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Consultants Top Tips Article, November 2004
In Pursuit of the Perfect Business Gift
By Sue Connelly
"Thank you." It's such a simple phrase, but as consultants rushing
from one deadline to another, we may forget to express it. Recognition
is so important, but it doesn't have to be in short supply.
It's amazing how just a little appreciation can make a person
feel like they can leap tall buildings!
In our business, many people play a vital part in our success: clients, those
who give us referrals or help, fellow team members, and key vendors.
A hand-written note or a phone call is important, but if you want to do something
more for someone, this article is a compilation of the favorite gift ideas
provided by many members of the WIC community. Thank you for sharing!
Gift giving doesn't have to be a challenge if you find ways to
make it creative and convenient... and fun. You can choose something
that fits the taste and interests of the person you wish to thank.
Or, choose a unique gift that you give to everyone, and it can become
your signature trademark. If you send a gift with a tie-in to your
particular business, it can become a pleasant reinforcement of the
value your business provides.
Making Gift Giving Easier:
- Since inconvenience is often the reason why we don't get around to
sending more thank-you gifts, buy a quantity of gifts ahead of time and
keep your own inventory.
- Shop online or by phone and make your purchases from your
office or home at any hour of the day. The added benefit is that the vendor
ships the gift directly to the recipient.
- An Amazon.com gift certificate can
be sent electronically, and it's a fast and easy way to send a thank
you.
- If you want to stock
up ahead of time on gifts, you can find quality products at sales
and outlets. One "secret tip" from a WIC member is to
scout out high-end store sales and outlets during the summer and fall (e.g.,
Saks Off-Fifth, Coach, Waterford, Ralph Lauren, Neiman Marcus, Barney's,
etc.) for multiples of gifts. She picked up Burberry winter scarves for her
clients from Saks Off-Fifth last year for $35 each. If the store doesn't
have enough of an item, she has them call around to find more at other outlets.
The only caveat to buying from an outlet is that you must inspect each gift
before you buy it to ensure there's
nothing wrong with it. You can spend a lot of time getting official boxes
and packaging for each gift. At outlets, they like to tell you that they
don't have boxes, but they do! If you're spending more than $300, they'll
get them for you. Also, they usually have discounts when you purchase multiples
or spend over a set amount of money.
Favorite Online Resources:
- Harry & David's pears are always a
treat—but they also carry many varieties of chocolate and food
baskets, so the variety is endless. The tower box of goodies is
a great gift. The quality is always wonderful, and they will gift wrap holiday
baskets. www.harryanddavid.com
- Wine.com has some great baskets, and clients like them! www.wine.com
- Red Envelope has some customized, high-end choices for
both men and women that are ideal for business gifts. www.redenvelope.com
Simple, But Personal... and Effective:
- You can't go wrong with flowers, and you can choose
anything from a beautiful traditional display to the modern minimalist designs
to suit the tastes of your recipient.
- Many consultants get great reactions
from hand-written thank-you cards,
which are sent to thank people for almost anything: the first meeting with
a new client, a new partner or vendor, a referral, or the close of a project.
You can buy blank greeting cards that have nice cover artwork. It's the
personal touch that people appreciate.
- Thank-you lunches are
a nice way to thank someone who gave you a referral, even if it didn't actually materialize
into work. It's important that they know that you appreciate their support.
Lunches or dinners that bring together the entire team that worked on a project
is a great way to end the program on a high note and to give important recognition
to each person.
- While a calendar is not a new idea, a desk
calendar from Keith Lazelle has photography that is so beautiful and striking
that everyone comments on it. All pages are printed on a black background
and the photos are exquisite. The cost is only $13.95. www.keithlazelle.com/Pages/calendar.html
- One
WIC member has hosted an extravagant lunch for all her clients
and consultants for
the past seven years. She's had it at Viogneir in San Mateo, The
Palace in Mountain View, and Parcel 182 in Santa Clara. Each client receives
a nice invitation, and they're asked to bring a corporate giveaway
or a 'white
elephant.' At the lunch, she seats them next to people they'd
enjoy meeting. She makes a speech highlighting the year and thanking
them for their business. She also takes a photo with each person at the
lunch and sends it to them afterward.
