Getting Down to Business Gifts

Gift-giving. It's ingrained in our cultural consciousness, a key ingredient in the jambalaya that is modern society, right up there with apple pie, Justin Timberlake and fantasy football. We give gifts for birthdays and anniversaries, at weddings and graduations, on holidays both major and minor. It's a custom that speaks to our nature as social beings. We have a primal need to show our loved ones how much we care—and oh yeah, we like getting free stuff too.

That's good news for distributors. Businesses of all sizes need gifts for their employees, rewards for incentive programs and giveaways for their corporate events. The market is there, but it's up to you to make the sale. Read on for seven tips to get you started.

1. Make sure clients know you sell gifts
Not sure where to start selling business gifts? Try your regular clients. You might have customers who have been buying from you for years, but don't realize you can help them with gifts or incentive programs. "Many times these opportunities are missed because the end-client is not aware that the distributor has these capabilities," said Ken Tymula, national sales manager for Sterling Cut Glass, Erlanger, Ky.

"Reiterate to your client your capabilities," he added. "No distributor should be labeled as [just] a T-shirt or pen company."

2. Find the right fit for every budget
Luxury items like watches or crystal awards are great for corporations or larger companies, but there are plenty of options for smaller businesses with tighter budgets. "Business gifts do not need to be expensive," said Brian Padian, vice president of sales for Logomark, Tustin, Calif. "In fact, you can spend well under $5.00 and have some very nice selections. Some of those ideas include cellphone holders, tablet holders and some of the exciting new smartphone stylus pens."