How strategically chosen promotional products outperform discounting and drive long-term revenue
Every year as December approaches, businesses scramble to do something—anything—to say thank you to clients, motivate employees, and stand out before the year ends. Most default to the same tired tactics: holiday cards, a 10% discount, poinsettia, or the quick “Happy Holidays!” post on social media.
Holiday gifting for you company is not all about the gift itself – It is powers up loyalty, retention, and future revenue. The right corporate gifting isn’t an expense—it’s a profit-impact tool. Branded gifts, custom apparel, and printed packaging deepen relationships, build loyalty, and dramatically increase repeat business well into the new year.
Let’s break down:
- Why appreciation beats discounting
- What science says about gifting and loyalty
- How gift strategy impacts revenue more than any marketing campaign
- Why promotional products are one of the lowest-cost, highest-impression tools on earth
- How to pick the right products that people keep and use
- How Northern Ontario companies can leverage this season for maximum impact
Discounting vs. Appreciation — One Transaction vs. Long-Term Loyalty > When companies say “Save 10% today,” it creates one thing: a transaction. A discount is gone the moment the receipt prints. When a customer receives a thoughtful branded gift, something entirely different happens — they feel valued. There is emotion attached to the item. And emotion creates loyalty, and loyalty creates profit impact. A discount lasts one moment. A gift lasts many moments, if it is used — and kept. That’s why promotional products outperform discounting:
The average promo item generates up to 3,400 impressions over its lifetime >
- 83% of people say they are more likely to do business with a company after receiving a branded gift.
- 89% keep promotional items for over a year, especially if useful.
Imagine giving a high-quality branded toque during a Canadian winter. That’s hundreds of days of real-world visibility and hundreds of subconscious touchpoints. No Facebook ad can do that. Loyalty is the New Competitive Advantage
Customers today are overwhelmed by options and underwhelmed by genuine appreciation.
Digital ads are noisy. Email inboxes are overflowing. Social content is a blur. But a well-timed physical product cuts through the noise. Think about the last time someone surprised you with something useful — a gift, a tool, a handwritten note. You remembered how it made you feel, right? Businesses that invest in appreciation outperform those that rely solely on advertising.
Advertising gets attention > Appreciation earns loyalty > Loyalty drives revenue. That’s the Profit Impact equation.
What Businesses Get Wrong About Gifting > Most companies make one of these common mistakes:
- Choosing cheap, disposable items. If it’s going to break, stain, crack, melt, or be tossed — don’t do it.
- Ordering too late and being forced into boring options. Last-minute rush often equals low-impact choices.
- Giving something generic with no meaning. A bottle of wine with no story → forgotten. A branded mug employees use daily → unforgettable.
- Treating the gift as a cost instead of a retention tool. If a $15 gift prevents losing a $5,000 client — it wasn’t a cost, it was insurance.
The Psychology Behind Strategic Corporate Gifting. Science backs this up > There’s a behavioural principle called Reciprocity — when someone receives something, they feel compelled to respond positively. That response might be:
- Renewing a contract
- Referring a customer
- Choosing you over a competitor
- Staying loyal instead of shopping around
Recognition leads to retention. Retention leads to repeat revenue. Profit follows loyalty — never the other way around.
The Right Type of Gift Matters > A promotional product is only powerful if it gets:
- Used daily: Examples: Toques, gloves, jackets, Premium pens, Insulated mugs, water bottles, Tech accessories, power banks
- Seen often: Examples: Desk organizers, calendars, Flashlights, keychains, Apparel with sharp decoration
- Shared or talked about: Examples: Custom chocolate molds, Branded gift sets, Holiday survival kits
Designed to impress, not clutter. Cheap wins nothing. Quality converts.
No other marketing medium stays with your client inside their home, car, office, or jacket pocket.
Final Word > Holiday gifting isn’t about the thing you hand someone. It’s about the message:
We appreciate you + We value you + We’re investing in this relationship. Businesses that show appreciation grow. Businesses that rely on transactions shrink. As I often say, “Good DEEDS get Good LEADS.” I want to help you choosing gifts that create real profit impact — not just swag for the sake of swag — let’s talk. I can be reached at tim@ampbroker.ca and 705-626-TIM-1
Tim Thomson Profit Impact Broker/Owner
November 2025
