Survival Guide for the Last-Minute Gifter

Last-minute gifting? You are not alone. 

The good news is, finding a last-minute gift is easier than ever thanks to next-day shipping, streaming services, and subscription boxes.

When it comes to last-minute gifts, there are still ways to make the recipient feel special and unique through personalization and creating experiences. So before you go online and grab the quickest gift you can find, here are some tips to consider.

Think Outside the (Gift) Box

Gift cards give the recipient the freedom to choose what they want. If you go this route, you can still make the gift card personal. You don’t have to present it as-is from the grocery store stand.

Using a thin vinyl wrap, FUSION OF IDEAS’ StealthArmor branding solution allows you to personalize the front of the gift card with your company name or a unique design.

FUSION OF IDEAS' StealthArmor branding solutions help make gift cards personal and fun for your recipient.
FUSION OF IDEAS’ StealthArmor branding solution helps make gift cards personal and fun for your recipient.

 

Consider a Charitable Donation

What if a “perfect gift” does not depend on stocked store shelves or online warehouse supplies? 

A new study this year found that 59 percent of Americans would rather receive a donation to charity in their name than a gift for themselves this year. Contributing to a charitable organization can be personal, especially if it is a cause that the recipient cares about. Particularly after another challenging year, many are seeing the importance of supporting our communities and each other. 

Make it a Gift for the New Year

Make your gift one that rings in the New Year. It takes the pressure off the busyness of the holidays – for both the giver and the recipient – and sets a positive tone for the year ahead. 

Choose a gift like premium technology that is a year-round favorite and can be given at any time. 

A gift to welcome in the New Year creates excitement and anticipation for the year ahead.
A gift to welcome in the New Year creates excitement and anticipation for the upcoming year ahead.

Creating a Buzz with Customized Corporate Gifts

Through giving gifts of personalization, OpenJar Concepts, a Southern California-based hybrid marketing agency, has created a buzz among its clients and employees. 

It all began when the company one year, received a custom-branded holiday gift. The OpenJar team was inspired to give something customized and personal using its own logo and a catchy slogan. That year, OpenJar sought to give customized Beats Studio3 headphones as gifts to employees, each wrapped with custom gift wrap. 

“We are a full-service advertising agency, passionate about branding,” said OpenJar Concepts CEO Adam Warren. “We have come to enjoy the idea of branding products that live with our clients for long periods of time. It is tough to beat that kind of awareness.”

That same year was also OpenJar’s eighth anniversary. As a token of appreciation to its top clients on the milestone, the company distributed personalized Apple HomePod speakers and Apple AirPods as customer appreciation gifts.

Warren added, “FUSION OF IDEAS is an amazing way to help make our brand personal.  Our clients were so impressed by the customized holiday gifts we mailed out, that we have continued to utilize FUSION OF IDEAS to expand our catalog of gift items.”

The feedback from clients and employees sparked OpenJar’s plan to continue to give personalized, premium technology as part of their corporate gifting program. From smartwatches to even iPads, the company has since made quite a buzz through thoughtful gift-giving.

“I plan on using FUSION OF IDEAS every year to show appreciation to our clients for the business we have done together,” said Warren.

2020 Holiday Gifting Highlights

Customized wireless earbuds…smart speakers…UV smartphone sanitizers… wireless phone chargers…

Personalized insert tags with thoughtful messages from company leadership…

Individual shipping of gifts directly to recipient’s doorsteps…

 

These are just some of the creative and thoughtful gifting projects we worked on over the holiday season. We continue to be inspired by our clients.

Click on the video below to see a few highlights from our 2020 holiday gifting season.

For more on our Corporate Gifting program, visit www.fusionofideas.com/gifting.

Present Perfect: The Art of Corporate Gifting

A well-considered corporate gifting program can help celebrate employees for a job well done, establish and enhance your customer and vendor relationships, and promote activities that benefit the overall business. 

When choosing the perfect gift for your corporate gifting program this year, we put together our top three things to start thinking about before the flurry of activities hits the holiday season:

High-End or Budget? 

Even if you are the most generous person in the world, you are still operating a business within a budget. Whether you go luxury, conventional or somewhere in-between, don’t think you have to choose a high-end gift just because it costs more. Do it because you think that’s the gift the other person will appreciate. If luxury is the route you choose and budget is a concern, narrow your recipient list. 

There is an array of gifting options that fit budgets of all sizes. The hard part is finding one that speaks to your recipient.
There is an array of gifting options that fit budgets of all sizes. The hard part is finding one that speaks to your recipient.

Company Logo and Customization.

To logo or not to logo, that is the question. For many businesses, customized gifts keep the company name in the minds of recipients. When the item is practical and likely to be used every day – such as a calendar, pen, coffee mug, or tote bag – this amounts to free daily advertising. But there’s a tackiness quotient to consider. 

That being said, keep in mind that you can minimize the size of your logo and still have your brand printed but in a more subtle way. Second, customization does not have to come in the form of a logo. For example, you can personalize the gift by adding the recipient’s name. 

Adding your recipient's initials on their gift is a subtle and unique way to personalize the gift.
Adding your recipient’s initials on their gift is a subtle and unique way to personalize the gift.

Packaging.

We call this the unboxing experience. The unboxing experience triggers emotions and senses when the recipient opens the gift. The packaging, the gift wrap, the ribbon all matter. When done right, it can improve the way the recipient feels about the actual product because first impressions matter.

First impressions matter. A memorable unboxing experience can turn your gift from good to remarkable.
First impressions matter. A memorable unboxing experience can turn your gift from good to remarkable.