Gifting Wine for Better Business

The people in your life want to feel seen and appreciated. And for you business owners out there, customers and employees are no exception. In fact, research shows that acknowledgment in the form of employee gifts can be critical to your company’s long-term success: 69% of employees say they would work harder if their efforts were appreciated. 

When it comes to finding the right gift to give your customer or employee, wine might come to mind as a no-brainer – and for good reason. Gifting wine is a sophisticated and professional way to express appreciation in a corporate setting. And research supports that it is, perhaps, the best gift you can give.

Here are the top 6 reasons you should consider gifting wine for the acquisition of new customers and retention of employees:

1. Wine is a crowd-pleaser

This may come as a surprise, but the U.S. is the largest wine-consuming country in the world. That’s right, we drink even more wine than the French! With 40% of the population regularly drinking the beverage – that’s about 240 million people – someone is bound to appreciate the bottle you gift to your customer or employee. Everyone knows a wino or two. Chances are you might even be employing one!

2. Tastings: Make wine the theme of your next fun corporate event

Gifts alone are a great way to express appreciation for your employees. But even better are gifts at the end of a company-sponsored event. And even better than that are gifts at the end of a company-sponsored event where alcohol is served!

Wine tasting events make for excellent corporate mixers because nothing breaks the ice quite like a couple gulps of Chardonnay. But beyond just getting their buzz on, your employees will appreciate the opportunity to learn more about their favorite wines or discover new ones altogether.

Wine tasting events also work well in virtual environments. If your employees are remote, virtual wine tastings are the perfect team-building outlets. The same can be said for clients located in other cities. Learn more about In Good Taste’s sommelier-led virtual tastings by clicking here. You and your group can order your wine tasting flights in advance, then indulge (and learn) from the comfort of your own homes.

Employees and clients will leave your wine tasting event ready to step up their own hosting game. Not only will they get to sip on delicious varieties, but they’ll learn hosting hacks, like how to choose the best wine glass and tricks for building the ultimate charcuterie board. These tips will come in handy, especially around the holidays, and will always be remembered and appreciated.

3. Wine is a sophisticated way to say thank you

Lead generation, prospecting, and client relationship marketing are always at the forefront of every business owner’s mind. But how do you express gratitude for your clients (or soon-to-be clients) in a way that they’ll appreciate? Wine is always the answer.

A high-quality, crowd-pleasing bottle of wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon, goes a long way in customer retention. It shows that you’ve got taste, and it’s always valued by the recipient. Gift baskets usually go untouched and create lots of waste; tickets to sporting events can be hit-or-miss, depending on the client’s interests. Wines, on the other hand, are pretty much universally appreciated. They can be added to your client’s collection; re-gifted; or, most likely, consumed on the spot!

Explore different wine varieties here before selecting the type you’ll send as this year’s corporate gift.

4. Flexibility of choice

Few other gifts come in as many different varieties as wine. Gifting wine gives an employer or business owner the opportunity to customize corporate gifts to the tastes of individual employees and customers. Talk about feeling seen and appreciated! Check out these California Wine Mixer highlights for some varietal inspiration.

Customer engagement is critical to retention. Getting to know your customers, their likes and dislikes, then sending them an individualized bottle of wine is a simple way to take your account-based marketing strategy to another level. Personalized recognition like this could totally transform your business. According to a recent Gallup poll, companies that successfully engage their B2B customers realize 63% lower customer attrition. Consider that alongside the overall benefits of customer engagement through wine gifting.

5. Business gifts (like wine bottles) are tax-deductible

Cha-ching! You (and your wallet) can feel good about giving company gifts this year. Business gifts, such as bottles of wine, are tax-deductible. This means that gifting wine is a win-win situation for your business: it improves customer acquisition and employee morale while also benefiting your bottom line. Whether you're hoping to celebrate a new client's grand opening, or honor your staff on Employee Appreciation Day (March 4), Admin Professionals' Day (April 27) or Boss' Day (October 16), there's literally no downside. In fact, you could argue that there’s an opportunity cost involved in bypassing corporate gifts altogether.

6. Wine is fun, educational, and healthy(-ish)

Wine brings people together. It’s the reason humans have been drinking the beverage for thousands of years. The nuanced flavor profiles of different wines will get everyone talking, and their alcohol content takes the edge off of any social situation. Wine tastings are among the few events in which the learning process is actually fun and effortless.

Add to all the above that wine, especially red wine, can be good for your health (in moderation, of course), and it’s the perfect guilt-free gift that your customers and employees can feel good about indulging in. Just ask your doctor -- or, better yet, share a bottle with them on Doctor's Day (March 30) or Nurse's Day (September 5). Wine has no fat or cholesterol, and it’s still delicious – something that can hardly be said for most other edible treats. So, instead of being remembered as the diet-killer who sent that basket of candies, gift something sophisticated, fun, and healthy. Gift wine!