The Business of Giving

If you're looking to add a little punch to a bag promotion, consider filling them with other gifts. A briefcase with travel or office items, a purse with toiletries or a laptop bag stocked with additional high-tech gear are some easy examples. This tactic can be successful even with smaller bags, like a travel pouch or toiletry bag. Jeff Lederer, vice president of Prime Line, Bridgeport, Conn., reported a travel pouch, USB hub and mouse bundle that has "made a terrific impact as a gift set" and is expected to do well this holiday season.

ELECTRONICS

Electronics, not always the first choice for business gifts, can sometimes be exactly what end-users are looking for. "Electronics have a higher perceived value and utility than many business gifts," said Norris. "These are products that people would love to own, but may not necessarily purchase personally."

Headphones, digital picture frames and even MP3 players are all items that can have their place in the office. USB memory drives in particular are worthy of consideration, being practical work items with a lot of potential for customization by the end-buyer. Besides offering data storage, Lederer pointed out USBs can also be fitted with custom software and files. Be they photos from the company picnic to a custom-designed media browser, these data additions will only add to the item's longevity.

JOURNALS

There are a lot of reasons to select journals for a business gift. They're appropriate for nearly any market, they take various decoration methods well, and depending on their initial page count, they can have a long promotional life span. Melissa Dickson, marketing director for Drummond Printing, Stuttgart, Ark., further explained the value of this longevity. "Journals are a timeless gift, whether used to reflect on one's deepest thoughts or just to jot a quick 'to do' list," she said. "It becomes more precious with age as it is filled with doodles, lists, and memories."