The Chinese New Year or CNY is likely the most significant festival for Chinese civilization. It is a season to merry making with family, friends, and business associates. Corporation usually organizes CNY gift giving, yet due professionalism should prevail. Here’s our guide to picking the right CNY corporate gifts and how you can be more culturally sensitive with your gifts.
Popular CNY Corporate Gifts
There are certain gifts that are especially popular for CNY corporate gifting:
Snack and Fruit Baskets
Projects such as baskets of nuts, dried fruits, candies, teas, and other munching or bite size delicacies are considered ideal. One of the most common symbolic fruits of Chinese New Year is oranges and tangerines. These citrus fruits are perfect for gift baskets, and, therefore, perfect for gift baskets. There are many attractive CNY gift baskets ready made in markets orámara; you can make your own too.
Premium Food Items
Other gourmet foods one sees are chocolates, nuts, tea, etc, or Chinese meals like moon cakes. Choose elegant merchandise of the highest quality – this is if you want your shop to leave a great first impression.
Decorative Items
Products with Chinese New Year motives might be also interesting for corporate gifts: things like decorations, souvenirs, and things that people can collect. These are ang pow or hongbao, lanterns, banners, sculptures, and many other products bearing or decorated with CNY symbols. The Chinese zodiac animal of the year has porcelain figurines.
CNY Corporate Gift: The Dos and Don’ts
It is important to note that etiquette plays a big role when choosing and even when giving out CNY gifts in China. Follow these etiquette guidelines:
- Choose employee uniforms in favorable colors, such as red, gold, or orange as Chinese believe such colors are lucky.
- If you want to give gifts it is best not to give gift sets on four because the word four and death sound almost the same in Mandarin.
- Choose higher priced gifts that would show a sense of respect to valued customers. To say the least, you would rather give small gifts and this tells the recipient does not much care about the said relationship.
- Corporate gifts should be given during the early part of the lunar year, perhaps a week or two before the start of Chinese New Year is advisable. They say it looks like the gifts were bought only at the last minute.
- Gift older business partners first because older is considered superior in the eyes of the ageminded Chinese.
- Treat all guests with honor including giving gifts with both hands to the guest as a sign of honor. Discuss symbolic importance when selecting gifts for a wedding or other ceremonies.
- Assume gift value, if clients offer CNY gifts first. If not done so there is a real possibility that the other party will be offended.
- Ladies often must steer clear of sharp objects or gifts which are considered to ‘cut’ the relationship – round items are preferred.
Gift Giving to Different Class of Clients
It is quite important if the CNY gifting may differ for those who are, let’s say, VIP clients, or those who are just business partners. Some best practices for client tiers:
VIP/C-Suite Clients
Choose ultra premium gourmet food anxillary, elegant trinkets, or pure gold festive specials as casualties of Chinese New Year. Timing is another factor to consider when delivering gifts so that the most important executives in your company receive your gifts first. Write a small card saying Congratulations on the new prosperous year.
Top-Level Managers
Send baskets and higher end food hampers in the $80-$150 price range. Corporate gifts show you that you are personalized with their preferences of interest. A personal gift note creates goodwill with the signature, and top decision-making executives.
Major Long-Term Customers
For frequently used large accounts, design gift sets of around $50, Some of the closed branded items accompanied by some new and cultural China products. Mention how they have been loyal in your communication.
Casual Business Partners
Deliver simpler foods, candies, fruits or tea, or small trinkets of a cost per piece of less than $25 to minor partners. A friendly yet business like venue greeting was an effective way to sustain possible future business prospects in the course of celebrating CNY.
Adhering to appropriate cultures when giving out your CNY corporate gifts enhances your messages behind the corporate gifts. By choosing lucky items, gifts according to status, and giving proper respect you consolidate crucial Chinese B2B contacts and secure a happy new year for your enterprise!