Getting the Personal Edge

By Noelle Schiffer

With the inundation of products and services currently diluting the market, business owners and service providers are seeking innovative and exciting ways to separate themselves from their competitors. Market and product differentiation has become a major challenge. Through the use of personalized gifts and mementos, many of these businesses have discovered a new way to build up product branding and company recognition.
This popular trend has gained traction with companies of every size. If you've ever received a gift from a company for which you've been a customer or a client, it is fairly certain the gift doubled as a tool for branding as well.
Just about all companies these days are taking the opportunity to give personalized gifts to customers as an extension of their advertising campaign. If you've ever been so lucky as to attend an Orioles game on floppy hat night, you will notice that the new fashion statement you have acquired is also a walking billboard for the beer and hot dog sponsor. Companies view this as a type of guerrilla marketing rather than a customer service or a public relations move.
Giving a gift customized to advertise your business is a great way to gain exposure, but it offers much more to a business. A custom-made gift will garner greater attention and be much more memorable. This idea has proven to be popular within organizations managing a smaller customer base.
Personalized gifts have made their way to the top of the list when it is time to show appreciation to that special client or customer. As companies strive for not only customer satisfaction but also customer delight, mom-and-pop organizations find it helpful to offer the personal touch of customized gifts.
"The ideal business gifts will reflect your thoughtfulness, creativity, attention to detail, and perhaps most importantly, your good taste," noted Jim McCann of 1-800-FLOWERS.
It is the personal touch that causes us to remember an interaction or situation. In today's world, when someone sends a personalized, handwritten note, that person is conveying the message to the recipient that s/he is valued enough to forgo the e-mail message and take the time to personally script a letter. Personalized gifts can send the same message.
Personalized gifts and products are becoming common amongst real estate brokerages, banks, insurance companies and other service industry companies. Items such as magnets, mints and candy bars are quickly becoming industry standards for showing client appreciation and as trade show giveaways. Many of these professionals are carrying these personalized business items and using them as business cards while networking.
The key to successful marketing has always been the ability to offer clients a little something extra. Personalized gifts act as your guerilla marketing strategy to extend your brand as well as an opportunity to stand out and impress someone with your thoughtfulness and creativity.

Noelle Schiffer, owner of Unique Creations, specializes in personalized business gifts and promotional items. She can be reached at nschiffer3@yahoo.com and 410-608-7737.