It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Natalie Bamford of Colleague Box.
Corporate gifting is big business – and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down in 2024.
It can strengthen your reputation and your overall relationship with your business partners and employees and is a powerful way of expressing your gratitude.
A report by business magazine Forbes found that 42% of businesses cite relationship management as a top reason for their corporate gifting initiatives.
Christmas is traditionally a busy period for Colleague Box and 2023 has been no exception; it’s been great to see the variety of boxes that we have created for clients, though, from build-your-own boxes where clients choose their own packaging, contents and delivery options to bespoke ones that we have produced for charities including Derventio Housing Trust. They run shared houses for hundreds of people across the UK who might otherwise be homeless, and their boxes included snacks such as popcorn, crisps and chocolate. They have been popular with companies wanting to ‘give back’ to their community.
We have also seen a rise in the number of businesses opting for a subscription so that their business partners and employees can be sent treats throughout the year – and not just at Christmas time.
In the past you might have had a subscription for a magazine or the gym, and nowadays you can get subscriptions for anything from in-home fitness to boxes that contain everything you need to cook a healthy meal; think Hello Fresh and Abel & Cole.
The idea of a subscription can help retain talent and shows your partners that you appreciate them all year round and not just at Christmas.
