Corporate Gifts and Corporate Gift Ideas To Wow Clients and Employees

Cassy Aite
February 17, 2024
Corporate Gifts and Corporate Gift Ideas To Wow Clients and Employees

Creative corporate gifts for employees, clients, or prospects are the perfect way to help you forge strong relationships with a personal touch. They combine thoughtful gestures and functionality and build bonds outside business deals and operations — all reasons why this $242 billion business continues to generate growth and demand.

Presents are an excellent way to show gratitude, but think outside the box if you want to find the perfect corporate gift and truly stand out. Discover what makes a great business gift, plus a roundup of unique corporate gift ideas you can explore this season.

What Makes a Great Corporate Gift? Corporate Gift Ideas To Ponder

Several types of corporate gifts on a table

If you want to purchase the best employee or new client gift or wow partners or stakeholders with a thoughtful item, you shouldn’t opt for the generic or mundane. Corporate gift-giving showcases your creativity and personifies your relationship with the giftee. To say it more profoundly — the more effort you put in, the more likely you will see reciprocity of feelings and trust.

Putting that into perspective requires an outsider’s subjective and objective perspective. Before you dive into corporate gift ideas, contemplate these aspects.

Thoughtful

Great corporate gift ideas should have an element of thoughtfulness. The unique component of a thoughtful gift shows you've put genuine interest and effort into finding something terrific.

Ask yourself a few questions that can help you narrow down what a great gift might entail:

  • What does the person love?
  • How can you make the gift special?
  • Is this something that they would find helpful or use regularly?

Answering or mulling these questions while thinking about corporate gifting ideas can push you toward the perfect gift that leaves a lasting impression.

Relevant

Remember which occasion you’re celebrating because different circumstances will require different gifts. If Christmas time is approaching, consider a creative corporate holiday gift themed for the season. If you’re searching for a client or employee gift for a birthday, a little investigative work in their interests is integral. Or if you’re working with an eco-friendly company, sustainability in your gift can elevate the overall impression.

Consider the context of who you’re buying the gifts for, as a gift for a new hire or new customer would differ from a long-time client or employee.

Personal

Everyone has different tastes, so tailor your corporate gift options so everyone receives something they enjoy. Depending on who you’re buying for, a custom gift is ideal, combining the idea of a personalized gift with something unique.

Curate your following corporate gifts to reflect these ideas and send a personal message. Personalization is always best for corporate gift ideas, from handcrafted luxury corporate gifts for an important client to gadgets for IT employees to charcuterie plates for the foodie in your office.

Professional

The perfect gift is also professional, regardless of whether it's for clients or employees. Think about how people will react on receiving them; if you believe there’s a chance they’ll feel even slightly uncomfortable, go a different direction.

You should also balance your corporate gifts in terms of price — even if 20% of companies spend $1,000 or more on seasonal gift purchases. If you give appreciation gifts like coffee mugs with your corporate logo to several employees, don't give others Apple AirPods, fitness trackers, Bluetooth speakers, high-end chargers, or something outrageously costly. Spend equal time and money on each gift to avoid jealousy or favoritism. Balance is key.

Brand Awareness

Brand awareness is another vital aspect of corporate gifts. You don’t always have to gift company swag, but it can act as a walking billboard if presented correctly. Tastefully emblazon your logo on various items, but consider gifts that the giftee would use frequently. Doing so reinforces your brand while taking your advertising campaign to the next level at a discounted cost.

17 Creative and Popular Corporate Gift Ideas

A person handing another person a gift in a brown box with a blue ribbon

Custom corporate gifts are an invaluable way to show appreciation, commemorate an occasion, or celebrate a milestone or holiday. To avoid the generic or something that comes off as thoughtless, here are some excellent corporate gifting ideas that will leave an impression.

1. Virtual Experiences

Rather than doing a traditional in-person event, take on a modern twist by making it virtual. Swap traditional swag and promotional products with fun virtual team gifts like escape rooms, scavenger hunts, digital tours, and online concerts. These employee team-building ideas make virtual gift experiences captivating — even for remote teams.

2. Useful or Personalized Desk and Office Supplies

Various office supplies make practical corporate gifts, whether that person works in the office or from a home office. Adding a personal element can significantly increase their value to the individual.

Get someone’s name engraved on pens or notebooks, which they could use every day at work. Or, give your employees or clients customized stationery that will bolster your brand loyalty every time they write.

Another unique office desk feature is a wireless charging stand. They’re easy for people to charge their phones at work without taking up much table space, making them convenient corporate gifts for anyone. Desk clutter can be even more of an issue for remote employees, so this small addition is useful, practical, and one of the best corporate gifts for workers.

3. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Noise-canceling headphones improve virtual meeting etiquette by providing smooth audio regardless of the noise. You can follow the meeting, and everyone can hear you better. Earbuds are superb corporate gift ideas if you want something more affordable, but both are sure to please the recipient.

4. Office Plants

Workers are always looking for ways to spruce up their home offices, and plants provide aesthetic, calming, and healthy benefits. Potted plants like bromeliads or succulents add a splash of color, improve air quality, and boost morale and productivity. They are low maintenance and soft on the wallet, making them excellent corporate gifts for your team.

