Choosing Appropriate Business Gifts for Clients

As the end of the year is quickly approaching, now is a good time to select gifts for your clients and customers. It is important to thank your top customers and clients, letting them know how much you appreciate them.  When selecting a gift, there are a few general guidelines you should consider.

Should you put your logo on your gift? This depends on the situation, your customer and often, personal preference. Although most businesses love seeing their logo on products, not all recipients do. Sometimes a logo is best left for small promotional items like key chains and mugs. If you still want to get your logo out there, you can always go the discreet route and have it embossed. This is often done on leather portfolios and planners. For a more expensive item, forgo the logo as the gift itself will be reminder of you.

What is the appropriate amount to spend? Consider the business relationship you have with your client and correlate your gift amount accordingly. Also keep in mind your budget and personal situation to dictate how much you should spend. In many industries, it’s common to give gifts in the $25-$50 range. Gifts can certainly be above that range, but be careful of gifts that are too pricey as they may give the wrong impression of a bribe.

What should you give as a gift? The number one rule is not to buy anything too personal. Your clients and customers are people that you do business with, and you don't want to overstep those boundaries. If possible, give a present that is somehow connected to your line of business. Gift baskets, gift cards and useful items, like travel accessories are popular and also appropriate gifts.

3 Tips for Better PowerPoint Presentations

A well designed PowerPoint presentation combined with a polished delivery can often be the key to a successful sales deal. It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the bells and whistles that PowerPoint offers, but it’s important to remember that the purpose is to present information. The three things to keep in mind when creating a presentation are purpose, simplicity and consistency.

Based on your audience and information to present, decide the tone of your presentation before you begin your design. Do you want to entertain, persuade, inform or sell? Should your presentation be formal or relaxed? Choose templates, colors and images that reflect your purpose. Goofy clip-art in a formal presentation sends the wrong message.

Clean and simple layout designs are the way to go. Use white space to your advantage to really focus on your talking points. Choose one graph or image per slide to eliminate clutter. Don’t use more than two font families throughout your presentation to keep your look clean.

Once you have determined your purpose and start designing with simplicity, make sure you keep your presentation consistent. Using a template will help a great deal in maintaining your consistency. Keep your colors, fonts and graphic images in the same style. That doesn’t mean to make every slide look the same, but to make each one look like part of a cohesive group.

2011 Relay For Life of Avon IN
Friday May 20 - Saturday May 21/ 5p.m. - 5p.m. at Avon Town Hall Park

The UPS Store-Avon has joined the Chamber of Commerce Team!

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

Anyone can participate in Relay For Life. Friends, families, neighbors, classmates, sports teams, etc., can form their own teams. No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay.

The only requirement to participate in Relay For Life is the $10 registration/commitment fee (per person) that is due upon registration. After that, anything you can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is graciously accepted. It is recommended that each participant to set a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that's even better. Even if you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate.

If you want to be part of Relay, you can start a team or join an existing team online. You can also make an online donation. 
www.relayforlife.org/avonin

Tips for Packing Holiday Gifts

You have chosen the perfect holiday gifts for your business colleagues and customers and now all you have to do is send them. If you are packing the gifts yourself to send out, there are a few tips you should follow to make sure your package arrives in the same condition as when you shipped it.

Obviously, the single most important tip to get your packages delivered safely and quickly is to get them out early! Sending your packages with time to spare will ensure that the recipients get them. Monday is the busiest shipping day of the week, so avoid any delays and congestion and ship your gifts Tuesday through Saturday.

Don't rely on an old beat-up box to ship your gifts in. Getting a new shipping box will make sure that the package is delivered safely and intact. Check out The UPS Store to find the perfect sized box for your needs. Once you have your box, cushion your gift with materials such as crumpled newspaper, bubble wrap, Styrofoam or packing peanuts. Just remember, crumpled newspaper is not a solution for anything breakable.  It is best used only for taking up space.  For breakable items such as glass or ceramics, pack them in a box, place that box in another box and surround all of that with packing material.

Once you have packed the inside of your box, seal the outside with tape specifically designed for shipping purposes. Other kinds of tape, including masking tape or cellophane, are not secure enough for use in shipping. Take care in creating your shipping label so it is clearly visible, and completely legible. As an added precaution, place a backup shipping label copy inside the box.

