5 Last Minute Holiday Gift Ideas For Your Business Friends

The holiday season is here which means trying to figure out the perfect gift for your clients/coworkers/etc.

Gift giving is an art form.  And, something at which a lot of people do not excel.  Mostly because people don’t take time to think about the person they’re buying for.

Obviously, gifts are easier when you know the person.  For instance, I wouldn’t purchase liquor as a gift for someone I didn’t know well.  They might not drink.  And, if they do, the gift might not be something they enjoy.  Early in my career, I worked for someone who loved Champagne.  Not just any Champagne, Moët and Chandon White Star.  So every year, all of his direct reports would get together and buy him a case of Moët.  It was no surprise.  He always knew it was coming but it was something he liked and enjoyed.

But let’s say you don’t know the person really well.  Maybe they’re a new member of the team or a client that you don’t have too much personal interaction with.  It’s still possible to get them a gift they will enjoy.  When I’m in this situation, here are a few things that I give as gifts – they don’t cost a lot and the recipients always rave about them.

There are some cool travel coffee mugs out there right now – called smart mugs – that allow you to keep the beverages of your choice hot in your car (or in your office).  Simply put, they’re just neato.

Who can’t use a memory storage device?  I’ve got several and always find a use for them.  They come in so many shapes and colors.  I really like the combo pen/jump drive – looks and feels like a spy pen.  And, if you need to ship it…this gift is easy to mail.

Speaking of memory devices, my latest discovery is the Powerstick.  It’s a small charging device and memory stick in one unit.  It comes with several adapters, sure to work with any person’s smartphone.

Magazine Subscriptions are a great gift for clients or office environments.  Find a leading edge publication and send a gift subscription.  Harvard Business Review is one of my faves.  If you want to be a little lot more frugal, you can gift the HBR Today iPhone app. Either way, many publishers offer discounts this time of year if you purchase multiple subscriptions.

And lastly, if you have to grab something on the fly like a gift card…think in terms of places like iTunes or Amazon which has books, music, games, etc.  Someone is sure to find something of interest.

Just remember, it’s not the price of the gift that matters.  A well thought item that the recipient can use is the best gift of all.

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