Rich Pusateri
Content Marketing Manager
There are many reasons to use gifting across your organization, including booking more meetings with prospects, thanking a customer or celebrating a milestone with them, and boosting employee happiness.
All the outcomes listed above can be distilled down to meaningful one-on-one interactions, and corporate gifting has historically been a tactic used to develop strong, personal relationships.
Of course, it takes time and effort to do it right, but there are a few gifting best practices to follow:
- Personalize the gift and your note as much as possible to make a positive, lasting impression
- Keep your communication short and sweet—a few sentences is ideal so the main focus is on the gift and the feeling it gives your recipient
- Encourage email opens with a thoughtful and creative subject lines that aren’t at all transactional
Try to keep these three must-haves in mind when writing your gifting emails to ensure your message is well received.
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5 corporate gifting email templates for different situations
We’ve put together these corporate gifting templates to help you craft better messaging around your offline tactics, while still maintaining a level of personalization and care for maximum impact.
For more ideas and inspiration, be sure to download our full guide, 10 Corporate Gifting Email Templates.
Disclaimer: you know your specific use case and customer base better than I do, and recommend using these gifting templates as a starting point and adding in personal elements to create the strongest communication and chance of success.
Customer thank you gift email template
The number one rule when emailing your customers is to always add value. Continuous communication with them helps build your partnership, but too much of it can quickly become annoying and overwhelming.
If you send a thank you gift to customers, it helps to think of your email as a note or letter for the gift. Your customers need personal attention to feel important. They want to know that you care about their problems and are actively trying to help solve them.
Client gifting is a great way to deepen your partnerships with your contacts in an authentic and meaningful way.
Subject line: I'll buy it if you make it, <first name>!
Preview text: Are you interested in customizing this ___? I'll do all the heavy lifting, I just need your inspiration.
Body messaging: Focus on a value-led offer that would benefit the buyer or champion. Empower your prospect to customize something to their own liking.
Example: Hi, <first name>. I'd love to thank you for your time and for being a great customer. One-size-fits-all gifts often fall flat. That's why I'd love to help you customize this <item/kit> so that it will really speak to you or an intended giftee of your choosing. Do you have a favorite <coffee/tea/cocktail>? Do you have a sweet tooth or are you more of a savory person? More into gadgets or solid pens and notebooks? Let me know how I can help create something special.
Sometimes, we don’t know what a customer would like best and it’s more than ok to ask. It won’t ruin the moment, in fact, it will make the customer experience more enjoyable by simply asking what would make their day a little better.
Cold outreach gifting email template
It can be difficult to get in front of cold prospects in the first place let alone getting them to take action and engage with your outreach. Standing out in the inbox and being relevant are key components of a great business development program.
There are a number of ways to do both with your sales outreach and this template will help you personalize your message with a gift or incentive.
Postal Pro Tip: Gift emails have an average 87% open rate, 84% click rate, and a 93% acceptance rate
Subject line: Have you read this book on <topic>?
Preview text: Wanted to share some knowledge with you! I found this very interesting; give it a read.
Body messaging: Sharing knowledge with a prospect comes off as credible and authentic. This can be a great approach to catch the eye of a VP or C-suite person.
Example: Hi, <first name>. I just finished reading <book> and was amazed by the many insights about <topic>. I thought you might be interested in this book, too, and I'd love to send you a copy. Once you have a chance to read it, let me know and we'll grab a coffee and discuss. Happy to hear if you have any suggestions for my to-read list as well! Thanks for your time and happy reading!
For this message to really land, you should read the book and pull out nuggets that you found interesting. Ideally, you choose a book that is helpful to your ICP as a whole, not just one contact, so you can leverage your research in a lot of your outreach but it’s still personalized to your prospect. When you take the time to carefully craft a message, even when you’re using a template like this, you’ll likely have a higher success rate.
Free gift card email template
While we recommend sending a thoughtful gift based on your recipients’ interests, sometimes an email with a gift card can be a good ice breaker. It’s convenient for your recipient too, because an eGift is sent and received right away—instant gratification.
Offer to buy your contact lunch or pay for coffee that day. The message here shouldn’t feel transactional. Your email should feature your offer, but if it says “gift card” in the subject line it might get flagged and sent to spam.
Subject line: Lunch on me, <first name>.
Preview text: Would you want to grab virtual lunch sometime this week? Food is on me!
Body messaging: Invite your prospect to have lunch with you and send them a GrubHub or DoorDash gift card.
Example: Hi, <first name>. Whether you're working from home or you're back at the office, eating at your desk is a no-no. You need a break from your screen and that office chair (and I do, too). Do you have time this week to grab a bite at <insert suggestion> or <insert suggestion>? I'd love to learn more about you and share a bit about our latest offerings, too. If an in-person meeting doesn't work for you, I'd love to send a GrubHub or DoorDash gift card your way. Thanks for considering—and even if you don't have time to meet, I hope you take a thorough lunch break this week!
This type of outreach often feels like a give-and-get transaction. Creating a meaningful and empathic message can help your prospect feel understood. Don’t push too hard for the meeting because gifting leaves a lasting impression and they are sure to remember your name the next time you give them a call or show up in their inbox. One positive interaction could be the turning point you need to start a productive conversation going forward.
Gift email to employees
Employee gifting creates a rewarding experience for the people that matter most to your business. Showing your team consistent appreciation can be a great way to boost morale and overall company culture.
When you send a gift email to employees, make sure you tell them what it is and why you think they deserve it. This could be as simple as thanking them for being a great teammate, congratulations on recently hitting a company-wide goal, or a welcome gift when onboarding a new employee.
Subject line: Something to help you WFH
Preview text: A little work-from-home care package for you. Enjoy!
Body messaging: Acknowledge your employee’s WFH office experience and offer help adjusting
Example: Hi, <first name>. I put together a WFH care package for you. Check it out—headed your way is/are <wireless headphones, insulated mug, notebook, pen, etc.>! I've found these things really helpful in my office setup, and I hope they'll help you do your best work, too. Let me know what you think and how I can continue to help you grow at <insert company name>!
These memorable moments with your employees are more important than ever. Offering helpful and useful incentives can help keep remote and hybrid teams engaged and grateful to be part of your company.
Partner and influencer gifting email template
When you’re working closely with third-party partners, their work is typically outside of your team’s skill set. Finding effective partners is extremely difficult and you should do everything you can to make sure the relationship is mutually beneficial.
You rely on them a lot to carry some of your workload and it’s important to thank your partner and show how much the relationship means to you and the business with a surprise gift or virtual experience for them the enjoy.
Subject line: I've got something sweet to show you, <first name>.
Preview text: Enjoy these (cookies, candies, chocolates, etc.) on me!
Body messaging: Take advantage of your prospect's sweet tooth by offering them a delicious treat to get in front of them.
Example: Hi, <first name>. I wanted to send a little something your way that will sweeten your day. Thank you for everything you’re doing to help the <insert company> team. We appreciate you and your hard work! Enjoy these sweet treats :)
Keep these messages brief because you’re not asking for anything in return. Keep it light and fun by simply offering the gift and showing your appreciation.
Make meaningful connections with offline offers
Remember, these gifting email templates should be a source of inspiration. Take these ideas and make them work for you and your prospects. Standard cold emails don't work anymore—offers like these will significantly improve your ROI. Integrating offline experiences into your 1:1 communications will be an important channel for revenue teams in the future.
Get started with Postal to deliver meaningful experiences that help build strong relationships through the Postal Marketplace filled with hundreds of items from small and local businesses. Looking for gifting email templates for marketing? Check out our latest article.
