When a bribe is desirable

One way of making sure that customers remember you, your product or service is by  bribing them. Give them a little of what they want, but make sure that you can afford it. This is nothing illegal, what we are referring to is simply motivation. Research has shown that if you give a customer something he really wants, he is likely to remember you or the product for a considerable length of time. Companies that give free caps, pens, paper weights, T-shirts, or even free food will be remembered for a year or more, if indeed these products or gifts are valued by the people that they are given to. The questions that follow include:
1. How much can I spend? This has to be linked with your budget and we must have our eyes on our overheads so that we make sure that we do not over spend.
2. What kind of "bribe" will be useful to my target audience? The gift you are proposing must be relevant and useful to the people or person you are giving to. Suppose you are trying to influence a group of academics? Pens, books and other related materials would be of use to them.
3 Is my "bribe" desirable? Do the people really want it or yearn for it? Giving people what they  want is the secret of winning their hearts. For politicians, a simple method of getting the votes of people or winning their hearts, is by giving them what they want. Any political leader who addresses the needs and desires of people would have no problem convincing the electorate to vote for him next time. He would also have considerable influence over them.
4. Can your "bribe" be unique? Can it be something to brag about? A banking institution had a problem of presenting a gift to a blue chip client on his birthday. The man who is a billionaire had high tastes and standards, such that the bankers had to have a meeting before they agreed on what gift to present to him. After deliberations, they arrived at a live giant sized birthday card which was highly colorful and conspicuous. The billionaire appreciated it and before the delegation from the bank left his office, he was already on the phone to his friends telling them what the bank had done on his birthday.
5. How many people do you want to reach with the bribe? You may not be able to do all the customers always, so the sensible thing is to make a selection. Determine who your best customers are and decide how influential they are. From these numbers you can know how many people you are planning this for and how much would be involved.
6. An advertising method should go with your gift. You need to create an advert that is subtle, not too loud or apparent. You don't want to offend the sensibilities of the people concerned.