Santa Claus has been a popular figure for centuries.  And why not?  He gives stuff away.

Most children who believe in St. Nick, in fact, would do almost anything for him if they got the chance.  Heck – they just want to be around the big guy.  Check out how long the lines are in any mall.

You can boost your networking efforts by taking a cue from Kris Kringle and give token gifts to your contacts.  Here’s why it’s a good idea:

Omni-religious.  Many religions have winter celebrations, so giving a gift only helps to spread good will without being awkward.  Buy some Christmas and Chanukah wrapping paper and use it for those you know celebrate one or the other.  Have some generic “Happy Holidays” wrap on hand for those you’re not sure about. Your gifts, then, will fit every religion.  Just like Santa would do.

Branding.  I used to make hundreds of cookies with a friend of mine every year.  We’d package them and deliver them in person, like Santa.  It reminded our friends, relatives and business contacts about us.  It demonstrated our commitment to them and what we were doing.  Basically, we branded ourselves as “those cookie guys.”  As a result, our contacts would often call us first if they had side work that needed to be done.  It wasn’t our aim when we made the cookies, but it was a nice side benefit.

Banking.  Most of your contacts won’t give you a gift.  No, it’s not fair (just ask Santa). But by giving a material gift without receiving one, you’ve in essence “put one in the bank.”  That is to say, those you’ve given to will likely feel compelled to reciprocate at some point; they’ll feel like they owe you one.  And, if it’s only in terms of providing you with information and/or job leads, they might even feel like they have to give you more info and more leads before next year’s gift come.

IN THE CARAVAN: Giving token gifts during the Holidays is an excellent way to boost your networking efforts.

NEXT TUESDAY: Electronic Holiday Gift Exchanges

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