Avoid Business Card Blunders

A business card is one of the most important marketing pieces that a business can have, especially when starting out. Often people miss the opportunity to take advantage of this important first impression. It doesn’t require a degree in design to create an effective card. You only need some thoughtful planning and consideration to put together a card that will make a good impression with potential clients.

Keep in mind these tips when creating your card:

Create a clearly defined card that stands out from the crowd – good use of color, quality cardstock, and a clear definition of what your business does

Have your cards professionally printed – most people can tell when they receive a do-it-yourself business card; they are thinner, not the best print quality and perforations are usually noticeable. 

A poor quality card implies a business that will have poor quality service and/or products.  It may also portray someone who is not that serious about their business.

Give people a reason to contact you - don’t make your business a mystery.  Your card should

state at least one powerful reason a customer should do business with you. For example, an automotive center might say “complete automotive repairs” and “all work fully guaranteed.” Also, your business name and logo should have a connection to what services/products you provide. 

Clean, crisp card design – stay away from oversized cards because if they won’t fit easily into wallets and business card holders, they may end up in the trash. Also use an easily readable size typeface – stay away from ornate fonts and small print and too much verbiage, so the card looks clean.  Color is good but don’t overdo it.   

Give Your Home Business a Professional Presence

With the current economic climate, more and more people are starting small businesses based from their homes. When your business is just starting out and beginning to grow, it is more economical to work from home and avoid paying for costly office space. In an effort to keep costs low, home-based businesses may overlook one important detail: their mailing address. Depending on the type of business you are operating, ask yourself the question, “Do I want potential customers knowing where I live and possibly showing up?” If the answer is no, then you should strongly consider leasing a business mailbox.

A business mailbox rental is not a postal service P.O. Box.  You actually have a street address (often with suite number) for a professional appearance. People often view post office boxes as businesses that are not long-term. Another reason to stay away from post office boxes is that Google does not count P.O. boxes as physical locations, but will allow street addresses with suites to show up in business listings. If you have any hopes of potential customers finding you on Google, then you will need to have a valid address so your business will appear in Google Local searches.

Customers may fear doing business with a home-based company simply because they are unsure of the legitimacy of your business. Giving the impression that you have an office due to your mailbox address may quell customer questions as to whether to work with you or not. The street address and suite projects a professional and serious image for your business.

Leasing a mailbox adds a layer of privacy and security for your business. Your mail and packages are kept secure, confidential and safe from pilfering or tampering. You also have the convenience of 24 hour access and can be notified by text or email if packages or mail arrive at your box. You get all of this service for one low price. Check out our website for current mailbox leasing promotions.

Lighten Your Load this Holiday Travel Season

Many of us will be heading to the skies for holiday travel in the coming weeks. Nothing can dampen holiday cheer more than dealing with your luggage at the airport. From weight restrictions to fees to the worry of lost luggage, handling your bags can be a nightmare. We’ve all heard the horror stories of someone arriving in Tahiti with only their winter clothes and snow boots while their shorts and swimwear ended up in Alaska. If you are tired of all the inconvenience and bother, there is a better way.

Avoid all the hassles and ship your luggage ahead of time. You can generally expect shipping ahead to be more secure, not to mention more convenient, considering the long lines at the airport this holiday season. Calm your fears of lost luggage because shippers such as UPS have much better delivery records than airlines and they provide tracking numbers so you can follow your luggage every step of the way. Furthermore, airlines won't insure many types of articles, such as electronics, business items (such as samples), and other valuables. Plus, you’re more likely to get a refund from a shipping company than an airline if your luggage is damaged or lost.

The easiest way to ship your luggage is to visit The UPS Store. We have cost competitive solutions to get your luggage where it needs to go without the problems. We can ship your suitcase as is, pack it and ship it or you can use our new Luggage Box. It’s not just a box; it’s a suitcase with options, complete with easy to carry handle. You can pack it, ship it, check it or carry it on. Visit The UPS Store the next time you run out of space in your suitcase or need a quick shipping solution. We’re here to make it easy for you.

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