Company Gifts for the Festival of Lights

"Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah, Come light the Menorah…" You might hear the lyrics to this festive song around the office today, as tonight at sundown is the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Also referred to as the Festival of Lights, Hanukkah is a time for singing special songs, eating latkes and other unique foods (generally fried in oil) and of course, distributing company gifts. Instead of company gifts that correlate directly with the Festival of Lights, you can select blue and yellow items that maintain the holiday’s schematic theme without being overtly religious. Distribute blue and yellow stress balls or journals for celebratory company gifts that everyone in the office will surely enjoy.

Photo by The Suss-Man (Mike)

What to Get the Manager who has everything: Part Two

A lot of you probably liked yesterday’s post about what to get the manager who has everything, but are concerned about the amount of cash these company gifts require. Well, have no fear! Today I’m going to discuss two ideas for making company gifts more affordable. The first idea is simple: ask your co-workers to chip in for the products and make the gift from your entire team. If people at work are not particularly fond of this idea, consider talking to your friends about what they plan to do to thank their managers. You and your friends can choose one product and buy it in bulk for cheaper rates for affordable company gifts that your managers will surely appreciate.

What to Get the Manager who has everything

Just in time for the holiday season, the writers at Inc.com have released a few pieces on the topic of company gifts. My favorite article thus far has been one about what to get the manager who has everything. While most of my blog topics focus on ideas for what types of company gifts managers, marketing people and the human resources department can give to employees to recognize their hard work, it’s a great idea for employees to honor their deserving managers with company gifts as well. Most of the items that Inc.com suggests are in the electronics category, and they come in a wide range of prices. From sophisticated cameras to more affordable promotional mice, there’s something for everyone on this list.

Company Gifts for Employee Retention

It’s no secret that employees who feel as though they make a difference at their jobs are the happiest and most motivated. Happy and motivated employees, in turn, are more likely to stay at their job for longer than unmotivated workers and are also more productive during the hours that they are at work. In addition to giving employees continual positive feedback, consider distributing company gifts to show employees how much you value them. Consider company gifts such as electronics or picture frames, as company gifts are most effective when they are not work-related, but instead are items that employees can utilize during their leisure time.

Brand Name Company Gifts

Cutter and Buck®, a line of top-notch company apparel and accessories, offers a wide selection of company gifts for your business. Whether you are looking to give golf accessories for out of the office fun, or functional company gifts such as notebooks, there is a Cutter and Buck® promotional item waiting to be customized with your company name and logo. When you add your name to these items, you combine the high quality of the items with the strength of the Cutter and Buck&reg brand name. Cutter and Buck® started producing golf-inspired apparel in 1990 and since then they have expanded, becoming part of the New Wave Group, A.B. and producing a variety of custom company gifts. 

Looking for Fun Company Gifts? Choose Personalized Koozies

If you’re looking for a way to liven the mood at your office this holiday season, encourage employees to decorate their cubicles and offices with festive ornaments. Once the decorations are up, hold a tacky sweater party and walk around the office to examine everyone’s decorations. Next, consider company gifts that will align your brand with an exciting image. Personalized koozies are great company gifts because not only are they fun, they are functional as well. And, these company gifts can be used at picnics and ball games for years to come, providing exposure for your brand throughout the years.

Don’t Forget to Budget for Company Gifts

No matter what industry you work in, it’s never too early to start planning your budget for the coming year. When creating a budget, be sure to look at expenditures from the past few years, expected profits for the year ahead, and the overall economic climate. In addition, it’s important to include all aspects of your marketing strategy, such as commercials, billboards, giveaways and company gifts. While many of the specifics will vary depending on your business, all companies can benefit from distributing company gifts. Company gifts are cost-effective and personal ways to thank employees for their hard work and clients for their business; you don’t want to forget these items, so be sure to budget early!

Design Options for Company Gifts

As previously mentioned, when selecting company gifts it is also important to contemplate the effects of various customization methods and select one that fits the style and quality of your company. When you select custom timepieces as your company gifts this holiday season, there aren’t very many personalization methods from which to choose. For the most part, all watches require laser engraving. While you won’t have the colors that result from 4-color process or embroidery, you will have sophisticated company gifts with high attention to detail. For more on the laser engraving process, please refer to the blog posted on November 5, 2009.

Never Miss a Meeting Again with These Company Gifts

Do you ever feel that there simply aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done? While we can’t create more hours, we can suggest that you distribute custom Leeds® watches to help recipients keep track of time. Promotional watches are ideal company gifts because they are stylish and functional items. Furthermore, there is a wide range of Leed’s® watches to choose from, which ensures that you select company gifts that fit the look and style of your business. Select a fashionable metal band or timeless leather bands, and be sure to take advantage of the corresponding men and women’s styles for company gifts that all recipients will appreciate.