Gastronomic Delights:
- Fairytale Brownies are always a hit. They come
in a variety of delicious flavors that will tempt any palette.
www.fairytalebrownies.com
- Send a dinner certificate to their favorite
restaurant so they can enjoy a special night out. If you can't
get the name of their favorite restaurant, an American Express
gift certificate is a good option, and they can go wherever they'd
like... perhaps even try out a new restaurant. Note that American
Express charges a small fee for the certificate.
- Chelsea Market Baskets have beautifully presented gift
baskets. There are many gift options; they can customize
almost anything and provide amazing customer service. Prices range
from $10 to $210 per basket. 888-727-7887 or www.Chelseamarketbaskets.com
- Edibles Inc. creates clever edible greeting card cookies
that are fun for client birthdays and receive positive feedback.
The cookies are approximately $20 plus shipping from Salt Lake
City. 800-858-4381 or www.ediblesinc.com
- Joseph Schmidt chocolates are appropriate for
giving during the holidays. They sell pre-packaged boxes, or you
can handpick chocolates by going to their retail locations. Prices
start at $15. You can also find them at other stores, such as
Neiman Marcus. Joseph Schmidt's main store is at 3489 16th Street
in San Francisco. Call 800-861-8682 or 415-861-8682. www.josephschmidtconfections.com
- One WIC member thought the nicest gift she'd received was olive
oil from someone's private reserve in a special bottle
with a hand-written label. It was something she could use, and
it was of better quality than what she would buy for herself.
Another WIC member loved receiving specialty jams
from a shop in Maine that the sender stumbled upon while on vacation.
- Vosges Haut Chocolate is ideal for serving
after dinner, or you can send their cakes or some of their larger
collections as thank-you gifts. The packaging is amazing and looks
like a purple Tiffany's box. The pricing is from $5 to $36 per
box of chocolates. 888-301-9866 or www.vosgeschocolate.com
- Try sending mouth-watering Over the Top English Toffee
from Craig Ranch Gourmet. The half-pound package of toffee comes
in a stainless-steel travel mug that is good for corporate gifts.
Your logo is on the mug, and minimum quantities
apply. The toffee is also available in one- and two-pound tins,
and the pricing is from $14.95 to $32.95. Contact Julie Craig
at 916-417-0923.
- Recchiuti can put your logo onto chocolate,
which is impressive. For corporate or volume purchases, contact
Jacky Recchiuti at 415-826-2868 or jacky@recchiuticonfections.com.
www.recchiuticonfections.com
- Mighty Leaf Tea offers high-end teas and gift baskets
that combine the enjoyment and relaxation of tea with various
goodies. www.mightyleaf.com/default2.aspxGourmet
Country has a gourmet food and gift retail Internet
Website. Contact Candice Masters at 800-665-9123 or view her Website
at www.gourmetcountry.com
You
can also find some nice gift selections at:
www.gourmetcountry.com/index.php?cPath=62_86
www.gourmetcountry.com/index.php?cPath=62_79
www.gourmetcountry.com/index.php?cPath=62_63
Do Something Good for the World:
- A favorite holiday gift for WIC members is to send a fresh
wreath from Starcross Community. Their wreaths are fairly
inexpensive (about $35, including shipping). They are really beautiful
and have an extraordinary scent, but the best part is that they
support Starcross, which is a small, lay Catholic community that
adopts orphans with AIDS. They began their work on a small basis
first in the US and then expanded to Romania. Now they've started
a program in Africa for orphans whose parents have died from AIDS.
People love the wreaths, and they are touched by the cause. 800-960-1500
or www.starcross.org
- Make a donation in your clients honor and send
a letter describing the charity to which you
made donations. One WIC member who uses lots of paper in her business
as a trainer donates to Releaf, which plants trees.
- Two products that were in the most recent issue of Real
Simple magazine would be a delight to receive. The proceeds
support women's cancer research, and the items are attractively
packaged with the famous pink ribbon.
