Where has the summer gone?! Your employees have just finished taking their summer vacations, and already it’s time to start planning the Winter season. With end-of-year goals to complete and social events to plan, the last thing you want to worry about in December is corporate gifts for your employees and clients.
Here are a few reasons why it is crucial to begin planning your corporate gift strategy now rather than later in the year.
Ensure You Get What You Want
Preordering your holiday gifts ensures you are not limited in your choice of products. It is inevitable that the later you design your gifts, the customization options, quantities and even color variety plummet. This comes down to the fact that many vendors, especially the small artisan ones, are already committed by the end of summer. It also makes sense that inventory in the last quarter months will be less than earlier on in the year. You also want to ensure that you spare yourself the inevitable shipping delays that come around holiday time.
Avoid Supply Chain Delays
The covid pandemic of the last few years, and this year's war in Ukraine has greatly affected the supply chain of many raw materials. This has been most felt by small artisan businesses who rely on raw materials being shipped on time to produce small batches of the finished product. By coming up with your gift ideas early on, orders can be placed early to account for such delays with vendors.
Avoid Holiday Stress
The holiday season can be a stressful time for many, so getting a head start will save you time later in the year when everyone has their hands full with other responsibilities. Many gifting companies book to capacity, so if you plan to outsource to a company, don’t wait until December or you might be turned away. Last-minute DIY internal gifts are not always thoughtfully designed or curated.
Give An Early Surprise
Employees have come to expect holiday gifts around late December, so why not surprise them with something a little earlier on? This can make a lasting impression that you value your employees enough to get ahead in the holiday gifting game. Rather than make recipients feel like an afterthought, let them know you are not only thinking about them but that you truly value them. Gifting in late November also allows you to encompass all of your employee's religious beliefs - whether they celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Yule, the Solstice or otherwise.
So……when should corporate holiday gifts be planned? Now! September is a perfect month to plan and order all your employee gifts for the holiday season. Our number one priority is to make your gifting process as streamlined, simple and stress-free as possible, right from the initial design through to delivery. Open communication and total transparency are key from start to finish - we never overpromise and underdeliver and will be open and clear on all aspects from our very first conversation to ensure all expectations are met and delivered. For more information please head over to our corporate gifting page.