Company Gifts to Help Navigate the Stores

These days, stores display Christmas decorations as soon as Thanksgiving is over in attempts to draw consumers into their shops to purchase holiday presents. In order to help your customers and clients stay sane during often overwhelming attempts to find the perfect presents for everyone on their lists, distribute functional company gifts such as large, recyclable bags. With their double, reinforced handles and multiples compartments to help recipients keep items orderly, reusable bags are ideal company gifts for the holidays. And, after the holiday season ends recipients can use these durable company gifts for trips to the grocery store or the gym.

Company Gifts to get in the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a great time for eating delicious food and relaxing with family, and it’s also a great marketing event for retailers. In fact, some sources estimate that the sales of turkey alone will reach $3.8 billion this year, and that doesn’t even include ingredients for side dishes and dessert. And, let’s not forget the vast amount of money spent when consumers wake up early and hit the mall to buy company gifts the Friday after Thanksgiving. One way to stand out in this market is to distribute high-end company gifts to clients and colleagues. Recipients will see your name and logo imprinted on the company gifts and remember you when they are looking to buy this holiday season.

Make the World a Brighter Place with Company Gifts

This year, as you shop for company gifts to distribute to top clients and hard-working employees, consider giving company gifts to people in the community as well. The winter holidays present ideal occasions for spreading seasonal cheer and what better way to do so than sponsoring a corporate canned food and clothing drive? Place a big cardboard box in the lunchroom and ask employees to bring in gently used clothing to donate to a local shelter. When the box is full, you can express your gratitude by distributing company gifts to those who helped make the world a brighter place.

Make Holidays Easier with Company Gifts

The holidays are a time to spread cheer and spend time with loved ones, but finding that perfect gift to express your gratitude often adds unnecessary stress to the season. This year, make the holiday season easier by customizing practical company gifts for your clients and employees. Since more than 90% of Americans drive to see friends and family during the week of Thanksgiving alone, recipients of all demographics will surely appreciate company gifts for road trips. Consider giving compactable luggage to keep clothes organized in the trunk or CD cases so that recipients can always have music within reach. When you distribute any of these company gifts, your marketing campaign will be on the road to success!

Celebrate Teacher Day with Company Gifts

In Vietnam, November 20 is known as Teacher Day, a time to give thanks to people who dedicate their lives to teaching others. While Teacher Day traditionally honors schoolteachers, this day is also an ideal time to thank colleagues, clients and employees who have educated you about business practices. Instead of leaving a shiny of apple on their desks, as many young schoolchildren do to acknowledge their teachers, choose from a wide selection of high-end company gifts. For increased personalization, customize these company gifts with your brand name and logo and distribute your company gifts to everyone who has inspired you along the path to success.

Show your Thanks with Company Gifts this Thanksgiving

Are you someone who works best under pressure or constantly waits until the last minute to get things done? Well, with Thanksgiving exactly a week from today, it’s time to start thinking about company gifts for employees and clients (if you haven’t already). The spirit and meaning of Thanksgiving makes this holiday a great time to give thanks for all of the people who make your business a success. And, sending company gifts early gives you an advantage over competitors who send them after the holiday season. If you are worried about getting the company gifts in time, simply utilize Pinnacle Promotion's RocketShip™ 24-hour service.

Company Gifts that Make Recipients Smile

When customizing company gifts for clients and employees, the goal is to pick an item that will bring a smile to recipients’ faces. Picture frames are one surefire way to make recipients smile because they allow recipients to look back on happy times that they have shared with friends, family and coworkers. You can give blank picture frames and encourage recipients to exhibit personal photos, or you can take a picture at an office holiday party and place it in frames for company gifts that any recipient will appreciate. And, when you customize these company gifts with your brand name and logo you will gain extra visibility wherever the frames are displayed.

Electronics – Ideal Company Gifts

The use of technology is rapidly increasing, exemplified by the fact that November 18 marks Electronic Greeting Day. To show that your company recognizes the significance of technology, consider giving electronics as company gifts. There is a wide variety of useful company gifts under this classification, including speakers, flash drives, and digital photo frames. Digital photo frames are great for display at home or at the office, and can also be used at industry tradeshows. Simply load the frame with information about your company, place it at your booth, and watch it scroll through the vast amount of information. And, these company gifts have wide imprint areas for personalizing them with a name and logo, ensuring that you receive extra exposure any way you choose to use them.

