| The majority of company owners will agree that | | | | buy. Even better, you'll be easily able to choose |
| free promotional items given to customers are | | | | ones that are appropriate for the occasions you |
| great purchase incentives, and that giving business | | | | want to give them on. |
| gifts to clients and other company associates is | | | | On what occasions should you give your |
| an excellent way of strengthening your | | | | employees business gifts? There are two main |
| professional relationships. Fewer people consider | | | | categories-professional events and personal |
| that the same principles apply to your staff. | | | | events. Professional events are those related to |
| The reasons you give promotional or business | | | | the working lives of your employees. You might |
| gifts to customers and clients are very different | | | | give new hires a selection of office-related items |
| from the reasons you give such items to your | | | | that they'll need for their job, give an executive |
| employees. The gifts you give to customers are | | | | item to an employee who has been promoted, or |
| usually given to tempt customers into spending | | | | reward a hard-working member of staff with a |
| more money, or simply to let them know what it | | | | bonus gift when they secure a new client for |
| is your company sells or does. When you give | | | | your company. Personal events, on the other |
| gifts to clients, you might be trying to persuade | | | | hand, are not related to your employees working |
| them to do business with you, thanking them for | | | | lives. Instead they're personal occasions such as a |
| their custom, or acknowledging their long-time | | | | marriage, anniversary, the birth of a child, or the |
| support of your company. | | | | retirement of an employee. |
| Gifts for your employees aren't given to tempt | | | | Choosing the right one for the occasion is fairly |
| them into buying your goods, or of doing business | | | | simple. For professional events, you'll usually give |
| for you of course. Instead they are given to | | | | items that your employees will find useful in their |
| staff members to boost morale, increase | | | | work. For example, if an employee has been |
| productivity, and raise awareness of the company | | | | promoted to a position that involves working with |
| from within. | | | | clients, you might gift them with a leather |
| How does this work? First of all, giving gifts to | | | | business card holder or a similar item they'll use in |
| your employees on appropriate occasions | | | | their new job. For personal events, the choice you |
| increases morale because your staff will feel like | | | | give should be more personal-when an employee |
| members of a company that cares about them in | | | | retires, for example, giving them a work-related |
| more than a professional sense. Employees who | | | | business gift will not be appropriate, since they will |
| feel this way are more likely to work harder, | | | | no longer be working. Special gifts such as wine or |
| therefore boosting productivity. | | | | gourmet hampers are ideal for many personal |
| There is a very large range of options to choose | | | | occasions, and are also good gifts to give during |
| from, in all price ranges, so you'll never have to | | | | the holiday season. |
| spend more than you can afford on the ones you | | | | |