Don't Be A Grinch

Entrepreneur, Nov, 2000 by Gwen Moran

Five great holiday gifts for your clients

Forget that tired fruitcake--instead, try one of these unique holiday Sifts to light up your clients' December holidays:

1 Warm customers' hearts by making donations (of any amount) to their favorite charities on their behalf.

2 For the client who takes barbecuing seriously, try a personalized barbecue brand. These nifty, customized gadgets from Texas Irons Barbeque Brands (www.texasirons.com) let you make your mark on all things grilled. Costs: start at $19.95.

3 Make your client master of his or her own domain--domain name, that is. Register the personal or business domain name before a cybersquatter gets it. At Register.com, you don't have to have ISP info handy. Costs: $35 per year.

4 Give your favorite client a little bit of heaven by naming a star after him or her. Find out more at www.starregistry.com. Costs: start at $48.

5 For super-special VIPs, give a taste of the good life. A week of great eats from a personal chef will cost about $250 for three meals, each of which serves four people. Use the Personal Chef Finder at www.personalchef.com.

Note: The IRS limits the amount that can be deducted for business gift expenses. Consult with your tax advisor for restrictions.

Gwen Moran is president of Moran Marketing Associations, a public relations and marketing communications agency in Ocean, New Jersey, and founder of BoostYourBiz.com, a marketing information resource. E-mail her at gwen@boostyourbiz.com.