Promotional gifts have amazing power to build brands and communicate a message. But all too often companies don't pay enough attention to the way in which their customers / audience experience receiving the gift. Promotional gifts work because of the perceived value of the gift. This is what enables promotional gifts to change buying behaviour, increase loyalty and cement relationships.
Let's take an example of gold pen. 
The not-so-humble gold pen is a beautiful gift that we usually sell, laser engraved with a logo, for our clients to give to valued customers or staff. The gift itself is valuable and will be highly valued. Now imagine that you are the end customer receiving this gift. How would you feel if:
- We made cross town to collect the gift;
- We gave it to you in a beaten up brown box;
- And we got your name wrong?
Typically people would respond by either not collecting the gift or, having collected it, they would think the company and the product "cheap" and of low quality. This not an unrealistic scenario as too many loyalty or reward promotions around the world are done in this way. So presentation matters!
Get it right! It's easy.
When you plan your promotion, make sure you do 4 things:
- Buy a gift that is right for your customer.
- Ensure it is packaged nicely, because the packaging is the first thing they will see. Even cornflakes come in carefully chosen packaging. Gift boxes and gift sets have a huge perceived value and are often kept in their entirety.
- Get your customer's details right so they feel you know and care about them. That means checking your data.
- Make it easy for your customers to claim their gift (otherwise they may not bother and you will have wasted your money!)
