Whether you’re celebrating the various seasonal holidays or the end of a successful year, corporate gifting is an age-old tradition. 

However, that isn’t to say there’s not obvious room for improvement within the corporate gifting space. Where once an annual office pizza party or a gift card was considered acceptable, modern trends demand an elevation of the corporate gift to something a bit more custom. 

Corporate gifting is important because the act of giving and receiving a gift strengthens a bond in any relationship, and businesses can build positive brand associations through corporate gifting. The concept of corporate gifting goes back to ancient times when gifts were exchanged during business deals as an act of goodwill.

Today, corporate gifts maintain their importance in the workplace. They can hold a highly effective ROI in terms of employee loyalty and satisfaction as well as brand recognition, depending on the customization of the gift that is given. 

Customization and uniqueness 

Modern corporate gifting trends are more customized and unique to the gift recipient. When it comes to corporate teams, customized apparel is much like uniforms from one’s favorite sports team. They speak to team unity and alliance, and serve to make people feel included and accepted. 

Henry Ma, CEO of Garmeo — a leading print and embroidery on-demand company — has seen the effect giving custom apparel as a gift can have on a professional relationship. “Customized gifts are a great way to show appreciation to employees and clients alike,” says Ma. “They also serve to help build stronger relationships and brand recognition.” 

Ma’s team at Garmeo has created a customer-centric approach to custom-branded apparel, allowing easy access to unique products with no minimum order requirements, and a wide range of apparel options that are perfect for any corporate culture. “Companies bring their designs to Garmeo, and Garmeo makes the custom design a reality,” Ma says. 

Garmeo makes customization simple for busy corporate teams by letting them choose a product, upload their custom design, and place their order. Garmeo staff inspects every item to ensure quality is up to their rigorous standards, and 100% satisfaction is guaranteed. 

“We’ve put everything we know about customer service, entrepreneurship, and creativity into the Garmeo platform,” Ma explains. “We have custom-built the experience to mimic exactly what we would like to see as customers.” 

Gifts they will actually enjoy 

After weathering the uncertainty of the pandemic together, many business teams have doubled down on team building and camaraderie. New research has shown that simply feeling like part of a team can increase employee engagement and productivity. 

When employees are given branded apparel, they feel a deeper sense of belonging as part of the team, and their uniquely branded shirts, hats, and other items signal that belonging. These gifts are ones that all employees will enjoy and could even positively influence the company as a whole. 

Given Garmeo’s ability to be fully customizable, the design of a logo or branding art can easily be turned into a team-building exercise. Perhaps a company could task their employees with getting creative to come up with designs to place on a shirt or other apparel to help usher in a new year or announce a new product or service. The contest itself will spark friendly competition and the winner gets the thrill of seeing all of their teammates wearing their design. 

“The opportunities to bring people together through the gift of custom apparel are endless,” Ma remarks. “They are limited only by the imagination of the company or organization leadership.”

Building trust and recognition

The positive effects of custom apparel stretch far beyond the happiness it can bring to the receiver of the gift. Custom-branded apparel increases the awareness of your brand each time it is worn. 

When an employee receives a cozy sweatshirt emblazoned with your logo, they will want to wear it out and about when the weather gets cold, and each time someone sees that logo, a new awareness of one’s business is born. Custom apparel also helps businesses stand out from their competition. 

“By gifting custom items to their staff during the holiday season — or anytime — you help each employee set themselves apart from the crowd,” Ma notes. “A thoughtfully designed garment is eye-catching and helps tell the world that your organization puts thought and care into everything that they do.”

Going with custom apparel for corporate gifting this holiday season is a cost-effective way to build your team’s engagement and make your brand more visible. That’s why Garmeo has dedicated itself to making the gifting of custom apparel, on any scale, easier and more accessible, becoming a part of every customer’s story. 

Published by: Martin De Juan