Today I’ve been thinking about calendars; promotional calendars to be precise. Yes, it may only be August, but if Selfridges can open a Christmas shop, I can start contemplating New Year gifts.

Promotional gifts are a great way to reward your customers for their loyalty, and to get your company some free advertising. There are hundreds of gifts to choose from, ranging from pens through to key rings, mugs and even personalised books. However, I’m currently favouring the calendar as the gift of choice.

The key to a great promotional gift is something that will be of use to your clients, will be displayed in a prime location in their office and has maximum staying power. One of the benefits of a calendar is that they have universal appeal, they provide a useful service, particularly in a busy office, and you know they’ll be kept all year. (Just in time for you to send out another one.) And, unlike smaller items like pens or mugs, they rarely get lost or broken.

You can choose from desktop calendars or large wall planners – there is a shape and size to fit every company’s style and budget. And, due to the large surface area of the calendar, there is plenty of space to do some serious brand promotion. A clearly displayed logo on every page will be enough to ensure that your clients remember your name all year. If you’re using a different image for each month, there’s the option of using photos of your product, or your sales team, or anything that is personal to your company and will help to develop the relationship between you and your recipient.

Whatever item you choose to put out there bearing your company’s name, it is a representative of your organisation. It’s crucial that the values of your company are reflected in it. If you’re a company concerned with environmental health, it makes sense to produce a calendar made from recycled paper. The quality of your gift is also vital. Whilst budget is an important factor, sending out a cheap looking product won’t do your brand any favours – it certainly won’t build an impression of professionalism or value.

It is important to remember who your key customers are and tailor the tone and style of your calendar to them. If you’re sending to high-flying corporate types with designer indulgences, a toilet humour theme is perhaps not for them.

We all know that marketing isn’t about constantly reaching out to new prospects; it’s about developing relationships and maintaining them too. No, a calendar can’t do that all by itself, but it is a step in the right direction. So, maybe that’s something Whichlist.com will send out this year. All I’ve got to do is decide which month I want to be!