Redefining: Customized & Personalized. Buzzwords when it comes to client appreciation marketing.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, these two words: customized and personalized, are being used ad nauseam to get people to sit up, pay attention and do something different. Many companies and consultants are also using these words to position themselves as experts, that they know so much more about this space than you. Instead, what this has done is scared people into thinking that if they don’t engrave or brand everything, their gifts are all for not. I understand where this thinking has come from, but do you?

First of all, custom is different from personalized. Custom just means something that was curated and personalized does imply engraving and/or somehow putting the recipients name all over their intended gift.

Is personalizing or engraving a gift a good idea? It definitely can be, but it’s not something that should be done more than once or twice and definitely not with any frequency. Think: list me ten people that come to mind that you know have personalized, monogramed items throughout their home? That is such a specific style. Most people might have one or two things, maybe three, of course most likely all random, but that’s about it. When you gift someone something that has their name on it, you’ve got to be careful that you’re not creating more ‘stuff ’ for them. ‘Stuff ’ being the stuff that ends up in the Goodwill box to be donated. If you’re going to engrave or monogram something, choose wisely.

If it’s a customized gift, it’s not necessary to overthink and contemplate giving something so individualized that everyone or almost everyone is getting a different gift. You do not need to survey each and every one of your clients, asking them what they like, to send them a customized or curated gift. What’s the most important starting point in sending someone a customized gift?

One of the most important starting points is sending them something that you would almost consider keeping for yourself. Would that really be a gift basket from Costco? Is something you’d consider keeping for yourself, a low cost stationary set with popcorn gift that’s been imported that’s branded to your company? Would you give either of those gifts to a good friend of yours? Also, keep in mind, that great gifts are gifts that your people might not get for themselves. Anyone and everyone can go to Costco and grab a gift basket. The best gifts to give? Those are the ones you’d seriously consider keeping yourself.

No matter what you do, you won’t win everyone over every time, but at least you’ll walk away confident in your decisions, you’ll feel really good about your gift selections and hopefully save some braincells from overthinking something that’s actually quite simple.