1) Know the company and their culture. Are they trendy and artistic or conservative and elegant? Your gift giving should reflect this. Also, global customs vary significantly. Ensure you understand the proper gift etiquette to avoid offending overseas clients.

2) Know the client - their likes, hobbies, and interests. When possible, personalize your gift. A theater or sports buff would really appreciate and remember tickets to an event.

3) Avoid religious themes or messages. Seasonal themes such as "Happy Holidays" work for everyone.

4) Stand out from the crowd! Think about sending your gift on an unexpected holiday. For example: "Thank You For Your Business" on Thanksgiving, "Looking Forward To Another Year of Doing Business With You" on New Years, or even "We love Doing Business With You" on Valentine's day.

5) Dont send the same thing every year. It's boring and will be taken for granted. Your gift provider is full of ideas and can often suggest something new and different.

6) Stay away from anything too personal or that can be misconstrued. You probably know not to buy lingerie, but the recipients shortcomings may also need to be considered. A person with bad skin may be offended by a gift certificate for a facial. Also, be careful with wine or alcohol. The company may view it negatively or the individual may be a reformed alcoholic or non-drinker. Finally, consider whether the price of the gift is too extravagant. This may be a problem with company policy or at tax time. Food is always appropriate.

7) Dont use logo items if: You want the gift to be from you personally or if feel a huge logo across your gift may be viewed by the client as cheap.

8) Do use logo items if: You want to get the most bang for your buck. Just do it tastefully. Examples: Your company name imprinted on the ribbons in a gift basket or discreetly as a private label on a quality product in the basket. One of our clients prefers ribbons used inside the basket to avoid imprinted ribbon being removed and forgotten.

9) Idea for out of state clients: A regional themed food basket can work really well here - Greetings from Texas, New York, or New Jersey for example. Some companies even send these types of gifts to visiting VIPs or new hires as a "Welcome To Town."

10) Plan your holiday gift giving early. Think July or August! This will allow you to take advantage of big early purchase discounts and avoid rush delivery charges. It will also ensure that you get exactly what you want before its sold out.

Have a question on gift etiquette? Email us at basketstar@usa.com