Last Minute Corporate Gift Ideas

Every smart manager or boss knows good company morale is priceless. They know rewarding clients, customers or employees for their continued patronage or hard work makes good business sense.

The holiday season is the perfect occasion where goodwill can help build company spirit and continued patronage. You should spare no expense in presenting a nice token of your appreciation for all the hard work and loyalty displayed throughout the year.

However, playing Santa in the corporate world does come with a few problems. Especially if you're a boss or employer who procrastinates or puts everything off until the last minute. You may find yourself scrambling at short notice to come up with some appropriate gifts for the people in your company.

The holidays are especially hectic for those businesses in the retail trade, getting around to buying gifts for your employees or boss can sometimes be overlooked in all the hustle and bustle of Christmas.

Unless you want to look like Scrooge to all your employees, clients, or colleagues; here's a quick list of some last minute corporate gift ideas that will quickly put you back into everyone's good light.

Gift Certificates & Gift Cards

Still the old standard, gift certificates will always do in a pinch. Find a favorite merchant or store of your employees or clients and give them some gift certificates. Don't forget about ONLINE gift certificates, everything is moving online these days, so finding good quality stores or merchants who offer gift certificates or gift cards is an easy task. For example, Amazon now has Gift Certificates, ranging from $5 to $5000.

Concert/Sporting/Theatre Tickets

Tickets are another last minute item or gift that can be ordered at the last minute with one phone call or a click of the mouse. Creating a company outing to a favorite sporting event or theatre show will always be appreciated by the receivers.

Restaurants/Meals/Entertainment

Likewise, a night out to a favorite restaurant or nightclub could be a quick last minute gift for your important clients or workers, easy to arrange at the last second.

Trips/Vacations/Cruises

For more upscale gifts you can consider trips or cruises as corporate gifts to reward your hard working employees. Weekend cruises are not that expensive if you're close to the departure point. Cruises have grown in popularity and are an excellent surprise gift.

Gourmet Gift Baskets

Perhaps, the grand-daddy of the last minute gift is the traditional gift basket. Still one of the most appropriate and easy gifts to buy, everyone will enjoy a gourmet gift basket filled with their favorite quality treats.

Wine Baskets

Along the save line, wine gift baskets have become increasingly popular as the interest in fine vintage wines have risen in recent years. A wine gift basket will always be enjoyed and well received.

Final Tips

Although time is short, if you can, try to personalize your corporate gifts in some way. Always send a personal card and message. Some stores even offer last minute engraving so check it out. A personalized gift will always be more appreciated and remembered.

Needless to say, be fair and even in your corporate gift-giving. Don't favor one employee or one group of employees over another unless you have your corporate gifts tied in with an incentive program and everyone knows the rules.

Keep in mind the Internet is an easy last minute solution to your gift-giving woes. Many online stores and gift shops will offer unique gifts that can be delivered in one business day. In addition, the Internet will quickly supply you with the store or shop closest to your location where you can pick up your gifts. In many large cities, you can order online and then pick up your order at a local branch or franchise, saving you valuable time in the process.

Last minute gift buying doesn't have to be a major problem if you take some of the gift suggestions listed above and pick the most appropriate gifts for your company. You'll be saving Santa and face at the same time!

7 Ways to Use Personalized Engraved Corporate Gifts to Build Your Business

Looking for effective new ways to grow your business? Personalized engraved corporate gifts can be used in very creative ways to increase your company's sales.

1. New Product Introduction

Personalized engraved corporate gifts can often help carry informative copy that educates a target audience (potential market, distribution channels, etc). An example could be a software program that highlights or cleans up accounting discrepancies - part of the marketing mix of a solution could be a highlighter, magnifying glass, a lint brush, and a host of other items. If the product is a tangible item, it could be reproduced in miniature and embedded in a lucite paperweight.

2. Opening New Accounts

New contacts and new business is important. A sales force that has promotional tools (not just literature) is a sales force more apt to make contacts and build new business. An example of a personalized engraved corporate gift that could pave the way for future contacts is a quality ceramic coaster that lists the services and benefits of the product/company. According to Sales and Marketing Management Magazine, the average sales call costs in the hundreds of dollars per call. Isn't it wise then, to leave something behind that will reinforce what was said at an initial contact?

3. Develop Traffic at Trade Shows

There are many custom promotional items and products that will get qualified buyers at your booth. One good example is the manufacturer that sent out a playing card to prospects inviting them in the booth to see how their poker hand stacked up. Everyone who came back with the card was given a prize or a deck of playing cards with the company logo imprinted on it (and of course a product presentation). Also giving attendees prepaid phone cards are an excellent item to build booth traffic. The attendee is usually away from home and everyone likes free long distance. Of course, it doesn't hurt that they see your information custom imprinted on the calling card, and that they hear a short recorded company message each time they use the card!

