Give employees a treat with gas cards in their Christmas cards

The good news is, gas prices have fallen over 40% since the highs of last summer. The bad news is everything else is up...food, clothing and rent have risen sharply. And that means your employees are hurting.

This year, add something thoughtful to your employees' business Christmas cards. A $25 gas card is a nice way to say you care about employees, even when raises and promotions just aren't in the budget.

Or consider a grocery gift card from your town's most popular grocery chain. Avoid choosing a specialty market -- food needs vary, and a smaller market may not offer the vegetarian, Kosher, Halal or other foods some employees require. A specific food like a turkey or ham is a bad idea for the same reason.

Some malls also offer gift cards good in any mall store. Adding these to employee Christmas cards is another nice way to remember employees during the holidays.

No matter which option you choose, in the midst of this year's economic stresses, adding a little something extra to your company Christmas card will make a Happier New Year for everyone.

Is a corporate holiday gift a good idea? You bet!

As businesses compete for fewer and fewer consumer and even B2B dollars, the race is on to make your company stand out from the crowd.

Sending a company Christmas card or business Thanksgiving card is certainly one way to reach out to customers. But what about those really special customers? Or that market segment your business is trying to break into? Is a corporate holiday gift a good way to stand out from the crowd?

If you choose the right gifts, the answer could be yes!
Here's a case study...

Sue and Stan's custom construction company had always been number one in their area. Then a combination of decreased home owner spending and some new, lower cost competition combined to put a real dent in their business. And the holidays were just around the corner.

Of course they would send out company Christmas cards to past clients and people who had expressed an
interest at the local home show over the summer. But there were a handful of really wonderful clients who had not only used Sue and Stan's services in their own homes, but had also referred quite a few clients to them over the years.

For these special customers, they decided to add a corporate holiday gift to the usual card to let these special clients know how much they appreciated their on-going business and referrals.

After looking around, they decided on a small but elegant desk clock and calculator combination. They took advantage of the free engraving to add a message of thanks that related to the gift..

"When it's time for home renovations, count on S & S Custom Builders"

They sent these holiday gifts to 30 of their best clients, along with a gift certificate good for $100 off a new project with each referral who scheduled their own home renovation or custom building project.

The result of their investment of about $600? In the following 4 months -- 18 new projects for just over $92,000 in net profit.

A side note...the company Christmas cards sent to 150 people contacted at the summer home show yielded another $80,000 plus in projects booked for the months following the holidays.

In this season of silver and gold, are you using holidays cards and gifts to keep your business in the black?