Let’s be real: blasting the same gift to everyone is lazy, often awkward, and usually expensive. If you’re using gifting as part of sales, customer success, or employee engagement, you need to get smarter. This guide is for anyone using Corporategift who wants to stop wasting money on generic gifts and actually make an impact. Whether you’re in marketing, HR, or sales ops, this is how you segment your recipient lists for targeted, thoughtful gifting—with all the honest caveats you won’t hear from a sales deck.
Why Bother Segmenting Your Recipient Lists?
Before we get into the “how,” let’s talk about why. Here’s the short version: Not everyone wants the same thing, and people can spot a mail-merge job a mile away. Segmenting your lists lets you:
- Send gifts people actually want (or at least don’t hate).
- Avoid awkward moments (like sending a bottle of wine to someone who doesn’t drink).
- Stretch your budget further—no more burning money on gifts that go straight to the junk drawer.
- Track what works and what doesn’t, so you’re not guessing next time.
Sure, it takes a little more effort up front. But if you’re sending more than a handful of gifts, it pays off—both in results and in not looking clueless.
Step 1: Get Your Data Together
You can’t segment what you don’t know. Start by pulling together all the info you have on your recipients. This is usually the least fun part, but it matters.
What you’ll need: - Names and contact info (obviously) - Job titles, departments, or roles - Location (city, country, region) - Relationship to your company (prospect, client, employee, etc.) - Any relevant notes (diet, interests, deal size, key dates)
Pro tip: Don’t overthink it. If all you have is a spreadsheet, that’s fine. The key is to have something to work with. You can always clean it up later.
What doesn’t work: Don’t just dump your CRM export in and call it a day—most CRMs are full of outdated junk. Do a quick reality check: Is this person still at the company? Is their email valid? It’s worth the 10 minutes.
Step 2: Decide What Matters for Your Campaign
Not every data point is useful. Segmenting for gifting isn’t the same as segmenting for email marketing. Focus on what actually changes the type of gift:
- Role or level: Executives vs. frontline staff need different approaches.
- Location: Shipping a branded mug to a remote employee in another country? Shipping costs (and customs headaches) can ruin your ROI.
- Relationship: Are they a new lead, a loyal customer, or someone you want to win back?
- Preferences: If you know someone’s allergic to nuts, don’t send them a gift basket full of almonds.
Skip these unless you have time: - Hyper-detailed personas (no one cares about “marketing personas” here) - Birthday/anniversary fields if you’re not actually running a birthday campaign - Merging in piles of “maybe useful” data from other platforms
Stick to what will actually change what you send.
Step 3: Build Your Segments in Corporategift
Now for the nuts and bolts. In Corporategift, you’ll manage recipient lists and can use filters or tags to create segments. Here’s how to do it in a way that won’t make you want to throw your laptop.
3.1 Import Your List
- Go to your Contacts or Recipients section.
- Upload your cleaned CSV or spreadsheet.
- Map fields carefully—double-check email addresses and names.
Heads up: If you have duplicate records, now’s the time to merge or delete them. Nothing says “I care” like sending two identical gifts to the same person.
3.2 Create Custom Fields (if needed)
If you want to segment by something unique (like “VIP Status” or “Dietary Restrictions”), add those as custom fields. Most gifting platforms, including Corporategift, let you do this.
Tip: Don’t go overboard. Stick to a handful of fields you’ll actually use.
3.3 Build Your Segments
- Use filters to sort by department, role, location, etc.
- Save each filter as a new segment—name them clearly (“US Clients - Q2 Renewal,” “Remote Employees - Welcome Kit”).
- You can also tag people for more flexible grouping (e.g., “No Alcohol,” “Top 50 Prospects”).
What works best: Start broad (like region or client type), then get more specific if you have the data and time.
What to ignore: Don’t try to make segments for every possible scenario unless you have a huge program. You’ll just end up confused.
Step 4: Match Gifts to Segments
Now that you have segments, match them with gifts that make sense. Don’t just pick random swag—think about what fits.
4.1 Think Practical, Not Flashy
- Local vs. international: For overseas folks, choose digital gifts (gift cards, subscriptions) to avoid shipping disasters.
- Execs vs. staff: Don’t send the CEO a branded stress ball. For high-level contacts, consider something higher quality (but not ostentatious).
- Personal touches: If you know someone’s into coffee, send a good coffee kit. If not, skip the guessing games and stick to safe choices.
4.2 Avoid the Usual Mistakes
- Don’t send food if you don’t know dietary restrictions.
- Don’t send alcohol unless you’re 100% sure it’s appropriate.
- Don’t send company-branded junk to clients. It’s fine for employees, but clients don’t want your logo on everything.
Honest take: Most people would rather get a $25 Amazon card than a $40 branded water bottle, if you’re unsure.
Step 5: Launch, Track, and Adjust
Don’t just hit “send” and walk away. Track what happens and use it to adjust next time.
5.1 Use Corporategift’s Tracking
- Monitor delivery status—did the gifts actually arrive?
- Track redemption rates for digital gifts.
- If there’s an option for recipient feedback, pay attention. Even a simple “thank you” rate says a lot.
5.2 Ask for Real Feedback
- Send a short, informal survey (“Did you like the gift?”)
- Ask your sales or account teams what they heard back.
5.3 Iterate
- Drop segments that get no traction.
- Double down on what gets a good response.
- Don’t be afraid to swap out gifts if something flops.
Pro tip: Don’t chase the “perfect” segment. Sometimes, good enough is good enough. The point is to get better results, not to build a segmentation empire.
Common Pitfalls (and How to Dodge Them)
- Over-segmentation: Too many tiny segments = confusion and burnout. Keep it simple.
- Bad data: Outdated contacts waste money. Set a reminder to clean your lists every quarter.
- Ignoring feedback: If people consistently don’t redeem or say nothing, try something else.
- One-and-done: Segmentation is ongoing. What worked last year might flop now.
Wrapping Up
Segmenting your recipient lists in Corporategift isn’t rocket science, but it does take some up-front work. The key is to keep things simple: get your data in order, focus on what matters, and match gifts to real people—not generic personas. Don’t expect perfection out of the gate. Try something, watch what happens, and tweak as you go. The goal isn’t to impress your boss with a 10-tab spreadsheet; it’s to send gifts people remember (and maybe even thank you for). Start small, stay practical, and you’ll get better results—and fewer eye rolls.