It seems the months get shorter closer to Christmas and time flies by. Even if it seems too early to be thinking about shopping for the holidays, the big day will be here before you know it! The sooner you get your holiday shopping done, the less stressed and happier you will be. For a business owner, this is especially true, since you need to order gifts for your clients and employees ahead of time to ensure the gifts are on time.

If you are ahead of the game and getting your shopping down early this year, we’ve got some great ideas and tips for you! Here are some great tips:

Plan ahead….

–It’s a good idea to make decisions about purchasing holiday business gifts early.

–If you wait until the last minute to buy (or place an order), you may find that you aren’t able to get the exact items you want.

–Make your holiday gift stand out by sending the gift the first week of December instead of the third.

–If you’re shipping gifts to some of the employees/clients on your list, pay close attention to holiday shipping deadlines.

–If you decide to send or deliver perishable items, make sure the recipient will be available to accept and properly store the item before you ship it.

Specialty items

Imprinted and screen-printed apparel and promotional products are specialty items that are great ideas for gifts. Personalized pens, mugs, coolers, shirts and duffel bags will all be special gifts for your employees or clients. Not only are these items unique, but they are also high quality gifts that you can brand with your logo or contact information for a more personalized touch.

Jessica Johnson with Production Creek Specialty Advertising says, “Getting gifts for your clients is a great way to show your appreciation to them and to get their attention in a non-sales interaction.  Clients will see you as a person and not as an annoying salesperson.  By giving promotional products, you can raise awareness about your company in addition to giving a gift.  Promotional gifts help to enhance a prospect’s opinion of you and your company.  Clients are just more receptive to a company that gives them a promotional gift and they are more loyal and generate more referrals than customers who do not receive promotional product gifts.”

When it comes to promotional products, ordering early is key.  “You can forego the headache of back orders and holiday rush charges by getting your orders done early,” says Jessica.  “If you have a promotional consultant who offers inventory and drop ship, you won’t have to worry about storing your items and you can still get the great quantity discounts.  With drop ship, you won’t have to worry about delivery, either.  Who needs more stress during the holidays, right? “

If you do decide to give promotional products, you may be wondering what to give.  Jessica can help you with this as well.  “Functional gifts usually work the best and have the greatest ROI (return on investment) because they are continually used way after the holidays have passed.  For example, blankets, iPad cases, grills or nice pens.  You don’t have to spend a lot of money in order to show your appreciation to your clients.  There are inexpensive ways you can ensure you will be noticed by your clients throughout the New Year.  One way is to kick off a monthly recipe card mailer to your customers starting in December with your favorite holiday cookie.  You could also give them a candy dish or desk gumball machine and then, throughout the year, stop by and drop off candy to fill it up.  You also can’t go wrong with calendars or planners.  My final suggestion is to give the gifts in person if possible.  This may not work for everyone, but if you can, you should.”

Food

Who doesn’t love yummy treats during the holidays?  It’s likely that most of your clients do and there are a number of ways to give food as a gift that will definitely give you ‘brownie points’!  Here are a couple of ideas:
–Bring in lunch.  This is a great way to hang out with your clients as well as give them a gift.  Make sure you are communicating with those in the office so you know when a good time will be and then arrange to bring in lunch for the office.  Depending on your budget and time schedule, this can be anything from sandwiches and chips all the way up to a fully catered buffet.  Make sure you save enough time to eat with your clients so you can network and get to know those in the office you have not met before.

–Bring in treats.  Taking a day out of the office to travel around to ten or fifteen clients to drop off some cookies, chocolates or muffins is a wonderful gesture this holiday season.  Because other businesses may also have this idea, consider doing it early in the holiday season (Halloween, for example) so your treats don’t get lost in the crowd.  Again, try to make some time to talk with your clients while you’re there and leave a stack of business cards behind so all those who come into the break room to grab a treat will know who to thank for them!

–Personalize!  You can put your name and logo on more than pens and coffee mugs!  Why not send or drop off some bags of popcorn with your logo and information printed right on the label?  It might sound expensive, but Colby Ridge can do it for just 99 cents per bag.  You can personalize it for each client or put your own logo on so that your clients will always have that reminder of who delivered their delicious treat.  If popcorn isn’t their thing, Colby Ridge also has other yummy options including the ever-popular chocolate covered potato chips!

