Corporate gifts can be a highly effective way to get your company's name out there and make a good first impression on potential business partners and clients. However, you need to choose the type of gifts carefully, to ensure they are appropriate to the situation and reflect well on your brand.

Some traditional ideas for corporate gifts can now seem outdated, especially in increasingly environmentally conscious times when distributing promotional items could be seen as an unnecessary use of resources. This is why many companies favour corporate gifts that offer greater value and are more likely to deliver returns.

The amount you're prepared to spend on corporate gifts needs to be carefully considered, but it's generally advisable to spend as much as your marketing budget allows. Settling for cheap, lower quality products won't reflect so well on your brand, especially if your gifts are products such as wine or fragrances, where a difference in price can mean a considerable dip in quality.

Corporate gifts that feature your company's name, logo and contact details can be a great way to combine a gift with an effective promotional activity that could develop interest in your business, and there are many types of promotional corporate gifts to choose from, depending on your company's style. If you're arranging a corporate event and looking for gifts to give away, low-cost promotional stationery is enduringly popular, as your branding could end up on the desks and in the drawers of people around the country.

If you're distributing corporate gifts to a smaller number of people though, you can afford to spend a little more on higher value items, such as branded clothing. T-shirts or umbrellas bearing your company logo can be a great way of getting your name out onto the streets, but you similarly need to ensure the quality of these items to avoid giving off the wrong impression. In the case of umbrellas in particular, these can be highly desirable gifts that clients could make use of often - but if they're likely to break due to cheap or shoddy construction, it won't reflect well on your company and could damage your client relationships.

If you're keen to make a lasting impression with corporate gifts, avoid the tried-and-tested methods and risk trying something new. Car covers and sunshades can be great gifts for drivers, while people with children could appreciate items to help them in school, such as notepads and folders.

Isla Campbell writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.