How do you make the most of your marketing budget? Any marketer will tell you that the key to getting the most mileage of your finances is to choose activities that offer high ROI value. A corporate gift-giving program offers excellent ROI in many different avenues on the marketing spectrum. For just a bit of pocket change, you can catch the attention of your best prospects, woo them to visit you at a trade-show booth, keep yourself in the forefront of their minds, trade on their loyalty and turn them into adverts for your services. All it takes is a little planning and foresight, and some insight into the type of gifts that will grow legs and run for your business.

Obviously, gift-giving is no substitute for offering excellent service and quality products, but when you make corporate gift-giving a part of your marketing tool chest, you’re showing that you understand your clients and have their interests in mind. Here are five times in the business relationship when the right corporate gift – and presentation – can help your company score big on memorability points.

1. Introduction
Introduce yourself in style with a classic, useful gift to hook your potential client’s attention. Marketing a new product – or an old product to a new market – calls for special tactics. An eye-catching promotional gift can be just the ticket to arouse interest and spark curiosity about your product or services. Choose a corporate gift that accents or highlights the advantages of doing business with you, and makes it easy for your prospects to remember your name and contact info.

2. Trade Show Giveaways
Trade shows and conventions are ideal opportunities to market your company – but you’re not the only one wooing your potential customers. It’s easy to be forgotten in the mélange of information that attendees will be gathering. The solution? Offer a takeaway that your new contacts will take home and use every day. In fact, offer a range of takeaway gifts based on the commitment of time that your prospects make. You might offer an inexpensive key ring to anyone who stops by your booth, a mid-range emblazoned pen for those who sign up to your mailing list and an eye-catching USB flash drive to those who sit for a half hour presentation of your products and make an appointment for follow-up contact.

3. Holiday Gift Giving
Holidays offer an excellent chance to stand out above the competition. Choose classy classic or contemporary gifts that tell your customers how much you value their business. At holidays, the most appreciated holiday gifts are those that are not perceived as promotional marketing materials. One rather unique corporate gift idea - paired red and white wines with a bespoke customized label branded with your product or company name.

4. Thank You Gifts
Follow up on a sales appointment or a big sale with a “thank you for your time” gift. Corporate thank you gifts are a great way to show appreciation and cement relationships with key customers. Choose something functional that your customer will use often, and you’ll get the added bonus of extra advertising when he or she flashes your name on a pen, business card holder or carry bag.

5. Employee Recognition
Not your employees – your customer’s. Busy executives often rely on the judgment and advice of their secretaries and executive assistants. Acknowledge them with a gift that makes their job easier or more fun, like this novelty computer mouse with little floating ducks, fishes or custom shapes.