But there’s more to high-end promotional gift giving than just bubbly, barbecues and brie. For those recipients that you really want to pamper, consider luxurious personal care gifts. From soft cotton robes to warm, fluffy slippers, our personal care gifts will spoil your customers from head to toe!

Make it a warm, dry winter with our best Robe & Slippers Gift Set  — your logo elegantly embroidered on an exquisite Turkish, kimono-style robe will surely impress. Add in quilted velour slippers and pack it all up in a tasteful wicker basket with a custom-printed gift card and you’ve got a branded gift that no one will ever forget.

Need an eco-friendly option that still expresses elegance and refinement? Consider the Cabana Bay Robe in a Basket, made from 70% bamboo and 30% cotton. Bamboo is a renewable, fast-growing resource with minimal impact on the environment – blended with 30% cotton, it provides comfort and environmental friendliness at the same time!

For the ultimate personal gift set, check out the Cabana Bay Velour Robe, Slippers and Travel Gift Set — it’s loaded with a beautiful Turkish shawl collar robe, comfy velour slippers and a complete Cabana Bay travel set for carrying on when traveling.

Stay tuned for more exciting holiday gift ideas, including some terrific golf gifts, coming up next time!

When you want to let someone know that they’re really special – and, let’s face it, a good dinner can be memorable, but a gift lasts much longer – consider moving up to the rarefied world of elegant promotional gifts. These gifts are so spectacular that your clients will almost forget that they’re a promotion!

Wine and food speak elegance and refinement, and wine accessories are popular gifts for the holiday season. Consider wine carriers – often called “travelers” – filled with a great bottle of cabernet sauvignon or champagne as a fabulous holiday gift.

The Adirondack Champagne And Wine Holder is a beautiful, foam insulated microfiber wine holder trimmed with fine leather – it even includes a corkscrew. When they’re popping the bubbly after closing their next big deal, they’ll be thinking of you!

Also, consider the Upper West Side Wine Case Traveler – it’s made for two bottles, so you can mix a white and a red for some real variety (it’s always good to offer choices!). With real leather and an included corkscrew, this traveler includes just about everything you need for the perfect high-end promotion – just add the wine!

For unmatched elegance, check out the Alicia Klein Wine Carrier, crafted from gorgeous leather and with a soft suede inner lining. This traveler also carries two bottles and is a terrific way to package up a gift for the next holiday party or silent auction

For a taste of the high-end that’s a little more down to earth, try a barbecue or grilling set. Our Five-Piece Executive Barbecue Set features stainless steel construction, Manchurian ash handles, and comes in its own wood carrying case. It’s a high-end gift that’s practical as well – instead of collecting dust on some office shelf, they’ll pull this out at every backyard barbecue and cookout (a three-piece version is also available).

Finally, if you’re searching for a gift that not only speaks elegance but also shows your company or organization’s eco-friendly attitude, the wonderful new Bamboo Cheese Set offers laser-engraved branding on an environmentally-sensitive, renewable material: bamboo. All your cheese serving tools are here, boxed up in a beautiful clamshell bamboo enclosure.

Food and wine are but two possibilities for elegant holiday gifts – stay tuned here for more gift ideas for your best clients and customers. We’ll cover golf gifts, spa gifts, high-end electronic gadgets and much more over the next few months!

DISPLAY
Carefully designing your display with a distributor who is experienced in trade show set ups is another important piece of planning the event. You can get creative with your booth set up and design, but be careful not to be overlooked. Use limited text, only saying what needs to be said to attract attention to your company. Also, using a few large images is better than many small ones so that they can be seen easily. Be sure that your banners and signage are up to date and customized to fit your business. Using lighting, custom display racks and other fixtures can complete a fabulous booth that will draw in the crowds.

STAFF
Don’t just fill your booth with whatever staff member happen to be available that day. These people should be the cream of the crop in your company. Not only do they need to know everything there is to know about your business, but they have to convey the message well. Booth staff should be professional looking, outgoing, confident and ready to talk to any and every prospect that comes their way. They are the front lines of your company and will create the first impression. Nothing less than the best will do.

GIVEAWAYS
So what promotional product should you give to visitors to your trade show booth? The options are endless and can be designed to fit the smallest or largest budgets. Consider what will give you the best bang for your buck. Would you rather spend $1 on 2000 custom pens and hand them to everyone who comes near your booth or spend $10 on 200 branded pens and give them only to those people you get contact information from and who you begin a relationship with? Maybe the best fit for your business is some of both. Talk to a promotional products professional and they can help you design the perfect stash of giveaways for your event.

