Challenge: When the holiday season rolled around last year, Michael Caputo, owner of Athol, Massachusetts-based distributor Caputo Business Services wanted a way to thank his top clients and wish them a merry Christmas. “We wanted our promotion to stand out among the year-end greetings our clients receive,” Caputo says. “It had to be something that was unusual but classy, simple and unique, while also having staying power and substance. I wanted to feel a sense of pride in presenting the item.”

Solution: Caputo tapped Tulsa, Oklahoma-based supplier SELCO to design 30 pocket watches that featured the company’s black-and-white logo on the watch cover and website on the watch face.

The pocket watches weren’t simply wrapped up and mailed out—the sales team made appointments and Caputo personally presented the watches on behalf of his company. “I made sure to tell the recipients that the watches were custom made by SELCO and that their watch was one of only 30. They were made to feel part of an exclusive group,” says Caputo.

Result: “The clients were predominately impressed with the exception of one client who had no idea what to do with a pocket watch,” Caputo says. “I carry mine daily and love it, and about half of my clients carry their watches daily. I’m not sure a wristwatch would have been as well-received because many clients wear brand-name watches.”

Written by Audrey Sellers at PPB Magazine