The Difference Between ‘Seen’ Gifts and ‘Used’ Gifts

 

The current economic environment has driven companies to change the way they think about gifting. It is no longer about giving someone a gift; rather, businesses are now trying to give gifts that create value or relevance and encourage long-term relationships with their customers. 

The best companies recognize that there is a vast difference between a "seen" gift and one that is used every day. The difference is that one is a gift that you can look at or admire; the other is a gift that you can take advantage of and incorporate into your daily routine. 

The way a company manages its corporate gifting strategy can decide how effective it is at generating a return on its investment. If the gift is enjoyed for only a moment, then it will not produce value for the business; if the gift is continually used and adds value to the relationship, it will continue to strengthen the brand's reputation, trust, and appreciation for the company over time.

Understanding “Seen” Gifts

In many cases, corporate gift items become “seen” gifts because they focus more on presentation than practicality. Gifts as 'seen' typically have impressive visual aspects, including packaging, presentation and design, but they do not provide actual use or utility. 

They are often never used at all, because they do not fit into the recipient's regular routine, needs, or preferences.

Many corporate gifts are simply gifts that emphasise visual aesthetic over product usability; they create a fleeting positive impression at the moment of exchange, but create no lasting value for the recipient after that. As such gifts create a memory based solely on appearance, instead of who or what this type of gift created for them.

Understanding “Used” Gifts

The “utilitarian” aspect of a gift refers to how well it integrates into our everyday lives by having a functional purpose and providing added benefits in terms of ease of use and increased productivity, comfort, and convenience. Gifts fall into the “utilitarian” category because they become part of our daily routine and used more frequently than a decorative object would be used.

Companies that choose to give thoughtful gifts will see the greatest chance of the gift being utilized as opposed to being neglected and forgotten about. 

Gifts that offer practicality, durability, and usable value over time are what provide value to a company that provides gifts to their employees. This is why premium corporate gifts focus on functionality and everyday usefulness, not just visual appeal.

Why the Difference Matters

In a business setting, the goal of giving gifts isn't to impress people temporarily, but rather to strengthen relationships with them over time. Giving consistently used gifts creates several opportunities for ongoing interaction between brands and customers. Each time the gift is used it serves as a reminder of the organization's professionalism and thoughtfulness.

This is especially true when it comes to corporate gifting because companies want to create an emotional bond with their clients and create loyalty over the long term. Therefore, it doesn't matter how much money a company spends on a gift if the recipient does not use it.

The Role of Functionality

The factor most likely to determine the use of a gift is how functional it is. Gifts that help with day-to-day tasks, help facilitate wellness, or improve efficiencies in daily life tend to be more useful. Many corporate gifts do not solve a problem, and therefore fail. Successful gifts must address a single question: How will this improve the routines of the recipient?

If functionality takes priority, gift-giving moves from being a symbolic action to being a practical action.

Personalization as a Value Multiplier

A personalized gift can take a generic item and truly personalize it. Personalization reflects a person's occupation or position in life, their preferences and interests, and demonstrates all the effort that went into choosing this gift for them. 

If you send someone a corporate gift, people appreciate and actually utilize personalized gifts more than generic gifts because they are not viewed as "generic" or "mass produced." Personalization does not need to be extravagant; it only requires an understanding of that person.

Designing for Daily Life

Successful corporate gifting depends on how well a gift fits into the recipient’s everyday professional life. Organizations should consider how an item relates to people's everyday life in order for it to be used as a corporate gift. As such, corporate gifts should relate to the professional behaviors and environments of individuals.

Corporate gift items that fulfill genuine needs in the workplace help to develop a seamless routine with their inclusion and use. This is what creates a continuous brand experience through the giving of gifts.

The Role of Quality

Quality is what makes things last. Cheap gifts might be fine at first but they get thrown away fast. Good quality gifts keep working and looking nice for a long time.

That is exactly how luxury corporate gifts differentiate themselves. They really only need to prove their worth through the pleasure and longevity that come from them, not through their price.

Creating Brand Presence

Corporate gift items can serve to reinforce the brand through a recipient's use of the gift over time; this naturally creates brand connections. Premium corporate gifts strengthen this impact even further because they reflect quality, trust, and professionalism every time they are used. As recipients use their corporate gifts on a regular basis, they develop and maintain an ongoing association with your brand, reducing the need for advertising.

Symbolism vs. Practicality

While traditional gifts have been about things that represent times in our life (accomplishments, milestones, and celebrations), today's gift giving practices tend to place more importance on things that will help you be productive and comfortable at work. The best corporate gifts give emotional support as well as practical help.

Moving Beyond Cost

Money does not measure value alone. A fairly priced gift that the receiver appreciates on a daily basis is way more significant than a luxurious gift that ends up gathering dust.

That is the reason intelligent business presents focus on being relevant rather than on being lavish.

When Gifts Become Assets

A carefully selected gift becomes an asset and supports productivity, health and loyalty to the Brand. Well chosen premium corporate gifts develop long-lasting relationships between businesses and their customers.

Long-Term Relationship Building

Gift-giving strengthens connections between people through the creation of ongoing positive experiences.

Through repeated gifting, the relationship strengthens from a single instance to that of an ongoing engagement relationship.

The Strategic Advantage

Companies that really get the difference between gifts that are seen and gifts that are used, get a strategic edge. They get the most on gifting dollars by making sure the gifts are not only nice but can be used.

It's no longer about giving something nothing but impressive, but something that is impactful.

Why Dausto Is the Ideal Gifting Platform

Among others, Dausto is a platform that, from a professional gifting perspective, is responsive, reliable, and scalable. It enables companies to buy products in bulk while still ensuring consistency and quality. Besides, it offers a wide range of customization options so that each gift can reflect the business brand and audience perfectly.

Whatever the case may be: employee incorporation kits, holiday campaigns, or client appreciation initiatives, Dausto will make it easier for the companies to carry out the entire process. From choosing the products to branding and personalizing, everything can be done via one, convenient platform.

Furthermore, Dausto takes the lead in helping companies move away from just "seeing" gifts to actually "using" them by providing goods that are a perfect blend of functionality, quality, and design. The platform turns gift giving into an opportunity for brand building, which is the essence of strategic marketing rather than a mere routine act.