Top Gifts That Win Client Business

Finding the right gift for household and business clients can be a tedious task. With time being of the essence many are opting for gift certificates, business related discount coupons or just a simple greeting card. But are these gifts the most effective way to attract or retain client business and loyalty? Statistics reveal that most printed coupons do nothing but gather dust and end up in the waste paper basket. Gift certificates, though used more often than coupons are most likely remembered only after the face value has expired. One survey comparing gift certificates, coupons and gift card usage found that gift cards far outrank the other forms of gift respecting usage. Gift cards are fast becoming the gift of choice for household and business associates as well as distant gift giving. Gift Card Surveys And Studies The following surveys and studies represent the growing trends in preferred gifts and the reasons for this. Heavy gift card users are expected to buy an average of $332. The primary reason expressed for purchasing a gift card is the desire for the recipient to select what they want (44 percent), followed by 35 percent who just didn't know what to get for someone or didn't know preferences in color, size, etc. The National Retail Federation (NRF) surveys third annual NRF Gift Card Survey, conducted by BIGresearch, found that gift card sales will total $18.48 billion this holiday season, a 6.6 percent increase over 2004. Consumer are expected to spend $88.03 on gift cards this between November and January, 15.6 percent of their gift spending budget. The Average card will have $38 value; total purchases of cards expected to be $183 per gift card shopper. NRF 2004 Gift Card Survey revealed that almost three-quarters of consumers planned to buy an average of 3 gift cards between November and January. 64 percent of U.S. adults said they bought or got a gift card in the previous 12 months. That's up from 36 percent in ValueLink's 2001 survey. Another survey reveals that sixty-eight percent of Americans intend to continue using gift cards heavily during the highest shopping season of the year. A random telephone survey conducted last month concluded that 87 percent of adults who have given or received gift cards plan to buy between four and 15 retail gift cards this holiday season with an average amount of $38 per card. The 2003 survey of 1,023 U.S. adults aged 18 or older revealed that consumer awareness of gift cards has reached 92 percent, a 13 percent increase over 2002. 40 percent of the 460 corporate incentive program decision makers interviewed indicated that they used gift cards and/or gift certificates as incentive items within the past year, with 14 percent stating that gift cards are the most used incentive items within their company. Gift cards consumers love them, and small businesses are reaping the benefits of one of the retail industry's most favorable trends. To that end a product development company www.Fimark.net designed the business and family greeting card with gift card insert found at http://prepaid-gift-card.fimark.net Mark Askew, founder of the Fimark.net company believes prepaid debit gift cards will soon replace all forms of store value cards and certificates simply because of the wide appeal and versatility of use. Prepaid debit gift cards are stored value cards first introduced to the payroll industry in the 1990's as a means to pay employees. Now the card has evolved into gift, awards and corporate incentive tools. Businesses are also seeing the prepaid gift card as a way of attracting business or maintaining client loyalty.