when it’s appropriate. Staying in touch keeps you and your business top of mind. So, you’ll be the first person they call when they need some SAAS work done.
8. Ensure You’re Not Leaving Key People Out
Knowing exactly who you should be building your business relationships with is vital. If it’s a big company, perhaps the C-Suite members aren’t the persons who make early buying decisions. It could be a director-level team member or department manager instead. Spending money and time on gifts for the wrong person leads to sunk costs and won’t help you very much come time for that company to make decisions about who to partner with.
Early on, you should ensure that you’re using your time and efforts on the right people, and if not, ensure that you connect with the people you should be connected with.
9. Don’t Expect Anything in Return
While it would be nice to have recognition or receive your own gifts, you shouldn’t expect anything in return–even their business. People are smart, and tactics like these are used on business owners and managers daily. If you make your gifts relevant and personal and don’t expect anything back from them, then it will provide you with more credibility and show them that you are genuine in your interest in building a strong relationship together.
Of course, if you court a new customer or spend years trying to build a relationship and it’s not going anywhere over time, then it may be time to let the relationship go and spend your time and resources elsewhere.
What Corporate Gifts are Good for SAAS Companies?
As a SAAS company, you can give your clients many different types of gifts, but some are better than others. Here are five to consider:
Customized Gifts
Customized gifts are always a hit with clients. You can customize them with the client’s name, logo, or other design features. This shows that you put a lot of thought into the gift and that you care about them.
Experiential Gifts
Recent studies show that experiential gifts are more appreciated and memorable than material ones. When able, turn your gift-giving into a full experience for the person receiving it. One way to do that is to give a gift they can repeatedly use in their office or home. Speakers, luggage tags, or AirPods make great experiential gifts.
High-Quality Gifts
If it’s cheap, it’s not going to help you improve your client relationships. Most likely, it’s just going to end up in a bin. Choose gifts that are high-quality and beautiful. Ensure that it’s something they’ll actually want to use and even brag to their friends about. Providing a wow factor is a great strategy, especially when your company’s ROI depends on it.
Celebration Gifts
Whether it’s celebrating a big win or your new partnership, celebration gifts can engrave your company into an in-the-moment experience for clients. When your client thinks of you, they should think of winning.
Unforgettable Gifts
The last thing any SAAS company wants is to be forgotten. Fortunately, if you’re getting your clients and customers an unforgettable gift, the chances of that happening go way down. For them, it’s a gift that keeps on giving. For you, it’s a gift that keeps your business going. An unforgettable gift should tell a story.
It should fit directly into your business relationship and provide plenty of reason for your customers to keep coming back to you time and time again.
Conclusion
Although we have looked at various ways to deploy corporate gifting for your SAAS business, it is important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one company might not work for another, and vice versa. As a business owner, it is up to you to experiment with different strategies and find what works best for you and your target audience.
With careful planning, dogged determination, and a willingness to try new things, you can successfully grow your SAAS business into something truly remarkable and put a few smiles on faces while you do it.
If you want to find something truly unique and learn the art of the corporate gift, check us out at Gilded Box. We offer craftsman-quality gifts on demand and within your budget. And we can help you build and maintain strong relationships with all your clients.