Holidays can be one of the most profitable selling seasons for PPDs, since end-users are often motivated (or can be motivated) to buy. Whether it is to recognize outstanding employees for a job, well done throughout the year, or to honor certain customers for their loyalty, to breed a good will among prospective clients, or to spread a good cheer at the happiest time of the year - your corporate promotions should be best done at the time of holidays.

A successful year-end cannot only make any PPD's holiday a happy one, but be a great time for corporate promotions.

For many business owners a holiday season is the busiest time of the year and the most lucrative one for corporate promotions. Neil Cooper, the president of supplier Neil Cooper, LLC, Irvington, N.J. manufacturer, with an emphasis on leather flight jackets, says: "Retail seems to be buying, distributors seem to be buying and end users seem to be buying actively."

"In some ways the holidays are kind of frustrating," says Doug Burkett, the president of Burk's Bay, a leather outerwear supplier (a part of broader PremiumWear stable of sportswear, outerwear and accessories, based in Minnetonka, Minn). "It's kind of a last-minute business for me. People are working on programs for corporate promotions."

"I know that when the holiday season arrives," he adds, "they'll be thinking about leather. The holidays are the most important time of the year; a major part of our business is done between October and December."

Many end-user clients use the holiday time to thank key accounts and top-producing employees for all the business during the year; thus, reward programs are of great importance of the holiday season for PPDs. It is also important to work with sales people and PPDs to remind customers how the products can be applied. Sales people should be instructed to go out on PPD calls to end-users and at this time of the year keep the idea of gift-giving up front in their thinking.

Customisation and personalization is a norm of most holidays' gifts due to their personal nature. Stock items can be transformed into holiday gifts via a special packaging and a card. At the very least personalizing a stock item can be done by monogramming a recipient's name or initials.

Neil Cooper has found monogramming to be a popular request on leather jackets, being used as gifts, since many companies like to give out jackets with private labels during the holiday season.

In October, many distributors are worried with the holiday selling season. "You can order for the holiday period up until the end of November," says Neil Cooper. "October, November and early December is a peak of the holiday gift season."

Most apparel suppliers can turn orders around within four weeks, even at the end of the year. It all depends on the amount of personalization or customisation required. Depending on the quantity, it is never really too late for Christmas. Plenty of customers give gifts after 1, January, when the holiday rush is over and they still want to show the appreciation.

Thus, if you are going to have something special made for you employees, clients or distributors, hurry up!!!!! time is running out for you to show your appreciation.