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Part
3 in a 3-part series
When
it comes to business gift giving, we often fall back to the
"safe" gifts. Food, books, and office gadgets are great,
but they may seem too impersonal for that assistant who is always
there when you need her or the staff member who has willingly worked
overtime during the last three months to help you make a tight
deadline. For those type of people, you probably want to give a more
customized gift. Here are some suggestions:
1)
Personalized Stationery
Who
says personalized stationery should be reserved for the big cheese?
It doesn't hurt to make that hard working employee feel invaluable with
her own personalized stationery! At Colorful Images
you can imprint a variety of stationery items,
like memo blocks, notepaper, envelopes, bookplates and address
labels with the recipient's name.
2)
Custom Bookmarks
Do you
have some photos of silly or special times at the office? If so,
turn them into custom bookmarks for a unique gift she will not only
use--but cherish, too! Little Did I Know
sells customized bookmarks featuring those favorite
photos. Simply send photos; they lay them out, make high quality
reproductions, laminate and embellish them up with an ivory tassel.
If you desire, add a special message or a motivational message. Prices
start at $9.95.
3) Engraved Desktop
Stationery Holder
 A
classy gift for a four-star assistant or co-worker, this seven piece set
includes two pen holders, letter opener, business card holder, mail
holder, paper clip holder, 8-1/2"x11" paper holder and small
notepad holder. Pen holder includes brass plaque which can be
engraved with any name up to 25 characters. Crafted from natural wood with
cherry finish. Price: $39.95 from
Personal Creations
4) Rosewood Initial
Bookends
These
furniture-quality bookends make an excellent gift for business associates
or clients. Each letter is crafted from one solid piece of wood for
enduring beauty, kiln-dried and finished with the care usually reserved
for fine furniture. Two facing initials are mounted on brass bases with
felt bottoms to protect against scratches. Specify two initials when
ordering. Cost: $39.95 from the Gifts Catalog through Catalog City
(From the homepage, type in "Rosewood Initial Bookends"
in the search box and you will be directed to the gift.)
5)
"Dare to Soar" Motivational Sculpture
 This
beautiful piece of artwork is a great way to thank that special
employee. A part of the "Ideas in Motion" sculpture line,
it proclaims "Your attitude almost always determines your
altitude." A gold-plated figure on a para-glider soars above its
wood base. It includes a brass plate which can be engraved with the
message of your choice. Cost: $49.99 from Successories
6)
Gift Certificate
Although
a gift certificate may seem generic and impersonal, you can make it
special by selecting the appropriate gift certificate and then presenting
it in a unique way.
Start
with a SuperCertificate,
available through 
Giftcertificates.com
SuperCertificates
are no ordinary paper certificate. In fact, they offer the ultimate
in flexibility since the recipient can use a SuperCertificate at more than
700 different stores, restaurants, spas, movie theaters, and even for
hotel and vacation packages! They are available in increments over
$25, making them affordable even for the tightest budget.
Now,
onto the packaging. Here are some unique ways to present that gift
certificate:
1)
Roll up a photocopy
of the certificate and tuck it into the casing of an extra large ballpoint
pen. Don't
close the casing completely--make it appear like something is wrong with
the pen. Nestle the pen in a lined gift box (hide the real
certificate under the lining.) Then present the gift box to the
recipient. He will open it, notice the strange pen and, of course,
will want to investigate...
2)
If you will be giving the gift certificate to your secretary, stick
it into a new shorthand notebook.
Call her in, give her the notebook and ask her to take dictation.
Then watch her surprise as she opens the notebook.
3)
Put the certificate in a small plastic bag, then hide
it under his morning sweet roll.
Present it with a fresh-brewed cup of coffee as soon as he arrives.
4)
Hide it inside the
branches of a desktop-sized evergreen tree
that you have decorated with a string of mini lights. Set it on her
desk before she arrives in the morning, along with a greeting card hinting
that "all that glitters is not gold."
5)
Tuck it in the
middle of a Time or Newsweek magazine,
then give the publication to him, asking him to read the informative
article on page 20 and to tell you what he thinks of it.
For
more customized gifts, check out the
Things Remembered
or Personal Creations
websites.
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