–Take them out to dinner.  Though this may fall more into the ‘party’ category, taking your top clients out to dinner is a great holiday gift.  Like most great gifts, this one includes the most important aspect…TIME.  There is just no replacement for spending quality time with your clients.  It can be as simple as a dinner for two with your very best client, a dinner for four that includes you spouses or a large dinner party with 10 or more.

–Give them a restaurant gift certificate.  Even if you can’t dine with them, treating your clients to dinner is still a great holiday gesture and they’ll certainly be thinking about you while they enjoy their meal.  You can even surprise them with a nice bottle of wine or other ‘extra’ that will make sure this meal stands out for them.

Spa and Salon Gifts

Spa services make great gifts for both employees and those friends and family members you have on your list.  “Spa services are quick and easy purchases as we can get you your gift card and you can be out the door in just five minutes,” explains Ashley Pavlish with Body Nouveaux.  “No need to shop for hours to find the perfect gift!  Who wouldn’t want the gift to go pamper themselves?  If your work is doing a Secret Santa, White Elephant or Chinese Gift exchange, for example, a spa gift certificate is a great option.  When you come into our spa and purchase a gift card, we also include a complimentary wooden rose attached to the certificate, which is a nice little added bonus to give.”

Of course, gift certificates are just one way to give spa services as a present.  “We love it when our clients come in and have several services done in one day, so half or full spa days also make great gifts,” says Ashley.  “We are especially proud of our Slender Bodywrap/Specialty Facial combo.  Our famous Slender Bodywraps are an active wrap, so after detoxifying and slenderizing, they can hop in a nice warm bed and be pampered with a nice relaxing facial.”

Tiffany Baustert with Aesthetics at Tiffany’s adds, “Some of the services I offer that would make great gifts are customized 60 minute facials, microdermabrasion and chemical peel packages, microneedling packages and Novalash lash extensions for special occasions and everyday wear.  I am the only person in Lincoln who is certified by Novalash, so this would make a unique gift.  I also make each client feel like they are the only client and I make sure I educate each one and make them feel very special.  Another service I offer that would make a good gift is microneedling, which is great for scarring and wrinkles and helps produce natural collagen.  This would make a good gift for a close girlfriend, mother, etc.”

Salons are also a good place to shop for both the guys and gals on your list.  Who doesn’t want to be treated to nice haircut or color or some top-notch salon products?  These are especially good gifts for those who don’t often take the time to treat themselves and are always doing things for other people.  It’s likely you have a women on your list who dyes her own hair and cuts her own bangs because she’s too busy taking the kids to school, getting to work on time and grocery shopping for the family!  It’s difficult for her to say no when presented with a salon gift certificate for the holidays.  If you’re in the position to do so, you might even offer to watch the kids or take care of some errands for her during her salon trip as an added bonus!

Clothing and Accessories

Is someone on your list a lover of fun and fashion? If so, then shopping for these types of people can be easy, enjoyable and fun! To get them something unique, try shopping at a local boutique that carries fun clothes, accessories and other different items they would love. Shopping somewhere local and unique allows the chance for you to get out there and experience new places to shop and get people on your list new styles for the seasons and introduce them to local boutiques they might now of known existed. If going into the store is overwhelming, and you are not sure what to get, try talking to the staff and getting their opinions on gift ideas. Explaining your person on your list to staff will give them an idea of the perfect gift for that special someone.

Something to keep in mind if you are shopping for clothing is size. If you are not sure about their size, consider buying things where size doesn’t matter, like socks, jewelry and purses. You can also relay on gift certificates so they can get pick something out on their own. Buying the wrong size for someone can be offending and also runs the risk that they will forgot to go back and exchange the gift for the right size, and then your thoughtful gift would have gone to waste.

Kelly Merklein with Blu Velvet Boutique has some great suggestions for gifts this winter.  “We’ll have lots of dresses and boots, animal prints and little motorcycle-looking jackets,” she says.  “Scarves are a big accessory this winter and I think that little ankle boots are a huge trend to wear with dresses and jeans.  Other than clothes, I think great gift ideas that we carry are iPhone covers that have bling and fun details and mixed metal jewelry with crosses, which have been very popular recently.  Another fun jewelry trend is to layer bracelets with beads and fun colors, such as jade and tigers eye.  The round ball bracelets with maybe one fun gold accent bead is a great layering idea and a great gift as they can mix it with any of their own bracelets.”

