This year, corporate gifting looks a little different than seasons of old . A combination of circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic have resulted in production delays, inventory shortages, lengthy shipping times, and an increased demand for all of the above.

While these challenges are enough to bring out your inner Scrooge, don’t you worry! We’ve got everything you need to know to ensure your brand can still celebrate the season safely.

Production Times

Promotional product suppliers, decorators, and shipping providers are currently experiencing unprecedented volume. Combined with the closure of some facilities and restrictions on the number of employees who can be inside enclosed spaces, many suppliers are increasing their production times to meet the demand.

If your in-hands dates are firm, we encourage you to place your holiday gift orders as early as possible!

We created the handy chart below to help as you plan your corporate holiday gifts. These dates are our suggested guidelines, but production times can vary based on manufacturers, shipping providers, and specifics around your project.

As always, our team can help you determine the best products, packaging, and shipping solution to make your holiday gifts shine. Reach out to your Customer Success Representative, or email us at hey@tactive.cc to get started.

Sending Corporate Holiday Gifts

Mailing a gift to a customer or employee is an excellent way to show your appreciation and create an engaging experience for your brand. This is true anytime, but especially in a year that has presented so many challenges for your customers and employees. After all, who doesn’t love finding a present on their doorstep?

With many businesses taking their traditional in-person gatherings virtual, we’re anticipating an even bigger demand for 3D Direct Mail (3DDM). Here are two tips for bulk-sending your corporate holiday gifts:

• Start planning now. Because of the nature of these types of gifts, production time can be a little longer than normal – even in a year that hasn’t seen nationwide shipping challenges. At Tactive, we always do everything we can to bring your holiday gifts to (real) life. However, finalizing your 3DDM early will help ensure your gifts are delivered on time.

• Send gifts to homes, not offices. Many corporate offices are closed down and employees working from home. This can be a challenge for businesses, who typically send client gifts to offices – and haven’t made a habit of knowing where their customers live. Not to worry! We’ve created a simple way to capture home addresses with Perkstr. With Perkstr, we can create a branded landing page with a simple form to collect addresses or any other information you might need to send corporate holiday gifts. You email your customers with the link to the form, and we’ll take it from there! 

Embrace Patience, Flexibility, & Creativity

As mentioned above, this year is like no other when it comes to holiday gifting. With unprecedented volume running through every major shipping provider, delays are bound to happen.

We understand that making an investment in tactile marketing materials to engage with customers or employees is a big decision. If you are unsure you can meet deadline dates, consider getting creative with how you honor these important audiences.

For example, because we are so busy with our customers during November and December, we typically send a big “thank you” gift to our customers in January that celebrates the New Year. This allows us to focus on our customers during our busiest season while still sending them a token of our appreciation as the season “wraps up”. 

Our team is ready to help make your corporate holiday gifting merry! To get started, contact your Customer Success Representative, or email us at hey@tactive.cc.