• 95% see corporate gifting as an indispensable part of their business strategy
• Personalisation is most important factor when purchasing corporate gifts
• 85% said their corporate gifting strategy strengthened valuable relationships

A survey from luxury food and beverage provider, Cartwright & Butler, has shown that more businesses than ever are viewing corporate gifts as an indispensable part of their business strategy.

The survey, which delves into British business’s corporate gifting habits,shows that gifting is not just a priority at Christmas. In fact, over two thirds of businesses (67%) gift clients and staff throughout the year,while 24% issue gifts when their financial year ends.

With official statistics showing that it can cost from five to 25 times more to acquire a new client than retain an old one[i], it’s no surprise that almost a quarter (24%) regularly use corporate gifts as part of their new business strategy. Similarly, 25% also said that issuing corporate gifts to prospective clients helped to generate new business leads.

The research also revealed that businesses typically spend more on gifts for clients than staff.More than half (57%) spend between £50-£150 per client gift, compared to 43%, who admitted to spending less than £50 on employees.

Food and beverage products were the most sought after gift from recipients, with almost a half (49%) of participants opting for chocolates, hampers and alcohol in comparison with gift vouchers (47 per cent), technological items (28 per cent) and stationary (27 per cent).

This finding is testament to products from Cartwright & Butler’s ‘The Butler Service’ corporate gifting range hitting record sales in the last twelve months. Products experiencing outstanding sales range from small to large gifts,including bespoke hampers and biscuit tins.

Cartwright & Butler’s ‘The Butler Service’, which offers bespoke corporate gifts tailored for individual brands, has grown by 55% in the last 12 months. The brand credited the outstanding performance to partnerships with major industry players, and their concierge service, which means that the process of purchasing corporate gifts is streamlined and simple.

Nigel Arnett, ‘The Butler Service’ Concierge Manager at Cartwright & Butler, said: “It’s fantastic to see that small and large companies alike recognise that corporate gifts can make a notable difference in establishing and maintaining positive relationships with clients and employees, while boosting productivity and retaining talent.

“The research has shown that for businesses, a personal touch really matters. As a result, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen an increase in demand for small and large products alike, which is undoubtedly testament to the fact that no product is too small for us to be able to personalise.

For more information, visit www.cartwrightandbutler.co.uk.