FOLLOW UP
The booth is packed away, and your headed back home with leads-a-plenty. Now it’s your job to follow up and make those prospects customers! If they left with a promotional gift from your booth, odds are they will see your name again. However, you can’t wait for them to call you. So follow up with everyone you met, and use the experience and knowledge gained to plan for the next trade show event.

There’s no better way to start the year off right than by recognizing sales teams, partners and employees for a job well done! Using promotional products for recognition gives business owners a chance to celebrate those who keep their business going strong. Whether you choose to present award certificates, plaques, elegant crystal trophy type awards, or other branded items the message is the same, “Thanks for all you do, and keep up the good work!”

Now that you have given kudos for all the hard work from the past year, it’s time to look ahead to what is to come. January often gives a clean slate and a chance to grow and improve in many areas of life including career. Employees need to be motivated to achieve, so incentive programs are a must for keeping your staff on track in the coming year.

Goal setting together with employees and then following along those goals throughout the year helps keep everyone on track and can lead to record breaking business year after year. Cash incentive programs are fine, but unoriginal. Think outside the box for your company and provide incentives and rewards that are more personal and are designed to fit your industry, your company, or your employees. Adding a personal touch to promotional products for motivation can be that extra touch that shows you care about the work each member of your team contributes.

Employee training goes on throughout the year, and is often kicked off when the calendar flips to January. Having a good stock of logo items is a good idea when it comes to employee training events. Nothing adds more fun to long days of training than prizes and giveaways! Promotional products for employee training can be an excellent way to add fun and boost morale during your sales meetings and training sessions.

Once you’ve got everyone recognized and motivated for the coming year, it’s time to begin some good organization to pull it all together. There are lots of options for choosing the way employees will organize their daily tasks, and having a quality planner is a great place to start. Some people today use electronic planning devices but many still prefer to have a paper and pen system to record and organize their lives and jobs.
The Prestigious Mark carries a vast array of planners to fit the needs of any employee at any level of your organization.

Whether it’s a desktop appointment calendar, an executive time manager, or even a monthly planner everyone can find the right system for their needs. It can be a fairly personal decision to pick a planner or organizational system, so give your team choices and let them choose the right tool for themselves.
So, it’s kickoff time ready for new beginnings and new successes in your business. Take the time to get it set off on the right foot and throughout the year, you’ll be glad you did. Using promotional products for recognition, motivation, employee training, and organization will surely pay off in the coming year.

Happy New Year from The Prestigious Mark!

Award Certificates

No matter how small your company, everyone can afford some type of recognition. Even something as simple as an award certificate can go a long way in making an employee feel special and honored. Many companies even give out silly awards to go with their serious achievement awards. This can add fun to your celebration and show your staff that you’re not all business and can have a sense of humor too!

Trophies

Lots of companies give out trophies for their employees to display with pride. This type of award can be a daily reminder of goal achievement and will certainly be noticed by all who come to their desk. They can be created in a variety of forms such as acrylic, cut glass, or even elegant crystal. The options of style of this type of award are endless and you will easily find the right design for your industry or your specific company.

Plaques and medallions are other award options that some companies choose to give. They are yet another way to give your staff awards that they can display with pride and receive the praise they deserve day in and day out.

Custom Awards

Custom awards provide a gift for recognition as well as further advertising for your company. When you give your employees branded award items such as travel mugs, Cross Pens, luggage or apparel with your company logo, they will have useful items in hand that will continue to build your brand. Pretty much any item you can think of can be created with your logo attached. Check out our huge inventory and you’ll find just the right thing!

Executive Gifts

Now that you’ve awarded the staff, time to honor the big wigs. These top notch people in your company deserve to be given something that shows them that you believe in them and what they do for your company. Within our inventory, you will find thousands of items in hundreds of different catagories. The Prestigious Mark carries something for every budget and every business.

Consider office products like cross pens or stylish desk accessories make great executive gifts. For your executives that travel, quality luggage or briefcases might be just the right fit. Everyone enjoys new electronics. Cameras, digital frames, MP3 players are all gifts that even the pickiest of recipients will love.

Other options include gifts more specific to the recipient. If you have sports enthusiasts, give them a gift they will use for their hobby such as golf equipment, hunting gear, or sports watches. Finding gifts that are specific to the executive who is getting them is a great way to show them that they are important to you as individuals within your organization.

No matter how you choose to recognize your employees, the bottom line is the same…do it! It will not only leave them feeling appreciated by you but will also motivate them towards continued investment of their lives in your business.