- Pure Shea Butter, for $35.00 is a powerful
moisturizer that protects, nourishes, and moisturizes dry and
sensitive skin and can be applied to anything from cracked feet
to flyaway hair. www.loccitane.com
- Philosophy, Pink Ribbon Shower Gel,
$20.00 a three-in-one gel—a shampoo, conditioner, and body
wash in one with an inspirational poem on the bottle about women
who've battled breast cancer. www.philosophy.com
- Give a gardening enthusiast a Gift Membership to the
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden in Palo Alto. This non-profit
is supported by volunteers, and they welcome contributions. More
information can be found at www.gamblegarden.org
Relaxation and Restoration:
- Spa gift certificates are perfect for people who
don't
have time to pamper themselves. Give a certificate for their favorite spa,
or choose one that you know is wonderful. Some of the recommended spas are
La Belle in Palo Alto and San Francisco, Preston Wynne Spa in Saratoga, and
the Los Gatos Spa in Los Gatos.
- Delight the senses with lavender, distilled
oils, or other spa aromatherapy products. Rancho Alegre, a lavender farm
in Pescadero, creates soaps, lotions, and essential oils from
its own lavender.
Contact Susan Ditz at www.ranchoalegre-lavender.com.
- A
WIC member who is a personal in-home organizer has a mission to simplify
the lives of her clients by helping them to cut through the clutter
so they can focus on the important things in their lives. Aromatherapy products are
a nice compliment to the hands-on work and teaching she provides.
Holiday Giving:
- Send something at another time of the year, and make it
your trademark. Why not choose Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, Easter,
or the first day of summer? Your gift will stand out, since it won't
get lost in the avalanche of gifts during the Christmas holidays. One consultant
personally delivers gorgeous floral wreaths just before Thanksgiving. She
buys them at the Flower Market in San Francisco, so they are cost effective.
The wreaths last all year, since they are designed with branches, eucalyptus,
and flowers that dry nicely.
- Swarovski crystal ornaments make great Christmas or New
Year's gifts that can be purchased year after year, since the designs
change yearly. It becomes a nice reminder of your business when the recipients
decorate their trees the following year.
- Godiva chocolates are
always a treat for all client sponsors and key contacts you've worked with throughout the year. It's
about $30 for a one-pound box. Who doesn't like nice chocolate at Christmas
time?
- Wine
gift baskets from Costco are a good holiday gift, or for clients
at the end of the project, at a cost of about $35.
- A bonsai tree in a kengai
ceramic pot is a unique idea, and it's decorated with little
ornaments during the holidays. Your logo can be imprinted on the vase,
and it comes with a holiday card. There is a minimum order quantity of
144, and the price is about $12.50/piece at that quantity—which includes
one-color imprint on the vase. It's
a good holiday promotion, but it's also something that people will
value as a nice gift for their desk. Contact Kim Kelley of Christofer Communications
(CCI) at 408-225-3447 or kimberlyk@christofer.com.
Their new Website is currently under construction: www.christofer.com
- Send
a card to all of your clients by choosing from the 2004
holiday collection from Paper Russells. They can incorporate your logo, and
they can do custom designs from the ground up as well. For more information
or to request a catalog, contact Janine Kromhout at jk@paperrussells.com or
650-269-1417. They are offering a discount to WIC members.
How About Something a Little Different?
- Gifts that will become more beautiful over time are flower bulbs planted
in an attractive pot along with care instructions. Tulips, narcissus, amaryllis,
and daffodils are good choices and a delight to watch as they grow and finally
bloom. They are a lasting reminder, because they don't actually
bloom until spring. You'll hear from everyone again when the flowers
blossom. You can work through a local florist or find similar ideas on the
Smith and Hawken Website at www.smithandhawken.com.
An additional ongoing reminder
gift idea is to subscribe to a plant-of-the-month for your client; they will
receive a different flowering plant each month.
- Provide a creative outlet and a chance to try something new by giving a gift
certificate for a pottery class at Mother Earth Clay Center. The
cost for this is about $185. Mother Earth Clay Center is in Sunnyvale.
Contact Abby O'Connell at 408-245-6262.
- A great gift idea is called Party in a Card. It is very
unique, and it's a fun way to send a "thank you." People who
have received her cards say they are fabulous and memorable. Contact Kristy
Rogers at 408-288-8484 or greatgift1@aol.com.
- Leaded
Glass and Pewter People Sculptured Business Card Holders are
little sculptures that represent nearly every profession. They come in
a variety of sizes and styles that include Post-it® note holders, memo
clips, and business card holders. These range in price from $20 to $60
per piece, depending on the scene selected and the level of personalization.
Contact Kim Kelley of Christofer Communications (CCI) at 408-225-3447 or kimberlyk@christofer.com.
