Productivity Tip – 3 ways to save time and money on client gifts

By Helene Segura | November 13, 2014 |
Als-Gourmet-Nuts-corporate-gifts-client-gifts

How to save time and money on client gifts

Save Time and Money!

Part of being productive is not only using your time wisely, but also using your money wisely. Too many times I’ve seen business owners and independent consultants try a marketing tactic at the last minute, only to see it go down in flames. Time was lost throwing it together. Money was lost because there was zero ROI. In some cases, especially when it comes to holiday gifts for clients, there was a negative ROI because clients felt that the gift was an afterthought and that they weren’t as appreciated as they thought they should be. Ouch! That’ll cost you even more time, because now you’ll have to hustle for more clients.

With the holidays coming up in a hurry, I reached out to one of my good friends for some time-saving tips on how to purchase client gifts. Margaret Anaglia and her husband, Albert, started Al’s Gourmet Nuts in 2000, so this is now their 15th holiday season of dealing with gift giving. Here are Margaret’s two most important client gifts tips:

  • CHOOSE YOUR TIMELINE

Determine when you want to distribute your client gifts to maximize your best exposure. Remember your goal is to stay ahead of your competition! The following dates are great because most recipients are in their offices and are not saturated with gifts.

At least…..the Planning Aspects

  • Week before or during Thanksgiving week
  • First two weeks after Thanksgiving
  • First week of January – Wish a Happy New year and announce new products/services

 

  • DETERMINE YOUR BUDGET

Tailor your gift order to fit your budget needs. Because no two clients are alike and all clients are special, remember to maximize your holiday budget by categorizing your gift list. For example, you may need twenty $100 gifts; ten $50 and fifty $25 gifts.

Thanks, Margaret!

 

One more time saver!

I’d like to throw a third tip in there that will save time:

  • Work with someone you know and trust.

I’ve heard horror stories about gifts being late, or old and stale, or delivered to the wrong client – with the wrong card! If you don’t already work with someone, ask your colleagues for a trusted source. I have an established relationship with Margaret, so my orders are handled within a matter of minutes via phone or email. If this will be your first time working with someone, make sure you allow time for planning conversations and clarify any and all expectations in order to avoid glitches.

Save time and money this holiday season. Use the above tips to plan ahead.

 

For more information about how to save time, check out our other blog posts.

About Helene Segura

As The Inefficiency Assassin™, Time Management Fixer Helene Segura empowers professionals on the go with the tools to slay lost time. Personal inefficiency at work leads to increased stress levels, lower morale, higher absenteeism, more turnover – and rising spending on employee health care and hiring. Why not improve productivity, decrease stress levels, and increase profits instead?The author of four books – two of which were Amazon best-sellers – Helene Segura has been the featured organization expert in more than 200 media interviews. She has coached hundreds of clients to productivity success and performance improvement by applying neuroscience and behavioral modification techniques to wipe out destructive, time-wasting habits.Helene turns time management on its head by sharing both client case studies and pop culture examples to teach her mind-bending framework for decreasing interruptions, distractions and procrastination so that companies can spend more time generating revenue.

Leave a Comment