The axiom about good things coming in small packages reminds people that things of great value don’t need to be large. The latest gifting trend the corporate world has adopted is that things of great value don’t need to be “things” at all.
Rather than show appreciation to high-value customers, key employees or essential channel partners with merchandise, corporate leaders are choosing gifts of experiences. From massages, to motoring around racetracks in Formula 1 cars and everything in between, experiences are proving to be more memorable, and thus more impactful, according to company leaders we heard from.
Network Republic, a global IT hardware reseller serving clients from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies, pivoted about five years ago from presenting important clients with branded merchandise to gifting unique experiences. One channel partner told founder and CEO Philip Stoelman it was the best gift he’d ever received from a vendor.
“We did a culinary experience package for a longtime channel partner last year in lieu of swag and it sparked a dialogue that culminated in an expanded contract with that partner,” Stoelman said. “My experience is that people forget about a tangible gift in weeks, but remember a shared experience for months. For a business that is based on long-term relationships around the globe, that difference is more important than any product we could send.”
The trend of gifting experiences aligns with a desire expressed by an increasing number of people to simplify and enrich their lives by decreasing the amount of possessions they have and increasing the number of experiences they enjoy. (Consumer purchasing statistics don’t necessarily reflect this on a widespread basis, but perception does become reality in some respects.)
Big and Getting Bigger
The Business Research Company estimates the corporate gifting market reached $886 billion in 2025 and will exceed $1.3 trillion in 2030. It’s a staggering number, even considering it includes low-cost branded promotional products that are considered giveaways more than corporate gifts. The Business Research Company corporate gifting forecast includes expansion of employee recognition programs, client retention and loyalty initiatives, seasonal and festival-based gifting, and corporate gifting subscription models.
Daniel Park, markets editor at NYC Business Pulse, tracks how New York companies leverage gifting to deepen client relationships and boost employee morale. In the current corporate landscape, experiences like private chef dinners, Broadway show access and exclusive museum tours are gaining traction among New York firms. “These offerings allow companies to stand out in a saturated gifting market and create memorable, shareable moments that foster loyalty,” he said.
Park said the trend of gifting experiences is especially notable among financial and high-tech companies. He believes the shift reflects a broader demand for authenticity and connection in business relationships.
“I see a move away from branded swag toward curated outings, often tied to local culture, as a way to reinforce brand values and support local businesses,” he said. “For sales and marketing leaders, experiential gifts offer double value: recipients report higher engagement and companies benefit from the network effects when attendees share their experiences on social platforms.
Measuring Success
Of course, return on investment is a mandatory component – or should be – of any business investment today. Measuring ROI of corporate gifting can be tricky since the concept of gifting is you’re not seeking much of anything in return.
One thing you can expect from a gift recipient, however, is a thank-you. The degree to which gratitude is delivered is a good assessment of the perceived value of your gift. Trust your gut on this one.
Steve Case, a financial and insurance consultant at U.K.-based Insurance Hero, said response to the gifts of merchandise and gift cards they used to give channel partners and key customers was minimal. When his team switched to gifting spa day vouchers and tickets to sporting events, they received enthusiastic expressions of gratitude – and the payoff has been obvious.
“Our partners have stayed longer with us and brought more business to us. It’s so clear we don’t need a spreadsheet to know,” Case said in an email.
The retention that Case mentions is a common objective of business gifting. Other goals include deal acceleration, increasing employee morale or loyalty, increasing brand affinity, or simply getting a first meeting with a key prospect. As with any business effort, it’s important to clearly define the goals of a corporate gifting campaign ahead of execution. And while a clear ROI can be elusive, these are steps you can take to get a sense of whether a gifting effort has paid off:
- Run an A/B comparison – Whether your objective is accelerating deal close, increasing spend from current clients, or getting all-important initial meetings with top prospects, you can measure the discrepancy between a group that received a gift and a control group that did not. Be certain to include the same quality of prospect in each group for a fair comparison.
- Pre/post comparison – Track a client’s behavior – spend, engagement, loyalty – before and after receiving a gift. Don’t ascribe 100% of response to a business gift, as many factors may play a role.
- Take note of soft signals – Expressions of gratitude from corporate gift recipients run the gamut. Have your sales reps make note of the responses they receive for a gift and trust the signals if that response is especially positive or negative. Any thank-you that is stated more than once is a good sign it hit the mark.
As the AI tool Claude states, gifting ROI is rarely as clean as ad-spend ROI. The goal isn’t a perfect number, it’s a defensible, consistent methodology you can compare period over period to see if the program is trending better or worse.”
Tailor Gifts to Recipients
Gifting experiences rather than merchandise often makes it easier to tailor a gift to the individual recipient, which is a vital component of successful corporate gifting. Fruit baskets and other food gifts have landed with a thud for decades. It has never been easier to learn a recipient’s personal interest with the intent to create a gift of an experience that aligns with their interests. Look at their Facebook or other social media profiles for clues on what they do when they’re not working.
“Our team believes that personal connection matters. It tells our employees we care about their lives and interests, not just what they produce during business hours,” said Eric Turney, owner and sales and marketing director of The Monterey Company, a supplier of promotional products. “The key is being creative and unique. A rafting trip may be perfect for one employee, while another would value a Taylor Swift concert much more. The thought behind the experience is what makes it memorable.”
If you’re unwilling to invest the time into finding out individual recipients’ likes and dislikes, it’s a pretty good sign that your corporate gifting effort will not stand out.
“There is a simple rule we follow: If the gift could be given to anybody, it shouldn’t be given to anybody at all,” Michael Benoit, founder of California Contractor Bond & Insurance Services, told us.
