In this competitive business world it makes sense to grab hold of every opportunity to stand out. A welcome pack or ‘handshake pack’ is one way to do this and is a strategy that can be applied for staff or clients.
What’s a handshake pack?
This can take any size or form but is basically a way of saying ‘Welcome aboard’ and showing that you care.
Consider an employee who is joining your organisation. Their handshake/welcome pack could include any of the following:
- Personalised with their name a Journal, pen, or drink bottle
- Personalised reusable cup with the local café coffee voucher
- Lanyard & Security tag
- Branded backpack
- Hoodie and a pair of funky socks
- Cap or beanie
- Facemask & hand sanitiser
- Coffee mug / reusable coffee cup, personalised or branded
- Wireless earphones
- Power Charger or Cable
- Desk plant
- Laptop Stickers with company values
- A voucher for your corporate store so they can choose their own items
You can see there is almost no end to the ideas of things to include in your pack. Sharing it will help your employee to feel extra special as they come on board. They will also feel like one of the team with their company branded items. This can go a long way to help them hit the ground running.
Have the pack ready at the employee’s desk their first day, give it to them during orientation, or have it delivered to their home office. Check for your teams’ thoughts on their welcome pack gift as part of your annual employee satisfaction survey to get new ideas and see how well your strategy is working.
Welcome packs for clients
If you complete a large deal, it is always beneficial to welcome your clients with a proper thank you. They will be spending a lot of money with you after all.
Most of the ideas from the employee handshake pack can be repurposed for a client welcome pack. Try to get creative and share products which are relevant to your business. There is no end to the items that can be branded these days.
Sharing a gift lets the client know they are so much more than a number to you. It reminds them that you care about their experience with your business as well as the products or services they receive. This strategy can be helpful to generate referrals, especially in social media days when people love to share.
Present your items in a beautiful box or basket to add to the appeal when it arrives.
Extra-newbie welcome packs
Some companies have welcome packs for the tiniest arrivals. Branded baby onesies, bibs or toys are a nice gift for new parents when they pass this major life milestone. Sending some items to celebrate a new arrival can help keep team members connected to their workplace during their parental leave (in a positive way of course).
No need to stop there
You don’t have to give all your great company swag away in your handshake packs. Another strategy is to create a series of packages which can be shared at different times during someone’s relationship with the business.
Start with a few essentials then create additional packs for anniversaries, promotions or project sign-off.
You may also run promotions periodically, for example by creating a Good Health Month initiative, when you gift employees with fitness trackers, running socks, hand towels and other fitness-related items.
For clients who do send new business your way, you may want to have a standard or bespoke ‘thank you’ pack to give to them to show your appreciation. The additional benefit of doing this is reinforcing your brand personality. Whether you are cheeky and upbeat or highly professional, the gifts you send can reinforce your message and promote better recognition.
How to create a handshake or welcome pack
Speak to a promotional goods supplier that can come up with fun and creative ideas to match your brand and budget, and delight your team/clients. You can discuss ordering products to keep on site or create a corporate store so things can quickly and easily be ordered online without you needing to pre-purchase a lot of stock.
Stay in touch with your promotional goods provider as new trends emerge and items become available. You can adapt your handshake/welcome packs to meet the changing times so they stay relevant.
Want some clever welcome pack ideas for your business? Talk to the experts at Honeycomb Agency.
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