Location, location, location…
Start with planning WHERE you will have your party. If you can avoid it, don’t party at the office…take the gathering elsewhere. After being at the office all week, going back for a party is the last thing your staff wants to do. You can stick with traditional places like restaurants, clubs, or convention centers OR think outside of the box and have a gathering at a less traditional location like an arcade or art museum.

Day or night…
The time of day you have your party will depend some on the number of guests. If you have a smaller group or budget, you might be able to get away with a luncheon but most companies choose an evening party. Plus, by choosing a night time party, you can even give your employees a chance to enjoy a night out with a guest. Nighttime parties can be a fun time for everyone to let their hair down and not think for a minute about work. Nothing like seeing your coworkers in a whole new light!

Set the tone with theme…
The theme of the party will guide the invitations, decorations, the entertainment, and possibly even the food. Choosing a theme like “Fiesta” would be a blast & could include a Mexican meal, decorations and even a mariachi band! Many companies host “Casino Night” and provide casino style games for guests to play and even win prizes. Another fun theme would be a “Decade Party.” Whether it’s a 50s, 70s or 80s party a decade party calls for fun attire and music. Do your research and choose a theme that will be a fun event for everyone!

It’s all about the food…
The type of food you decide to serve will depend on several factors. Theme, budget, and number of guests are all things that should be considered when choosing theme. Smaller companies might try sit down meals. Just be sure not to let it turn into a stuffy office meeting! For larger crowds, buffet service is ideal because food can be served quickly and whenever guests are ready to eat. The food can be a variety of types or can be in one style such as barbecue or Mexican food depending on the theme.

What to do…
The food is an important part of the event, but the highlight will no doubt be the entertainment. Dancing is always a fun way to loosen up guests at the holiday office party. A DJ or band providing music for dancing or even just for listening adds a great touch to the night. Depending on the location you choose, entertainment might be part of the package such as an arcade. And of course, don’t let the guests leave empty handed. Door prizes are a must to get your employees excited about the party. The bigger the prize, the more guests will attend. They can be tied in to casino games, given in a raffle. Either way, everyone loves to win a prize.

Finally, don’t forget the party favor. Let each guest leave with a little something to remind them of the fun they had. A branded holiday item like a beautiful ornament with your company logo is a good idea to send everyone home with. Logo items let your staff enjoy a little token of thanks and gives them a way to show their pride in your company all year long!

1. Set a Budget
It’s easy to get carried away during the holidays and overspend as you find that perfect gift, over and over, for the people in your life. When considering what you will give as gifts to those people who are important to your business. If your business has had a great year, be sure to let your gift show this. Don’t skimp and make employees and customers feel like you don’t value them as a part of your team. Likewise, if your business has had a rough year there are many options for affordable ways to show your appreciation at the holidays. The important thing is to set a budget for gifts and stick with it.

2. Make a List
Carefully consider who will be getting gifts from your business. Of course, all of your employees should rank first on your list. As a business owner, odds are you owe much of your success to these people so show them you recognized their importance to your business. After your employees, you should consider gifts for loyal clients. Those people who are your best customers and the ones who continually refer your business deserve to be thanked with a little something for the holidays.

3. Choose Who Gets What
You will have to decide if you will give everyone the same gift or give different things to different groups of people. Maybe you will choose to get your employees a little more than your clients if you have a large number of clients to consider. It may not be in your budget to do large gifts for everyone on your list, so carefully divide your list into groups and choose something that best fits each group of recipients.

4. Select the Type of Gift
The possibilities are endless when it comes to choosing a company holiday gift. Take a careful look at the people you will be giving to and think of what best fits them. Gift baskets are a great gift that can be customized to match any recipient. They come in numerous varieties in lots of different containers so you can get just the right one for your group. Another option is always elegant engraved items such as clocks, ornaments or paperweights. They can be personalized to fit the individual or the company. Quality personalized office items are another good holiday gift that your employees will be able to put to use right there at work. All of these items can have your logo added so you will build your brand as you give each gift.

5. Gift Giving
Take the time to make a nice presentation for your gifts so that your employees and clients know that you truly do care. It’s a special time of year to enjoy celebrations with family, friends, and coworkers so take the time and celebrate with yours!

To start, it is important that you choose a quality card that shows your clients and employees that you value and appreciate them as an important part of your business. Now is not the time to skimp! Sending a cheaply made card may send a message that your business is not doing well or that your contacts aren’t worth the investment in a quality custom card.

So who should you send your company holiday cards to? Of course your first thoughts are correct…send cards to all of your employees as well as all of your valued customers. But there are certainly more possible recipients to consider. Along with established customers, it is a great idea to send cards to past customers to remind them of your business. You can also send cards to potential customers showing them your interest in serving them. Sending a custom holiday card is a great way to thank the clients you have and attract new ones as well.

