Tips for Maximizing Corporate Holiday Gift Giving

2.Shop when the selection is the biggest and best. Especially in a tight economy sellers are watching inventory closely and are more likely to have items go out-of-stock the closer we get to the holiday. By ordering early gift givers avoid having to take what's left.

3.Give items that have universal appeal and high brand recognition. Gifts possessing high brand recognition assure that their quality attributes are associated with you, the gift giver.

4.Rank your clients into common sense segments. Not all customers are the same and grouping them on some basis, such as sales volume, length of relationship, potential business, etc., supports a gift selection process that allows you to spend the appropriate amount across a spectrum of clients.

5.Consolidate orders to achieve maximum discounts. Consolidating gift giving with one source enhances the opportunity for volume discounts on similar gifts. Another benefit of early planning is avoiding the lone straggler which typically costs more than if it were part of the larger order.

6.Avoid time-consuming procedural grunt work. Look for gift sources that do the less enjoyable low man on the totem pole work for you, such as taking your meticulous address list and formatting it into a fast, organized gift giving process.

7.Personalize your message whenever possible. Find a source that provides unique services that personalize your thoughtfulness at the point of delivery, such as personalized gift messaging on the shipping box, packing slip or note card inside.

8.Consider the health aspects of one gift for office settings. Its flu season and gifts for an office or group may innocently turn into germ breeding grounds and transfer points. Individually wrapped candy can be shared by many without risk.

9.Order early to save on shipping charges and other rush processing fees. Planning early not only avoids last minute emotional stress but also stays within budget by avoiding higher shipping charges and other special order handling charges.

10.Give gifts that are can be enjoyed by all.There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with chocolate. Linda Grayson, The Pickwick Papers