Their new site is currently under construction: www.christofer.com
- One
WIC member rolls out the red carpet for her clients. One year she gave
Waterford "wealth" champagne
flutes with a bottle of Dom Perignon. In previous years she sent monogrammed
Coach leather business bags and monogrammed Ralph Lauren cashmere sweaters.
Last year she put together a "My Favorite San Francisco Things"
basket, including
Recchiuti chocolates, Schramsberg sparkling wine, CJ Olson Walnuts, and
a Cowgirl Creamery Tomales Bay cheese collection. She pulled these gifts
together herself and used Anita's Gifts & Things in San Carlos to arrange
them in baskets; she then had them delivered via a courier service or UPS.
The gift baskets were $200 each before delivery costs. She purchased the
Waterford champagne flutes at Costco well below original price, and she
bought the Coach bags at outlets; the Ralph Lauren cashmere sweaters were
bought from the Barney's during a 4th of July sale for the following holiday
season.
- Suedy's Koo-ki Sushi in San Jose makes chocolate sushi.
Elegantly packaged in lacquer boxes or wooden sushi trays. They are amazingly
realistic and delicious. The price range is from $10 to $100, with a nice
gift costing about $20 to $30. Note that you must order ahead of time for
many items. In addition to chocolate sushi, they also have choco-Nekos (lucky
cats in white, gold, or brown) that come with a story about how the cat
brings good luck to your business. They're only about $10, nicely packaged,
and they make a great New Year's present. www.kookisushi.com/index.htm
- One
WIC member, who has two different kinds of clients, sends specialized
gifts that reflect each business. Her pet-sitting clients get
a bottle of wine that is custom-labeled with her name and logo, and their
pets get a treat basket. Her graphic design clients get a handmade booklet
that fits in their pocket.
- You can create a custom music CD with
your favorite mix of music to fit any theme—similar to the CD
mixes found at Pottery Barn or Starbucks. Software programs are available
for designing your own CD label, also.
Ideas for Business Referrals:
Many of the ideas in this article are great thank-you gifts for someone who
has taken the time to recommend you to a prospective client. Here are a few
more ideas, from WIC members, that may help you try something new:
- Waterford crystal clocks from Macy's make a lovely gift
to people who give you referrals that lead to work, many of whom are their
good friends or former clients. The prices vary from $125 to $150, and
it's
a nice idea to include the gift receipt so they can easily exchange it
for something else if they already have enough clocks.
- Send a popular business
book, especially if it is a good read or the book relates to
their particular business. One of the WIC members recently co-authored
a business book, and she included a bookmark printed
with her company
name, logo, contact information, and a promotional message.
Thanking Executives:
- After an executive helps make a connection for you, send a bottle of Dom
Perignon along with your thank-you note. You can get the champagne
at Beverages and More (see www.BevMo.com for
stores and online orders) at reasonable prices, and they have attractive
gold gift boxes. It's a nice touch to also send a gift of good
chocolates to their administrative assistants, because they are usually
the ones who really make your meeting with the executive happen. In your
note, it's
fun to suggest that they break open the champagne when they get home
that night—rather than putting it off for a special occasion.
They can make an ordinary day special by adding a touch of bubbly to
a take-out dinner, or even with leftovers!
Things to Keep in Mind:
- Some companies have limits on the value of the gifts their employees can
accept. It's always a good idea to check discretely to see if a gift-limit
policy exists.
- Although a bottle of wine is a "safe" gift, be sure the person
really enjoys wine. In some cases, it may just be given away.
- Don't forget the people who make your life easier and are often behind
the scenes. It's a wonderful thought to send something to your client's
assistant, or someone on the support team, who doesn't usually get
recognition.
None of us are successful totally on our own merit, and there are many people
who help to make our lives special and who help our businesses. A sincere thank
you can go a long way—and certainly can make that person's day!
Whom do you need to thank today?
When companies need to connect to customers to create new business, they
turn to Connelly Communications (www.connellycom.com).
Whether you need a single consultant or a team of best-of-breed experts,
we provide the right mix to meet the needs of each client and to maximize
their marketing. Sue Connelly is also the founder of the KIT List
(www.kitlist.org,)
a job opportunities email list with 37,000 subscribers that connects great
people to great jobs.
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