There is also some etiquette to consider when sending custom holiday cards. For starters, it is important to hand sign each card. This may seem like a daunting task if you have a large amount of recipients; however the time it takes is an investment in your company that shows you care about your business and your relationships with customers and employees. If possible, it is also a good idea to hand-write the address. If you do not have time yourself, it might be worth the investment in hiring someone else to address them. Automated labels are impersonal and may save you time and money, but may turn off clients in the process. Giving them that personal touch shows you care.

Another thing to keep in mind when sending holiday cards is being sensitive to traditions. We live in a world where not everyone celebrates the same holidays in the same way. Whether it is Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa make sure you send a message that is appropriate for all of your customers and employees. Many businesses stick with Christmas cards to show the holiday they choose to celebrate, but it is always acceptable to send company holiday cards with a simple “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays.”

Finally, you will want to get your custom cards ordered in a timely manner in order to avoid the holiday rush. Ordering cards in September allows you plenty of time to get envelopes addressed, and even possibly time to add a handwritten signature or even a short personal message. If you plan to get envelopes addressed by the end of November, you will have most of December to spend time writing one or two line personal notes, and have them in the mail without crushing your holiday cheer!

Calendars come in more different varieties than you can even imagine.  The possibilities are endless.  They can be completely customized to fit your company and your customer.  This quick reference can suit anyone’s needs.  Whether you choose wall calendars, desk calendars, pocket calendars, magnetic calendars, or photo calendars using this type of advertising is solid branding-the old fashioned way.  Your message gets across to your customer in a simple way, day after day, 365 days in a row!

So why does this type of branding work so well?  What happens after you hear that radio or TV ad over and over what seems like a million times?  Eventually, you find yourself singing along or quoting the tagline before it even comes out.  Research has shown that it takes multiple exposures to advertisements before the consumer really pays attention.  You can drive by a billboard on your way to work daily and then all of a sudden one day notice it and really pay attention.  With your brand on this type of promotional product, your logo will be seen over and over by everyone who passes by.  The bottom line is that a custom calendar WILL get your business noticed!

There are many reasons why custom calendars make good promotional tools for a business.  For starters, they are relatively inexpensive.  This allows your business to build your brand by generating multiple viewings of your business information for minimal cost.  The possibilities are endless when it comes to variety in calendars.  Depending on the type of calendar, they can be made very simple and extremely inexpensively.  With a little creativity, you can design the perfect one of a kind calendar to match your customer’s needs and to best show off your brand to large amounts of customers without a large chunk out of your advertising budget.  Custom calendars also provide your customer with a real connection to your brand.  They will not only be appreciative of this gift of this ultimate organizational tool, but they will see your name right in front of them each and every day.

Whether you use photos, motivational thoughts or inspirational messages, your personalized calendar will be a solid way to connect with your customer and share your company’s message, one full year at a time!

Ever thought about the power that that simple piece of cotton carries?

If you have a business to promote, it’s high time you got on the ball and joined the t-shirt revolution!

Using t-shirts as a promotional item for your business is a powerful marketing tool that can boost your biz as easy as 1…2…3…

1.  Corporate Gifts

Giving your customers a t-shirt that represents your brand not only serves as a “thank you” for their business, but also gets your brand out there every time they put it on.  In fact, it’s been proven that customers who receive a corporate gift tend to return to a business more frequently and sooner than those who don’t receive a little token of thanks.  Don’t let any customer or potential customer walk away without your promotional t-shirt in hand!

The key is choosing just the right gift for that customer and who do you know that NEVER wears a t-shirt?  Exactly…no one!

2. The Power of Branding

Don’t you always stop and read t-shirts that catch your eye in some way?  Wouldn’t you love it if your business was there in black & white every time that shirt met a pair of eyes?  Promotional t-shirts get your brand out and about just by taking a ride on an individual with good t-shirt taste!  Just be sure you are aimed at the right crowd.  It’s important to design a shirt matches the style of your target market.

The right design, combined with your logo can be money in the bank and advertising that goes on and on!

3. Endless Options

How many different kinds of t-shirts have you seen in the last few days?  Endless varieties I’m sure!  By using a shirt as a way to spread the work about your company, you have a way to get your brand out there in a million unique and creative ways.  A good shirt designer and a few cotton fibers and you’ll be in the limelight in no time!

The bottom line is this.  Get your brand on a t-shirt, and get that shirt on everyone you come in contact with.  You’ll be building your brand and your bank account as quick as a wink!