5. Coffee Subscriptions

Thank the coffee lovers on your team for their hard work by ordering them a coffee subscription. Keep the order options relatively simple, or send a corporate coffee gift basket. Virtual coffee is not going away anytime soon, so hop on the trend and encourage your employees to enjoy a few free cups of Joe.

Another idea is to purchase Starbucks bulk gift cards. With so many options and available delivery via subscription, everyone is sure to find something they like.

For employees who don’t like coffee, a subscription for tea, hot chocolate, or a combo of the two works just as well for corporate gift ideas.

6. Beer or Wine Tastings

Several wine glasses poured for a wine tasting

Beer box sets or bottles of wine make a classy addition to corporate gift boxes, but why not go beyond that and organize a fancy tasting session or virtual happy hour?

This creative concept mimics traditional post-work cocktails but will also please your clients' and employees' adventurous taste buds.

7. Reusable Water Bottles

Promoting eco-friendly and healthy values in your company is always a savvy move. Reusable stainless steel water bottles curb the daily waste of single-use plastic bottles while encouraging self-care, hydration, and overall wellness.

Add a company logo on the bottle to have people instinctively think about your company whenever they grab a drink.

8. Catered Work Meals

Buying a meal for someone has long been a staple of corporate gift ideas or employee recognition, but the push toward remote work has forced many to think creatively.

Hoppier is a convenient solution, as our virtual e-gift card system lets people choose from various vendors who will promptly deliver the food gifts to each person — simplifying the catering process and delivering a positive experience for everyone enjoying the meal, whether it’s a snack box, ham n’ cheese hoagie, brownies, or gourmet food.

9. Tote Bags

If you have more than one gift in mind for someone, getting them a high-quality tote bag allows you to maximize your creativity. For an added touch, Include some affordable goodies, such as small chocolate samplers, keychains with tools, golf balls, or other person-specific items. Consider it a fun spin on the gift basket cliché, transforming one present into a combination of gifts for the recipients to enjoy.

10. Company-Branded Items

Branded items from your company are corporate gifts that work well for anyone, regardless of the occasion. Employees can wear branded clothes with pride as members of your organization while feeling comfortable at their home workspace or the office. This promotional gift idea will maintain your business visibility if the items are for clients.

11. Online Fitness Classes

Encouraging physical activity is a positive corporate stance, so offer your staff free virtual fitness classes. This gesture highlights your interest in their health and well-being, which leads to improved employee morale and a model company culture. It’s one of the best, most unique corporate gift ideas, especially if you have a remote or geographically distributed team.

12. Wellness Packages

Several lit scented candles on a table surrounded by lavender

Wellness packages are timeless corporate gifts. They embody the idea of self-improvement and show you care as an employer or business associate.

Possible items include toiletries, scented candles, cozy blankets, bath bombs, or tea bags. Go the extra mile to show people you care about their mental and physical health, and you’ll leave lasting impressions that foster even more substantial business relationships.

13. Charitable Donations

Some people feel inspired by acts of compassion or volunteerism. So, if you have no clue what corporate gifts suit a particular person or client, demonstrate your kindness and give back to the community or worthwhile cause through a charitable donation. Ask each individual if a specific cause or foundation matters to them, and follow it by donating in your recipient’s name.

14. Digital Gift Cards

Cash is often considered a thoughtless gift, but virtual gift cards don’t get the same notoriety. Socially acceptable and free from any gift-buying errors, gift cards simplify the problem of the hard-to-buy-for VIP, client, or employee. Make sure you consider each person's unique interests and maximize your creativity.

Hoppier virtual cards are a great example because you can personalize them however you’d like as a sincere way to say thanks and celebrate together.

15. Handwritten Letters

Handwritten letters are a lost art in today’s increasingly digital world, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of style. Personalized notes are inexpensive yet deeply meaningful gestures, making them a perfect complement to other corporate gift ideas.

Employee appreciation matters more than ever in the workplace; showing thanks through handwritten letters is a genuine way to do it.

16. Stylish Leather Accessories

Leather wallet, belt, and watch with leather band on top of clothes

Leather has always been synonymous with durability and quality — making leather goods perfect luxury corporate gifts. Send employees stylish, high-end, full-grain leather accessories like a business card holder, backpack, or wallet/purse, and add a debossed logo or monogram to make them love the gift even more.

17. Branded Drinkware

Branded drinkware is an excellent addition to a gift set or a standalone gift for the holiday season. Insulated tumblers — like Yetis or Embers — keep their drink hot or cold, while wine gifts with branded flutes or wine glasses are elegant additions to celebratory dinners — and superior luxury corporate gifts.

Hoppier: Personalized Corporate Gifts Everyone Will Love

The best corporate gift ideas are ones that create memorable experiences. Using Hoppier will do precisely that.

Our virtual card system is highly customizable and provides a long list of gift options so that there's something for everyone to enjoy. Create an account, upload some money onto your customized cards with your company's name, and send them to your team members.

Hoppier client virtual gift card

Even if you’re planning to get individual gifts for your team or clients, Hoppier can be a simple add-on to virtual parties or provide individual incentives for people.

Don’t worry about people not spending the allotted money you provided on their virtual gift cards. We offer full refunds or credits to future Hoppier cards, and we’re flexible to ensure our system gives you the least stress and most fun possible!we're

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