Corporate gifts are often generic, quickly forgotten and sometimes never used. A little personalisation can change that.

A corporate gift has a slightly difficult job.

You may be thanking a client, welcoming an employee, celebrating the end of a project or marking an important relationship. But unlike a birthday gift for a close friend, you may know very little about the person receiving it.

That is often where corporate gifting becomes generic.

The same bottle, hamper or branded object is sent to everyone because it is the easiest option when you are buying for people you do not know personally.

But you do not need to know someone extremely well to make a gift feel more personal.

A detail you remember, a choice between a few options, their name on the wrapping or a card written specifically for them can make the difference between a corporate gift and a gift from your company.

 

Start with the person, not your logo

It is natural to think about what a gift says about your company. The presentation should feel appropriate, the quality should reflect your standards, and the gift may need to work within your brand guidelines.

But the person receiving it still has to want it.

Would we still choose this if our company name wasn't on it?
If the answer is no, it may be more promotional merchandise than a gift.

That does not mean your company should disappear. Your identity can live in the card, the wrapping, the selection of products or a subtle detail rather than being the main reason the object exists.

 

Use what you know

You may know more about the recipient than you initially realise.

Perhaps a client always talks about hiking. Someone on your team loves drawing. A business partner has just moved house. A colleague never starts a meeting without coffee. A client mentioned that they are taking a few days off after an intense project.

Those small pieces of information can give you a direction.

And when the relationship matters enough, it can be worth asking someone who knows them better. Their assistant, colleague or the person managing the account may know exactly what they enjoy.

You do not need an elaborate profile of every recipient. Even one relevant detail can make the gift feel like it was chosen for a person rather than selected for a mailing list.

 

When you can't personalise the gift, personalise the details

Individual selection is not always realistic.

If you are sending gifts to an entire team or a large client list, you may need one composition that works for everyone.

But the objects do not have to be the only place where personalisation happens.

Add the recipient's name or initials. Write a card that explains why they are receiving the gift. Refer to the project you completed together. Let the person who actually knows them sign the card. Or, when possible, let recipients choose between a few options.

Even when the gift is the same, the experience of receiving it doesn't have to be.

 

Think about what happens after they open it

A corporate gift should have a life beyond the moment it arrives.

Will the chocolate be eaten? Will the cup become one they use every morning? Will the candle go home with them? Will the game come out at the weekend?

Useful does not have to mean another notebook, pen or desk accessory.

Sometimes usefulness is simply that something creates a good moment.

That is why combinations can work particularly well. Chocolate with handmade ceramics. A creative activity with everything needed to actually sit down and do it. Something for the outdoors with something to enjoy afterwards.

Instead of asking “What can we send?”, think about “What could they actually enjoy doing with it?”

Corporate gifting at Maison Myrthus

Maison Myrthus corporate gifts can start with one of our existing gift sets or be composed around the people you are gifting to.

Depending on the project, gifts can include personalised cards, names or initials on the wrapping, eligible embroidered products and special requests.

We can also help you choose a composition that fits the recipient, the occasion and your budget. Contact us at contact@maisonmyrthus.ch for more recommendation and information on our offer.

The goal is not to make every corporate gift completely different.

It is to make the person receiving it feel like someone thought about them before the gift was sent.