The "Power of Multiples" With Corporate Gifts
Corporate gift giving is not the same as in person,
personal gift giving. There are certain rules you must abide by, ensuring
that what you get is appropriate and appreciated. Inside jokes are less
common and almost all corporate gifts – even those that are provided to
people that work within the company – tend to have a branded logo on it in
order to encourage greater business and brand recognition.
But though these gifts may be different, there are
also some similarities. For example, much like with personal gift giving,
corporate gifts are best given when someone least suspects them. Much like a
gift for a lover or companion, a gift that one does not expect is the best
way to show someone you care about them.
There are other similarities between the two as
well. For example, the more you are willing to spend, the more likely you
are to make a positive impression. Though there are always cases where this
is not true, in general a cheap gift is less appreciated than one that is
valuable, unless a considerable amount of thought went into the present.
One final similarity occurs with a little known way
of increasing the impact of the gift. It is the power of multiples, and it
is something that is extremely effective in both personal gifts and
corporate gifts, though rarely known or used in either scenarios.
What is the Power of Multiples?
When someone opens a present and receives a gift,
their initial reaction is their only reaction. Receiving an interesting gift
in the mail allows them to feel thanks, but not much else. Single gifts
allow for positive feelings, but people rarely dwell on those positive
feelings.
But human beings have an affinity for quantity. If
you pair a great gift with a lesser but no less interesting second gift, it
immediately makes the first gift look much better, and extends the good
feelings of the gifts for much, much longer.
This is true in business gifts as well as personal
gifts. If you provide a 2nd gift with the first gift – even if it
is of significantly less value and possibly even less use – the first, more
expensive, greater gift tends to be appreciated for far longer, vastly
improving the impact of the gift.
What Are These Multiples and How Many?
All you need is one additional gift to create a
greater impact. The marginal value of 3, 4 or five gifts instead of simply
one additional gift is slim and not worth the ROI. But getting a second gift
is extremely valuable, and something you should strongly consider with your
corporate gifts giving practices.
What you choose as the second gift is less
important. It does not need to be nearly as expensive, but it should still
be professional. Best practices are something very useful or something fun
that does not need to make as positive of impression as the first gift.
Useful and fun make the individual happy, while the expensive gift makes the
individual feel impressed and appreciated. Combining these two types of
emotions will instantly improve the effectiveness of the gift.