4. Activating Inactive Accounts

Many inactive customers are inactive simply because they have been ignored or made to feel unimportant. These lists of inactives are a gold mine. Follow up and win customers back. An example is an old line large furniture store that had many inactive customers. A mailing was set up where a teaser letter invited them in to pick up their free gift (in this case a custom imprinted prepaid long distance card). When they came in to pick up the gift, they were shown what was new and many sales resulted.

5. Moving Products at the Dealer or Distributor Level

Many times companies have to rely on dealers or distributors, rather than direct employees to move product. Some times these dealers or distributors have more products to sell than just yours. Corporate thank you gifts make sure they will PREFER to sell and move your product.

6. Improve Client or Customer Relations

Your best clients are your competitor's target accounts. 66% of the reason that businesses lose customers is perceived indifference. With tangible symbols of your appreciation of your clients (Christmas remembrances, Birthday programs), your clients are always reminded that you are important to them even after they return from lunch with your competitor.

7. Out of Sight, Out of Mind

This is a variation of improving client relations, but it is important to keep your name in front of people. It has helped Microsoft and Intel, and it can work for your business on a smaller scale. One byproduct of giving personalized engraved corporate gifts is that you are perceived as being a larger business than you are. Of course, the biggest byproduct is that you build good will. People like to get free stuff...what can I tell ya?

Corporate Gift Ideas For This Holiday Season

The holiday season is a hectic time for companies. For those businesses in the retail trade it can prove to be your busiest time of the year with last minute orders, handling customers, hammering out holiday work schedules and meeting shipping deadlines. Finding the time to celebrate and the time to choose the best corporate gifts for your company can be a major chore.

Compounding the problem are all the social and family obligations your staff and workforce have to attend to at this time of the year. Fitting everything into this busy schedule can be a daunting task even for the most efficient boss or employee. Despite these concerns, most companies throw a staff party or celebration and give their employees small gifts of appreciation for all the hard work done throughout the year.

Most companies and CEOs know good company morale is priceless. They know a steady and happy workforce does make for a more productive and profitable company, no matter what business or industry you're pursuing. Therefore, choosing appropriate gifts for your employees or boss should be given some due consideration.

There are several ways to make the job of selecting the appropriate employee gift or boss gift a whole lot easier. A quick rundown of your options may spark some gift ideas for your own company.

Know Your Workers

First, you must know your workers, know what they like to do in their spare time -- their interests or hobbies. Finding a common activity that all employees part take could make the selection of one common gift that much easier.

Likewise, connecting your corporate gift with a company activity or event would include everyone in the process. Commemorating some recent company achievement or milestone in a gift would make your employees feel appreciated and rewarded. We all need those little pats on the back.

Personalize Your Corporate Gifts

It has been said, the sweetest word in the world is always your own name. So personalize your corporate business gifts with your company logo and the name of the receiver. Personalizing your corporate gifts make them much more memorable and more cherished. These days, almost any material or object can now be personalized with laser engraving.

Company Wish Lists or Registry

Large companies may consider setting up a corporate wish list of items with a good reputable gift company or merchant, then letting the employees choose their own gift from this list. Online gift sites and the Internet make this a very easy and practical venture to carry out.

Gift Certificates

Along those same lines, gift certificates are still a very practical way to handle a large number of employees. It may not be too exciting but gift certificates are still a fair and honest way to reward your workers. Seek out a reputable company and ask for a package deal or bargain on some gift certificates, you may be pleasantly surprised at the response. Business is business.

Corporate Gift Baskets

Another old standard or solution to any business gift giving dilemma is the corporate gift basket. Always appropriate and welcomed, the gift basket is another good choice especially at the last minute for those who always procrastinate.

Corporate Wine Gifts

Similar to the gift basket, a gift of wine is always another good choice. Quality wine products can now be easily ordered and shipped online at many excellent wine shops and businesses.

Go For Something Trendy

If you find the gift ideas mentioned above too predictable or boring, why not choose something a little more trendy. New electronic gadgets are always the rage, try giving the latest iPods, Blackberries or PDAs to your workers; many of these gifts also will serve a practical purpose in your company or organization.

Corporate Gift Organizer

Handling gifts for a large number of employees can be a daunting task. One simple solution is to use an online gift organizer like the one offered by Amazon.com -- you can organize and order all your corporate gifts from one location.

Use The Internet

Keep in mind, many top of the line gift shops and quality merchants now operate online stores and outlets. These stores will personalize your corporate gifts with your logos and details, many will even gift-wrap and ship your gifts free of charge on large volume orders. For this holiday season or for any occasion where you need gifts delivered quickly to your business, remember to shop online first, the solution to all your gift giving woes and worries may only be a click away.