Five big reasons why generic deal toys suck
Everywhere you look, you see generic designs. From grocery store ads to smartphones to seasonal fashions, there are all too many products out there that just don’t have anything special to say. It’s a “design” trend we hate here at Cristaux, and it’s one that we work hard to avoid when we craft deal toys. There’s nothing generic about the huge transaction that your organization just completed. There shouldn’t be anything generic about the deal toy you choose to commemorate it either. Think an off-the-shelf solution couldn’t be that bad? Here are five big reasons that generic deal toys fall short.
They don’t actually recognize achievement
Every big achievement is unique. There might be similarities between major transactions, but something different goes into each major deal your organization handles. That’s why generic deal toys don’t do a sufficient job of recognizing achievement. A deal gift needs to be specific to what was done in order to feel like a recognition instead of a boring thank you. Make deal toys that provide the proof to back up your team’s bragging rights.
There’s no brand representation
You might not think it, but branding deal toys and other employee recognition products is essential. The fact that a promising banker works for you today doesn’t mean that individual truly buys into your organization’s culture. Deal toys should help accomplish that. They should be there to inspire brand loyalty in the newest hires and most experienced players alike. Strong toy branding is also essential if you want visitors to your offices to know what your organization is all about.
Inspiration can’t be generic
Deal toys aren’t just about recognizing a particular achievement. They’re also about inspiring future achievements. Handing out a generic gift after a big deal would be like hanging one of those drug store inspirational posters in an executive suite. A stock design simply looks out of place in a high-stakes environment. While deal toys can be playful, fun and even kitschy, they should never be generic or cheap. At Cristaux, we believe that every deal gift should inspire pride and performance.
They don’t communicate to clients
When clients come to your office, they expect to see your credentials on display. It inspires confidence when your clients know where your organization’s key members studied or what certifications they hold. It’s also important that your clients see physical embodiments of your organization’s overall successes. Deal toys provide an eye-catching way to show off what your organization can accomplish. If you choose a generic deal toy, your clients might think there’s nothing special about your organization.
Generic toys send the wrong value message
Any time you engage in employee recognition, you’re sending messages about the type of performance that your organization values. There’s no exception when it comes to deal toys. If you give a generic deal toy, it will seem like an afterthought. You expect the top bankers and deal makers in your organization to measure up to high standards. Expect the same from deal toys. As a tool for inspiration, they’re a means of sending a value message.
No matter the deal toy you choose, think about the design process as an opportunity to not only celebrate success but also extend it. Think of deal toys as investments, and think about the ROI of a deal toy before you commission it. If cookie-cutter investments offer low returns in the finance world, isn’t the same true of how deal toys impact employee success? At Cristaux International, we’re masters of telling stories and sending value messages through custom deal toys.