If you're in B2B sales, client success, or marketing, you know sending a thoughtful gift can open doors or salvage relationships. But at scale, it gets messy—tracking addresses, picking gifts people actually want, and making sure it all feels personal, not like a mass email blast with a bow on top. This guide cuts through the fluff and shows you, step by step, how to create personalized gift campaigns using Corporategift—without losing your mind or your budget.
Who This Guide Is For
- B2B teams trying to build real relationships (not just pad their CRM).
- Anyone tired of generic swag and looking for a smarter way to send gifts.
- Folks who want to avoid rookie mistakes and wasted spend.
If that sounds like you, let’s get into it.
Step 1: Get Clear on Your “Why” (and Don’t Skip This)
Before you even log in, ask yourself: Why are you sending gifts? Is it to thank customers, get meetings with prospects, reward referrals, or just because you saw your competitor do it? Be honest.
What actually works:
- Clear, specific goals (e.g., “We want to revive 50 stalled deals this quarter.”)
- Knowing your audience—are these cold prospects, warm leads, or long-term clients?
- A budget you’re comfortable with. Don’t let gifting eat your entire Q2 pipeline.
What to ignore:
- “It’s the holidays!” as your only reason. Blanket gift campaigns with no purpose usually flop.
- Gifting for the sake of gifting. If you can’t tie it to a business goal, wait.
Pro tip:
Align your campaign with a moment that matters (renewals, milestones, or a thank-you after a big project) instead of a random calendar date.
Step 2: Build a Clean Recipient List
Personalization starts here. Garbage in, garbage out.
How to do it: - Export your list from your CRM or wherever you track contacts. - Double-check that you have up-to-date names, emails, and—if possible—addresses. - Segment your list: Are you treating top clients differently than new leads? You should.
What works:
- Fewer, better-curated recipients. Quality beats quantity every time.
- Adding fields like “favorite snack” or “hometown” if you have them—these can come in handy for real personalization.
What to ignore:
- Outdated contacts. Don’t send gifts to people who left the company last year.
- Giant lists with no segmentation. It’s lazy and obvious.
Pro tip:
If you don’t have addresses, Corporategift has “gift link” options—your recipient chooses where the gift goes. This saves you from awkwardly asking for home addresses (especially post-pandemic).
Step 3: Set Up Your Campaign in Corporategift
Now, log in to Corporategift and start a new campaign. The interface is decent, but not magic—expect a learning curve if it’s your first time.
Key steps:
- Choose the campaign type.
- “Send Now” for immediate gifts.
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“Gift Link” if you want recipients to pick their own gift or enter their address.
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Upload your recipient list.
- Use their CSV template. Triple-check column headers—if you mess this up, the import fails.
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Map fields carefully, especially if you want to personalize messages later.
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Set your budget per recipient.
- Corporategift lets you cap spend for each person. This is your friend—use it.
- Don’t get upsold on “premium” options unless you have a clear reason.
What works:
- Testing with a small group before blasting your entire list.
- Taking your time with recipient matching and custom fields.
What to ignore:
- Add-ons you don’t need (fancy packaging, handwritten notes) unless they fit your goals and budget.
- The default “corporate” message. Always personalize.
Pro tip:
Corporategift sometimes pushes bulk gift cards. They’re easy, but not personal. If you want to stand out, pick something more thoughtful—or at least let recipients choose from a curated set.
Step 4: Pick the Right Gifts (and Don’t Overthink It)
Here’s where most people get stuck. There’s a temptation to agonize over every option. Don’t.
What actually matters: - Relevance: Does the gift match your recipient’s interests or your brand? - Quality: Cheap swag feels cheap. One solid gift beats a box of branded junk. - Choice: Letting people pick from a shortlist usually feels more personal than guessing.
How to use Corporategift’s catalog: - Use filters to narrow by budget, category (food, tech, experiences), and even values (eco-friendly, women-owned, etc.). - If you have recipient data (like dietary preferences), use it. - Avoid heavy branding. Your logo on a mug isn’t memorable; a note from you is.
What works:
- Local or unique gifts over generic Amazon cards.
- “Gift collections”—pre-curated bundles—if you’re short on time.
- Adding a personal message, even if it’s just a sentence.
What to ignore:
- Overly elaborate gift “experiences” unless you know the recipient will use them.
- Branded kits unless you’re sure they’ll be appreciated.
Pro tip:
If you’re stuck, ask yourself: “Would I want to get this from a vendor?” If not, keep looking.
Step 5: Personalize the Message (This Is Where the Magic Happens)
The message is at least 50% of the impact. Don’t let it default to “Happy Holidays from Company X.” You can do better.
How to nail it: - Use the recipient’s name (obviously). - Reference something specific—a recent conversation, a shared project, or even their city. - Keep it short and genuine. No need for flowery language.
Sample template:
“Hi [Name], appreciated your insights at last week’s meeting—here’s a little treat I thought you’d enjoy. Hope it brightens your week!”
What works:
- Specificity. It shows you care.
- Humor or warmth if it fits your brand.
What to ignore:
- Overly formal or generic notes.
- Trying too hard. If it doesn’t feel like something you’d actually say, rewrite it.
Pro tip:
If you’re sending to a large group, create a few different message templates and rotate them based on segments or relationship stage.
Step 6: Launch, Track, and Iterate
You’re ready to go. Hit send—but don’t disappear.
What to do next: - Monitor delivery and redemption rates in Corporategift’s dashboard. - Follow up with recipients who haven’t claimed their gift after a week or two (a quick, polite nudge works wonders). - Track outcomes. Did you get more meetings? Closed deals? Thank-yous? If not, tweak your approach.
What works:
- Using gifting as a conversation starter, not a replacement for follow-up.
- Learning from what flops. If nobody cared about the branded water bottle, don’t send it again.
What to ignore:
- Vanity metrics (number of gifts sent). Focus on real outcomes—meetings booked, deals progressed, relationships built.
Pro tip:
Corporategift’s reporting is basic, so keep notes elsewhere on what worked and what didn’t. Over time, you’ll build your own playbook.
Quick Reality Check: What Not to Expect
Let’s be real—no software can make a generic campaign feel personal. Corporategift is a tool, not a silver bullet. Some recipients won’t respond (or care), no matter how much you spend. That’s normal. Don’t take it personally, and don’t let your budget get out of hand chasing “wow” moments that probably won’t come.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Ship, and Tweak
Personalized gifting is a test-and-learn game, not a one-time slam dunk. Start with a clear goal, send a few thoughtful gifts, and see what happens. Cut what doesn’t work and double down on what does. If you keep things simple and stay genuine, you’ll get better results—and save yourself a lot of headaches (and cash).
Ready to get started? Log into Corporategift, keep this guide handy, and don’t overthink it. The best gift is the one that feels personal, not perfect.