The power of your brand isn't just about what your customers think about your company. A smart corporate gifts will be a perfect compliment your external marketing efforts and include your employees. While you are at it, include your business partners, not just the companies that give you money directly. Use gifting opportunities to ensure your employees and friends get as enthusiastic about your company as you want customers to be!

What will work and won't work is really something decided by the approach you're going to take. Approach a corporate gift precisely as you would any other promotional giveaway, using them to market or brand internally, if you want to go the safe route. Use the same mentality, to a certain extent, with this corporate gift as you would with a regular promotional opportunity. Something that will be used or be present on a daily basis in your employee's workspace is number one. Everyone needs a clock or a calendar, and these are both fine additions to an employee's workspace. Chances are you'll need to think of something a little different, because so many companies hand these things out like candy. Maintain the brand you're representing to the outside world in your internal promotion. Promotional products are available for this purpose, sometimes even providing web site space specifically to corporate gifts!

Personalized gifts, ones that go beyond a simple company logo stamped on a promotional product, are the other road to take. In this case, you'll aim for something that ties in directly to the particular office culture you've developed. Make your employees feel appreciated by tapping into that culture! Give away a corporate gift that shows you're in the loop, perhaps referencing a common customer type or inside joke. It might be more difficult to get a feel for what's right in bigger offices. In that case, it might be best to make separate purchases for each department and target each little niche. Make sure every "boss" is included in the purchase decision. The sales manager and IT managers will both have different ideas for a good gift.

What exactly is a personal approach, though? Why take it over the easier internal marketing and branding idea? When things are made more personal, you're giving out something that will mean more to your employees. This can also backfire, for the same reason. Handing out something generic and safe like a logo foam bat is one thing... no one will really have much of an opinion or feel let down. An insulated wine bag has more meaning, but will annoy the folks who don't drink wine or are actually unable to due to personal reasons. All of the employees in a winery, on the other hand, will probably not take an issue. Every company has its own culture, so the most effective corporate gifting will be from someone who knows the shape of it. Its shape comes from the employees, managers and product or services involved. Unless you're confident that you really get how your employees think, it may be best to stick to the internal marketing approach.

Go ahead and make your clients happy with smart corporate gifts using these recommendations while you're at it. You'll have all your bases covered, then. Happy clients and happy employees will mean happiness for you all!