Seven Psychological Techniques: The Art of Skillful Gift-giving
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Mental Accounting: Choose something that the recipient is reluctant to buy but is practical. "Mental accounting" refers to the fact that people have different emotions towards wealth depending on its source and destination. For example, when ordering takeout, spending 20 yuan is normal, but suddenly spending 40 yuan would make one feel it's expensive. However, during a gathering with friends, spending three to five hundred yuan doesn't seem pricey. When giving gifts, choosing items that the recipient is usually reluctant to buy but are practical can make the recipient feel your sincerity and also enable them to use the gifts in daily life, thus increasing their favorable impression of you.
Loss Aversion: Give gifts that have a fixed value. "Loss aversion" means that when people face the same amount of gains and losses, they tend to find losses more unbearable. When giving gifts, you can choose gifts with a fixed and widely recognized value, such as famous wines, famous teas, and skin care products of well-known brands. This can make the recipient better understand the value of the gift. Such gifts often bring the recipient a sense of pleasure when received and will remind them of your kindness when used in the future. However, the value of the gift should match the recipient's identity and relationship with you.
Catering to the Recipient's Interests: Select gifts according to the recipient's preferences. For elders, they usually pay more attention to the practicality and cultural connotations of gifts; for friends, they focus more on the personalization and innovation of gifts; for leaders or clients, they attach greater importance to the quality and taste of gifts.
Presenting Flowers Borrowed from Others: Use an "intermediary" to deliver the gift. Sometimes, we may need to give gifts to people we are not very familiar with. At this time, we can use the technique of "presenting flowers borrowed from others". By finding an "intermediary" who has a close relationship with the recipient and having them deliver the gift, we can avoid the awkwardness of giving the gift directly and make it easier for the recipient to accept.
Conducting Secret Operations: Give gifts under other pretexts. This method is especially suitable for those who attach great importance to reciprocity. You can also emphasize the shareability of the gift when giving it, for example, inviting the recipient to taste the food you gave together, enjoy the books or music you gave together, etc. While enjoying the gift, the recipient will also feel your company and care.
Substituting One Thing for Another: Give gifts based on the recipient's "needs". By understanding the recipient's needs and expectations and combining the gift with their needs, you can give a more meaningful gift. You can also observe the recipient's words and deeds to understand their potential needs. For example, if you find that the recipient has recently been complaining a lot about high work pressure and a fast-paced life, you can give them some gifts that can help them relax, such as massage devices, scented candles, etc.
Sincere Preparation: Carefully select and package the gift. No matter what kind of gift you choose, sincere preparation is the most important. When selecting a gift, you need to carefully understand the recipient's preferences and needs so as to pick out the gift that can touch the recipient the most. When packaging the gift, you also need to pay attention to details and creativity to make the gift attractive to the recipient in appearance.
Gift-giving Suggestions for Different Identities
In the Workplace:
- For Leaders: Leaders are usually in high positions in an organization. They attach importance to image, authority, and achievements, and hope to receive respect and recognition from others. Meanwhile, they also face relatively high work pressure and responsibilities. When choosing gifts, it is necessary to consider that the gifts can not only demonstrate their status but also relieve work pressure or improve work efficiency to some extent. Specific suggestions include high-end business office gift boxes, such as limited-edition fountain pens, leather notebooks, and exquisite metal bookmarks; high-quality Chinese tea sets; high-grade tea or wine products; hardcover books with industry foresight; artworks, etc.
- For Colleagues: The relationships among colleagues are relatively equal and diverse. Everyone needs to cooperate with each other at work and hopes to maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere in daily interactions. Gifts should focus on enhancing team cohesion and expressing friendship, while avoiding being too expensive or too personal to avoid putting pressure on the recipient. For example, creative desktop green plants, interesting stress-relieving toys, and special imported snack gift packs, etc.
- For Clients: Clients are important partners of enterprises, and the relationship with them is often based on mutual benefits and good communication. When giving gifts to clients, it is necessary to consider that the gifts can reflect respect and gratitude towards them and help improve the company's image in their minds and strengthen the cooperative relationship between both sides. For example, customizing an exclusive business gift according to the client's industry and interests; high-grade gifts with local characteristics, etc.
In the Family:
- For Parents: As parents get older, they pay more attention to the warmth of the family, health, and the company of their children. Their material needs gradually turn to the practical and emotional aspects, and they are eager to receive gifts that can reflect their children's care and love. You can give some practical gifts such as warm clothes, massage equipment, health products, etc., or emotional gifts such as carefully made photo albums, handicrafts, etc.