Trends in business gifting show a clear shift towards the smart use of corporate gifts, where companies are looking not only for symbolic gestures, but also for a measurable impact that supports broader business goals. In an era of hybrid work, greater focus on sustainability, and marketing strategies that blur the lines between the digital and physical worlds, the question "Do corporate gifts actually pay off?" is becoming crucial for anyone who makes decisions about budgets and ROI.
In this article, we will try to explain why measuring the ROI of corporate gifts is important, how to do it sensibly, and which metrics to track so that you can achieve real value for your brand and long-term business effects when choosing gifts.
ROI, or Return on Investment, means assessing the profitability of the money invested. In the context of promotional gifts, it is therefore a measure of how much impact and benefit a company has received in return for the funds invested in corporate and promotional gifts.
ROI is not necessarily a financial figure alone, but can be a combination of financial and non-financial metrics that together show the value of the gifts as a whole.
Every company wants every euro it spends on promotional activities to bring greater visibility, better customer relations and concrete business results. corporate gifts, promotional materials and other forms of physical gifts are no exception, as they have become part of growth and loyalty strategies.
In practice, corporate or promotional gifts can:
If we do not know how to evaluate gifts, we risk them remaining only an expense, rather than a strategic investment with measurable results.
Before choosing corporate gifts or promotional materials, you need to know what you want to achieve. The most common goals include:
If your goals are measurable (e.g., +15% sales or +25% response rate), it will be easier to evaluate your ROI later on.
To understand the impact of promotional items, you need to track data both before and after the gift campaign. Such comparisons provide clear insight into changes.
Examples of useful data to collect:
KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) are key indicators of success that help you quantify the ROI of promotional gifts. KPIs for promotional items may vary, but often include:
Measuring a combination of financial and non-financial KPIs provides a more comprehensive view of the true value of promotional products.
To calculate ROI, you first need to understand the costs associated with promotional gifts. These include:
For example, if you spent €5,000 on promotional gifts and these gifts helped generate an additional €15,000 in sales, the ROI is easy to calculate and present as a clear number or percentage.
Once you have your KPIs and costs, you can start your assessment:
ROI = (benefits – costs) / costs × 100
If the benefits (e.g. added revenue, increased loyalty, greater brand recognition) are higher than the costs, the ROI is positive. It is important to include all visible and invisible effects of corporate gifts.
Once a company understands how to measure ROI, it can also use this knowledge when choosing the right promotional gifts. Instead of general and impersonal gifts, it begins to focus on gifts that have high utility and recognition in real life.
Regardless of your goal, there are characteristics of gifts that more often have a measurable and positive effect:
Example: promotional materials such as T-shirts, shopping bags or technological gadgets that can be used multiple times, thereby increasing the visibility of your brand.
The company ordered promotional gifts (e.g. T-shirts and other promotional material) worth €3,000 for the trade fair. After the event, they analysed:
If the total additional revenue amounted to €10,000, the ROI is positive and indicates a clear added value of the gifts.
Another example is analysing the repurchase rate of customers who received promotional gifts compared to those who did not. The difference in loyalty or repurchases can be used as an indicator of long-term ROI.
Measuring ROI is not always easy, and companies often make the following mistakes:
To avoid this, it is advisable to establish basic measurements before giving gifts and monitor them regularly over time.
The effectiveness of gifts does not start with the product, but with the right partner. When you work with an experienced provider who understands your business goals, gifts become a thoughtful investment rather than just an expense.
At Habeco promotional gifts, we help companies choose solutions that create long-term value, greater visibility and a measurable impact. Our strengths are based on a comprehensive approach and proven practice:
This approach allows companies to choose gifts that are affordable, useful, aesthetically pleasing and strategically aligned with their brand. The result is better recipient responses, greater loyalty and higher ROI.
Contact us and together we will find promotional products that will continue to work long after they have been handed over.
In the future, corporate gifts will no longer be just a matter of kindness, but a strategy that can be measured and optimised. With clear goals, well-thought-out KPIs and regular monitoring of results, the ROI of promotional gifts can become a competitive advantage.