Company Gifts that Help the Environment

Due to its incredibly important nature, I wanted to offer more tips on how to use company gifts to help the environment while increasing the perceived worth and importance of your brand. Reducing the amount of paper your company prints, increasing the amount of recycling bins around your office, and enacting other green business practices is a great way to save the planet while reducing office expenditures. Another idea is to give employees reusable company gifts or company gifts made from recycled materials. These gifts eliminate waste while demonstrating to employees that both you -and the environment - appreciate their hard work.

Consider Giving Briefcases as Company Gifts

Over the past few years, briefcases have greatly increased in popularity as company gifts. These bags make ideal company gifts because not only are they stylish, they are incredibly functional as well. Many briefcases contain multiple compartments to help recipients stay prepared, especially when traveling to and from important business meetings. Some deluxe briefcases even have larger, zippered compartments, perfect for use on overnight business trips or for storing athletic apparel or other after-work clothing. And, briefcases come in many sizes and materials, so you can find the perfect company gifts for all recipients while sticking to any budget.

Enhance a Dinner Party with Company Gifts

This week’s blogs have been mainly dedicated to company gifts for sports fans. But what should you get for clients and employees who have other interests? Entertainment company gifts are great alternatives for employees who like to cook and have parties. With so many options to choose from in this category - including poker sets, wine stoppers and darts - you will find ideal items for all recipients. And, giving company gifts that enhance dinner parties or other occasions shows employees that you encourage their hobbies and support a balance between work and outside life. As an added bonus you will receive exposure for your brand when you customize these items with your company name and logo.

Company Gifts that won’t break the Bank

This season, as companies are cutting back on costs and luxuries, many business executives are facing a dilemma; they do not have a lot of money or resources, yet they still want to appreciate clients and employees. Browsing an entire category of company gifts under $5 is a perfect solution to this problem. The broad category includes toys, pens, travel accessories, and even leather jotters and CD cases. These company gifts all have a high-perceived value, yet are incredibly affordable. And, the more items you buy, the more cost-efficient the order becomes. After all, company gifts do not need to be expensive in order to be meaningful.

Company Gifts for Golf Enthusiasts

Yesterday I discussed how to select company gifts for clients and employees who love sports, and today we’re going to get even more specific. Just as sports fans will appreciate receiving company gifts that encourage their love of the game, golfers value items that support their hobby. There are a variety of different golf accessories to choose from, so you can customize a perfect product for any golf-lover in your office. Giving specialized gifts is a great way to show employees that you support their interests and value them as individuals. As an added bonus, company gifts for the golf course will garner extra attention for you business because many significant business deals begin on the green.

Company Gifts On and Off the Field

If you are looking for a perfect present for the sports-lovers in your office, try browsing Leed’s® selection of promotional products. These items are perfect for employees and clients who love athletics, whether they are active players or dedicated spectators. One option is to distribute bags and coolers; these items make great company gifts because they are functional for end-users and also provide exposure for your brand when used at cookouts before competitions. Portable headphones also serve as ideal company gifts because they allow recipients to hear games that they are unable to be present at. No matter which item choose, employees will appreciate receiving company gifts that support their love of sports.

Promotional Consultants to help you Select Company Gifts

If you find yourself stressed out by the thought of selecting company gifts, you are not alone. There are so many aspects to think about, that it is hard to know where to start. Promotional consultants, also known as distributors, can assist you in choosing the perfect company gifts for all recipients. Promotional consultants are generally salespeople who have been in the field a long time and become experts in the promotional products industry. Ask them to help you brainstorm a category of company gifts that fit your budget, or request that they choose a specific item from the broad range you have already selected.

Overwhelmed by Company Gifts?

Many businesses dread selecting company gifts because they are overwhelmed and puzzled by the various alternatives. In order to clarify the choices, it is important to understand which imprinting options work best on which products. Knowledgeable distributors often recommend using the laser engraving method to imprint your company gifts. This technique provides highly defined imagery that does not lose its clarity, even after many years. The only drawback of laser engraving is that it does not allow for color artwork. However, color is often unwarranted for producing sophisticated company gifts, as it detracts from the clean lines and elegance of items made of wood or metal.

Green Company Gifts

Ever since the days of the cavemen, humans have been reusing and recycling material. However, as the price of energy rises and our landfills are quickly becoming filled with garbage, it is now more important than ever for companies to enact "green" initiatives. One approach to corporate social responsibility is to distribute eco-friendly company gifts to business partners and loyal employees. While there are many different types of company gifts, journals and jotters made out of recycled material provide great opportunities for reducing waste. Recipients can use these practical and constructive company gifts to take notes at important business meetings or to write down grocery lists at home.

