3 Pointers Guide To Custom Corporate Gift and Promotional Gift In Singapore

Before you explore on popular corporate gifts ideas or research on the cheapest promotional gifts, it always help to have a decision on which direction fits your marketing strategy and campaign objectives. Both of these categories are useful in their own ways. Most importantly would be how can these gifts be utilised fully and generate the best results. Fred not, we have came up with 3 big main guide pointers to help you making the right decision! 

1. Identify Your Recipient

Identifying your recipients is an essential step to helping you choose between a promotional or corporate gift in Singapore. It is important that you understand the profile of who your target audience are before choosing the final product. Knowing who they are will then be able to help you pick a suitable product that attracts them.

For instance, if you are promoting a cereal product that its target audience is the children, you can’t pick an umbrella as the promotional gift. Instead, a cute and colourful lunch boxes might then be able to attract the children’s interest and attention. Here is the example we have done for Fairprice new launch:

In summary, knowing who your recipients are will help you choose between a corporate gift or a promotional gift. Ask yourself, are you trying to strengthen a long term and targeted relationship (corporate gift); Or do you want to get your brand into as many ‘new’ hands as possible (promotional gift)?

2. Know Your Budget, Quantity & Quality Expectation

The purpose of a customised corporate gift is to show appreciation and enhance corporate image. As well as create goodwill among customers, employees, suppliers and essential stakeholders. Gifts under this category are usually higher in value, bought in smaller quantities and given to recipients to acknowledge a specific event. As corporate gifts are intended to show your recipients how much you value them; more thought and personalisation is required to be successful.

For example, a custom metal pen printing personalised with the engraving of your employees’ name is a morale booster. Most of the time it will be well appreciated by your employees. A metal pen works better than a plastic pen as a corporate gift due to its higher physical attributes and perceived value. Another example would be having individual name engraved on stainless steel mug. It is not only for hygiene purpose for able to differentiate each other’s mug, but also give the receiver a sense of identity.

The price and quality of these two types of gifts are noticeably different. The differences between corporate gifts and promotional gifts lie in a few factors. Corporate gifts are meant for high valued recipients. Although they are usually being bought in lower quantities, the products are of a higher quality with a premium touch to them. This is able to justify its price point. Custom corporate gifts are also used as a form of investment. You can invest in higher quality gifts to give to prospective clients, new or old, as tokens of appreciation. As well as to sustain or nurture for business opportunities in the near future.

Promotional items, on the other hand, are often bought in larger quantity. As they are meant for a wide audience, these products only serve its intended functions. Therefore, promotional items come in from a ‘quantity over quality’ perspective.

The high quantity however, works in favour for a different type of investment. There is minimal research, analysis and budget on the choice of promotional gifts as well; as long as it is generally relevant to the campaign and able to engage and attract attention. For instance, a shopping campaign encouraging people to shop can include promotional gifts as giveaways at a very low cost for the company.

In summary, knowing your budget is important in filtering your options for either of the intended purposes. They help you decide the price and quality of products that you are paying for, ultimately allowing you to choose the better option between corporate or promotional gifts.

3. Set An Objective of Your Campaign

Determining your objectives early on in the process of gift giving will help your decision better. On whether a corporate gift or promotional gift is more appropriate for your intended event. Customised corporate gifts are meant to help you show appreciation and maintain long term relationships. This could apply to new and prospecting clients or existing employees. Your goal would then be to make them feel valued. These products should be the ones that are able to make your recipient feel like they are being looked after. This promotes client and employee recognition that will score points in the loyalty department.

The main and general goal of customised promotional gifts is to create brand awareness. Unlike corporate gifts, promotional gifts aim at a wider audience. Therefore, gift printed with brand logo or a tagline will usually suffice.

Promotional gifts are walking advertisements that help boost your branding by building brand awareness. The different occasions define the objectives of the promotional gift. They are most commonly used as giveaways for events and campaigns. You are will be able to leave an impression each time someone uses a product with your brand’s logo.

For example, if you are targeting a mass market of families at a food fair, you will need promotional products that have more practical usage like a custom printed utensils set. In this context, the set of utensils is able to leave a lasting impression due to its relevance to the event and high usability. As compared to another promotional gift like powerbank printing. The set of utensils will appeal more to families. Hence, ultimately contributing to building your brand awareness.

Customised promotional gifts are usually items that are very handy. If you are the person who is giving these items away, you should be able to strike a conversation as soon as the promotional gift is in their hands. As such, you can use them as instant engagement tools to encourage the recipients to buy another product that your company may be promoting at that point of time.

For example in the context of a blood donation awareness campaign, an electronic device may not be relevant and engaging enough. In fact, a powerbank may have a reverse effect towards recipients who may think that there is an ulterior motive when giving out such a high quality corporate gift.

In contrast, if you use a colorful custom printed stress ball as a promotional gift, the psychological effects are different. Recipients see the stress ball as a sign of fun and may be more willing to take part in the blood donation drive.

In conclusion, promotional gifts should be products that you give without considering too much nor specifically targeting individuals. Your recipients should be able to receive the gift with opens arms without feeling skeptical about it. While corporate gifts are meant to be given as tokens of appreciation.

Knowing your objectives will help you choose between corporate gifts or promotional gifts. Once you have clearly defined what your objectives are, you will be able to find a gift that is relevant to your purpose.