Everything You Need to Know About Client Gifting
Client Gifting in Digital Marketing Agencies
You may not think about client gifting as a strategy tactic, but you'd be surprised at its impact on your agency and clients! As a Client Account Manager, you know that first impressions are everything. Having a gifting system in place can help set a positive tone for your onboarding, service management, and client relations in more ways than one.
Let's be honest; everyone loves receiving a gift, especially when it is thoughtful or a surprise! If you still need to get on the client gifting train, we are sharing everything you need to know about the importance of gifts in the digital marketing world and more!
Why Client Gifting Matters
Building client rapport is one of the most critical parts of the Client Account Manager role. You create the overall experience between client and agency, from onboarding to day-to-day engagement. A welcome gift to a new client starts the relationship with a cordial and warm gesture. As you get to know your clients over time, you become more familiar with who they are and can curate a list of more thoughtful presents.
Customized gifts have a magical power that lets clients know you think of them as not just a transaction but a valuable human being. You are making a digital experience more personal!
Clients have hundreds, if not thousands, of options when choosing a digital marketing agency. Make yours stand out! Differentiate your client relations experience from other agencies simply by sending client gifts (trust us, it works!). The small but mighty gesture shows commitment to a valued, trusted, and appreciated engagement.
Creating an established gifting cadence brings that WOW factor, leaving the client with an experience worth remembering. Ultimately, client gifting is a strategy you can include in your process to build solid, lasting relationships 🤝.
How to Create Your Gifting Cadence Strategy
We Client Account Managers pride ourselves on understanding clients on all levels. Use your people-person skills to create a solid system within your agency. If you are establishing a client gifting strategy with existing clients, do a quick review and pull everything you know about your clients.
List their interests, hobbies, personality traits, and any other unique quirks you remember about them. When onboarding new clients, be aware of these personal cues, ask them engaging questions, and jot down their responses. These answers will help you understand your clients on a deeper level, making it easier to choose more meaningful and impactful gifts.
But how do you know when to send client gifts anyway? The frequency can depend on multiple aspects, such as strategy, team alignment, and budget allocation. Start by noting essential dates like birthdays and one-, two-, and five-year anniversaries of working together. You can get even more specific by aligning gifts with milestones or achievements reached together throughout management. Meet with your team to think about the internal goals you want to achieve with client gifting. Do you want to increase client retention or enhance the client onboarding experience? Either way, client gifting is a positive investment for agencies of all sizes.
By the way, client gifts don't have to be business-related only! When you bond with a client, you'll learn about the good and sometimes the bad. Did someone lose a pet or have a baby? There is a thoughtful gift for every occasion 🎁.
Ideas for Choosing the Perfect Client Gifts
When sending a client gift, the main goal is ensuring it is relevant and appropriate. Simplify the criteria for the event and the general interests of the client.
Sure, you can quickly search online to find ideas that are all alike, but they can lack creativity. Put a bit of Client Account Management spice into it! Go the extra mile and find a tailored gift your client will love, use, and want. Here are a few extraordinary ideas we love:
Customized, curated gift boxes
Relaxation and wellness gifts
Tech items for productivity
Gift cards for food delivery
Industry-related books
Embossed notepads, pens, or glassware
Standardized agency-branded gifts proven to impress clients of all types can work well during onboarding
Ensure to personalize your gifts. Write a note; maybe the gift is related to an inside joke or getting over a hurdle together – include it! Use what you have learned about your client to customize your gift for a lasting impression.
Pro Tip: Keep a spreadsheet of gifts you've sent or good ideas you can save for later. Categorize them to help you quickly find them in the future!
Implement, Streamline, Measure, Repeat
Begin implementing a process that will make gifting a breeze. As you gather dates, resources, and tools for client gifting, revisit them monthly and quarterly. Confirm what milestones or special dates are coming up. If you are stuck on what gift to get, think of questions you can ask your client the next time you meet to help generate conversation. Keep it simple and considerate. Remember, client gifting can be affordable or small and still drive positive results. As cliche as it may sound, it truly IS the thought that counts 🌟!
As your client gifting journey grows, you will want to streamline by leveraging tools and software. Here are a few steps to get you started:
Plan ahead with a calendar and set it up with important client dates to take advantage of all gifting opportunities.
Set reminders and task automation for when these gift-worth dates are approaching.
Create a request form for your internal team and have one person manage the gift-sending process.
Create budgeting limits or tiers to match different occasions, timeframes, or agency sizes.
Setting yourself up for success will guarantee a seamless execution every time.
Most importantly, create a way to measure the impact of client gifts! Confirm receipt of the gift, gather feedback from clients, and observe their behaviors. Adjust your method or gifts depending on the input and data you collect. Your internal operations and analysis are as important as choosing the perfect client gift.
Begin Your Client Gifting Process Now
Now that you are locked and loaded with a toolbelt of ideas, get gifting! Take these steps back to your agency and begin implementing them today. You can almost guarantee that clients will be extra surprised by a thoughtful gift arriving at their doorstep. Plus, your agency will be impressed by the benefits client gifting will bring.
While you're at it, become a part of our CAM Community and unlock a plethora of client gift-giving ideas we know work. Your journey to becoming a client gifting maestro starts now!