Company Gifts that are Useful and Cost-Efficient

If you’re looking for company gifts that are both useful and cost-efficient, consider giving custom drinkware. The drinkware category spans a wide range of products, including tumblers, sports bottles, and BPA-free bottles that do not contain chemicals that are harmful to people and the environment. All of these products are reusable, which means that they reduce the waste of plastic cups while providing recipients with durable company gifts. And, personalized drinkware is easy to transport between home and the office. Clients and employees alike will appreciate receiving company gifts that complement their busy lifestyles, and you will receive brand exposure everywhere they go.

Choosing Sophisticated Company Gifts

Often times, a company’s marketing budget stands in the way of distributing high-end company gifts. To find an item that clients and employees will appreciate without spending a lot of money, consider distributing Leed’s® company gifts. Leed’s®, which began over 20 years ago as a leather company, is one of the top providers in the promotional products industry. There is a wide range of business accessories from which to choose, including journals and jotters, timepieces, and stylish office tools. All of these company gifts have ample space for imprinting a company name and logo, which allows you to increase exposure for your brand while obtaining the high-perceived value of brand name promotional items.

Fun Ideas for Distributing Company Gifts

Selecting and customizing company gifts are the first step rewarding employees in a meaningful way, but don’t let the style in which you deliver the products fall by the wayside. Distributing company gifts in a fun and merry manner will improve employee satisfaction and, in turn, productivity within the office. While leaving gifts at employees’ desks overnight creates a pleasant surprise for them in the morning, it prevents top executives from seeing their reaction. Instead, have a celebration, complete with decorations and food, and take turns presenting company gifts to employees. Another way to deliver the gifts is to have someone in festive attire pass them out around the workplace.

Company Gifts that Bring Value to Your Brand

In order to derive maximum value from company gifts, it is necessary to customize the gifts according to the target audience. While companies should take internal factors such as budget and image into consideration, they should primarily focus on their target audience when deciding which company gifts to distribute. In addition to matching the product itself with the recipients’ needs, companies should tailor the look and feel of the item as well. Debossing a company name and logo onto a leather mouse pad creates a sophisticated gift for a top executive, while distributing lunch bags in bright colors make more appropriate company gifts for younger customers.

Improve Business Relations with Company Gifts

Giving company gifts is an efficient and affordable way to establish and improve relationships with clients. Everyone loves receiving something for free, especially when the product is useful and saves him or her the time and energy necessary to go look for that item. There is a wide range of functional company gifts for the office, including an entire category of high-end pens and sophisticated padfolios and jotters.

When customized with a company name and logo, company gifts serve as a reminder of your brand. The next time a client is looking to do business, they will see their gift and know exactly who to call!

Factors to Consider when Choosing Company Gifts

The holiday season is forthcoming, which means that businesses should select company gifts to acknowledge the hard work that their employees do on a daily basis. When choosing company gifts, employers might consider individual worker’s strengths and interests. Suitcases and duffels might be ideal for employees who travel a lot, but would not make suitable gifts for homebodies.

However, there are other factors to consider when selecting company gifts, such as the image that your company wants to portray. And, if personalized gifts are too time consuming or expensive for your budget, simply choose a sleek, practical gift that will show employees from all departments how much they mean to you.

Company Gifts Motivate Employees

Let’s face it: the workplace can get pretty monotonous, and company gifts during the holidays or at special company events help break up the daily grind. Best of all, company gifts communicate to employees that they are appreciated. Continual, concrete affirmation improves employee retention and creates a positive work atmosphere all around. Below are a couple of guidelines to get you started with company gifts.

First, make your company gifts as personalized as possible. If you can’t shop specifically for each employee, make sure to include a personalized note thanking the recipient for his hard work. Point out a particular contribution the employee has made or an excellent talent or trait that he brings to the team. Employees will actually value such a note above the gift itself. A human touch endows the gift with meaning and makes it a sincere act of appreciation rather than a rote obligation. Of course, have the managers write these notes in their own handwriting. The manager is the person who best knows her employee’s contributions. Her praise is more meaningful than anyone else’s.

Second, stage a special tradition around company gift giving, like a holiday party or anniversary picnic. Even a small event like a thirty-minute break at the end of the day gives employees something to look forward to, and provides them with the enthusiasm they need to work their best.

Company gifts are not a luxury reserved for the Fortune 500 company; they are a vital resource that improves performance and retains valuable employees.