I am always looking for unique gifts for clients - nothing expensive or fancy, just something they will find useful and remember that it came from me? Do you have any interesting gift ideas?

I can go one better than a single gift idea. It is a website of a collection of interesting and productive products called CoolTools. Some items are for the home, kitchen or garden. However, most can be terrific business gifts. All have been reviewed by users, not the manufacturers, so you can often get a better perspective of what they will be like. Most of the items are unique designs of common items (special earplugs), but there are items rarely found anywhere else (laptop wireless booster), reasonably priced services (print on demand), and some items that you probably wouldn't give as a gift but might find a use for yourself (a universal remote to turn off blaring televisions in public places). Not all items are for everyone but there are a lot of interesting ideas. There are a lot of books with tips on business, trends, recreation and home living.

Tip: Although business gifts are often selected to reinforce an image or action of the giver (I sometimes give wooden puzzles to my strategy clients), a gift that reflects a unique aspect of the relationship is more memorable. If your client shared a funny fishing story with you, this might be an opportunity to give a Pocket Fisherman, a hokey (even tacky) gift that is sure to be remembered and appreciated, for at least the gesture. Of course, you have to have the level of familiarity and trust with your client to pull this off. I guarantee that in most cases, a gift like this will be appreciated and remembered more than a business card holder or desk pen set.

P.S.. The rest of the KK site has some fascinating technologies, trends and information, if you want to wander through it.

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