9 Proven Sales Gifting Plays to Accelerate Deals & Drive ROI

Gifting is one of the most effective sales strategies for today's sales pipeline. When done right, it can help you get a foot in the door, accelerate stalled deals, and boost your ROI. Here are nine proven sales gifting plays to add to your playbook.

How can you break through to new prospects?

A well-timed gift can make a strong first impression. It's all about being personal, relevant, and offering something of value from the start.

• The Foot-in-the-Door: Send a small gift like a $15 coffee card with a personalized note to a new prospect. In your follow-up, reference the gift and ask for a quick meeting to learn about their challenges.

• The Industry Expert: Send your prospect a newly released industry report or book with a handwritten note detailing your key takeaway. This helps you establish yourself as a thought partner and offers a chance to discuss how it impacts their business.

• The Local Touch: For a prospect in your area, send a gift card to a popular local coffee shop with an invite to meet in person. If you're planning to be in their city, send a notecard letting them know and offering to stop by.

What can you do when a deal goes silent?

Stalled deals can be frustrating, but they often require a creative approach to get things moving. Gifting can be the "pattern interrupt" you need to build deal momentum and get your sales engagement back on track.

• The Meeting Maker: For a prospect who has gone silent, send a calendar invite for a 15-minute meeting with a $15 DoorDash gift card. Frame the meeting as a working lunch to understand what's holding things up and how to move the deal forward.

• The Hail Mary: If a deal is at risk or the prospect isn't responding, overnight, a handwritten note and a thoughtful gift based on their interests. Acknowledge the challenges, remind them of your solution's potential ROI, and ask what you can do to address their concerns.

• The Momentum Builder: After a positive meeting, immediately send a small gift to attendees as a thank you. Recap your understanding of the next steps and include a case study or testimonial to build excitement.

How can you maximize event attendance and follow-up?

Events are a major investment, and strategic sales gifting can help you get the most out of them. It's a key part of your event marketing and sales follow-up plan.

• The SuperFan: Send top event prospects a custom piece of event swag ahead of time, like a water bottle or notebook with the event logo. Include a personalized invite from an executive and highlight the sessions most relevant to them.

• The Buzzer Beater: For registrants who haven't confirmed attendance, overnight a handwritten note and a small gift a day before the event. Let them know you're saving them a seat and look forward to meeting them there.

• The After Party: Send attendees a meaningful gift shortly after the event to thank them for attending. Include key takeaways and an offer for a free consultation or demo to keep the conversation going.

Best Practices for Sales Gifting Success

• Research your prospects' interests in your CRM to choose gifts that will resonate.

• Always include a meaningful, handwritten note to make it personal.

• Focus on the outcome you're driving toward and position the gift in that context.

• Follow up quickly after the gift has been delivered to maximize impact and reinforce your lead nurturing efforts.

• Track your results and optimize your approach over time.

FAQs

What is sales gifting?

Sales gifting is the practice of sending thoughtful, personalized gifts to prospects or clients at strategic moments in the sales cycle to build relationships, accelerate deals, and increase ROI.

What is a good sales gift?

A good sales gift is personal and relevant. It should demonstrate that you've done your research and is tied to a specific sales goal, such as a coffee card to secure a meeting or a book to establish a thought-leadership connection.

What is the ROI of sales gifting?

The ROI of sales gifting can be measured by its effectiveness in accelerating stalled deals, improving connect rates with new prospects, and increasing event attendance and post-event sales follow-up.

When should I send a gift during the sales process?

Gifts should be sent at key moments, such as when breaking through to a new prospect, when a deal has stalled, or to drive event attendance and follow-up.