She goes on to say, “Another great gift idea is some new gloves with the tips that are made for texting and phone use.  These new gloves are great as your fingers are covered, yet they work on touch screens!  They are not expensive and come in many colors and styles.  And, of course, I still love scarves as gift ideas.  This year, another outer wear gift idea is the head wrap.  These also come in many colors and styles and give warmth and style.  I think that gift giving is really easy when you pick accessories as they come in all price ranges and all women love something fun to change up their look.  And they always fit!”

Boudoir Photos

Ladies, are you looking for a unique gift for your significant other?  Maybe this year you should consider a boudoir photo shoot, which is having photos taken in your lingerie.  Although the prospect may seem intimidating or embarrassing, if you work with a professional it can be a classy and fun experience that your man will love!  Jamie Incontro of Boudoir Boutique loves helping women feel beautiful during their sessions and helps them relax so they can have great results.  In her sessions, you will be photographed in two or three outfits that consist of any type of lingering including corsets, nighties, chemises, baby dolls, camisoles or cami sets, garter belts, bra and panty sets, etc. She will help each client decide which outfits will photograph well and flatter you the most.  And don’t forget the shoes and accessories!  Jamie does retouch images, which includes removing blemishes, softening the area under the eyes and smoothing the skin.  Her goal is to keep it natural while helping you look your best.

A typical session lasts 90 minutes with about 60 of those minutes in front of the camera.  Jamie recommends booking your appointment at least four weeks advance, but keep in mind that turnaround time is approximately 4-8 weeks depending on the season.

Framed Photos or Artwork

Although you may not want your significant other to frame your boudoir photos and put them on his office wall, there are plenty of photos that you WOULD want framed and displayed.  These include family photos, pet photos or even family heirloom photos that you have restored.  If you don’t have some current family pictures to be framed, this is a good indication that now might be time to make that family session appointment!  Kids grow up quickly and after only a year or two, they can look completely different!  Don’t you want to remember the different stages of your family?  Pictures are one of the best ways to do so!

Customized framing does not have to be limited to photos, either.  Here are some other ideas:

–Military memorabilia.  If someone on your list was in the military, consider having a shadowbox made with medals, photos and other meaningful items.

–Awards or degrees.  Many professionals like having awards or degrees framed to display in their office.  Maybe they don’t want to do it themselves because they feel it would be ‘bragging’, but if you do it for them it’s a great gesture and a way to show them you are proud of their accomplishments.

–Artwork.  Framed artwork makes a wonderful gift and doesn’t have to be expensive.  You can find affordable prints that look amazing when you put them in a custom frame or, if you really want to give a special gift, an original piece of art in a matching frame will likely be cherished forever.

Husker Gear or Memorabilia

It’s likely that you have a Husker fan on your gift list as we do, after all, live in Husker Nation!!  Husker fans are easy to buy for when you have local stores like Huskerville to shop at.  Whether you are looking for a personalized football jersey, an autographed football or just some t-shirts of sweatshirts to wear out tailgating, you’ll find whatever you’re looking for at Huskerville.

Although you might immediately think of your local friends or family when thinking of Husker gear, you should also think about out of town relatives and friends as well.  It’s commonplace to see a sea of red here in Nebraska, but it would be unique (and hopefully appreciated) to send someone across the country a Husker jersey or jacket as well!

Diving and Snorkeling Gear

Do you have a diving or snorkeling fanatic on your list?  Or perhaps just someone who has always wanted to learn how?  It may seem odd as we live in land-locked Nebraska, but there are plenty of people who travel to diving and snorkeling destinations.  Visiting Husker Divers in Lincoln is a great way to find the perfect gift for these people on your list.  If the recipient is someone who is just learning how to dive (or wants to learn), you can choose from a number of lessons from open water diver through instructor and you can also choose introductory scuba programs for kids or snorkeling lessons for those of all ages.

If lessons or instruction is not needed, Husker Divers also stocks a full line of snorkeling and scuba equipment.  They don’t just sell the gear, either, they work with you to ensure the equipment you get is what you need and their factory-certified technicians maintain and service the equipment to keep it in top working condition.

Diving lessons and certification is a great family gift to consider as well.  Imagine getting the whole family signed up for lessons and then planning a diving trip for the summer months.  Not only will you all get to spend time together while getting your certification and get the satisfaction of learning a new skill together, but you’ll also get to look forward to a tropical vacation during the cold Nebraska winter!

It may just be cooling off, but it’s never too early to start thinking about holiday gift giving!  Whether you are a business professional who needs to consider corporate gift giving as well as personal or you simply want to get everyone checked off your friends and family list before the first snow falls, starting now is one of the best pieces of advice you can get!