Tips for the Corporate Gift Industry

Corporate Gifts That You Want to Keep

2012-02-02T23:04:00.000-08:00

Every few years if you are sensible you will go through your house and discard the things that you no longer use to freshen up your home and make space for new things.Some of the items that may end up in the trash or to be given away are corporate gifts.So I spent some time thinking about the corporate gifts that I have that I have kept.I have to say that one of my firm favourites was the maglite. I love this corporate gift because we still get the odd load shedding or power failures. So a torch is always handy to have around. What I have also found very useful about the maglite is that when you unscrew the top, it turns into a candle. If you have young children in the house you will know that often the lights going out suddenly means creates a lot of stress of them, so for them, to have a torch handy really makes a power failure a lot more manageable. There is not thing quite as stressful as having to scrounge around for candles and having a distressed child crying or calling "mommy!" in the background.Speaking about children, every year we try to get to carols by candle light session and so one of the corporate gifts that I have that I always keep is the battery operated candle. We just change batteries and do not have to worry about melting candle wax and little burnt fingers.Our family also all have petzl headlights. Petzl is a really terrific brand and some of our clients only want Petzl and nothing else. As we love the outdoors, if we go camping and we have to go to the bathroom at night the headlamps are a great way to show the way when your hands are full of toiletry, towels etc.My husband does a lot a customer visits, so for him the thermal coffee mugs are the best corporate gifts. He tends to work late at night and then rush off in the morning to clients and that cup of coffee in the car helps to rev up the brain cells.For our anniversary a few years ago the restaurant where we celebrated gave us a free shooter in a light flashing shot glass. The lights are activated only when the glass is full and then go off when the liquid is gone. We still keep it as a momentum and of course it has the restaurant’s number on it, so it is a great business card for them.Another favorite corporate gift is a small tool kit. Tool kits may seem like boring corporate gifts, but they are so very useful. My nine year old daughter loves it because it is compact and easy to use and she once even decided to fix the door handle of the bathroom door. One of the screws had come out and she wanted to replace it. For minor things, nothing beats a small tool kit. A few years ago I took a weekend break with a few couples and while the guys were playing golf, then ladies spent the morning leisurely getting ready for a lunch out. Alas we found that no one had brought a two prong plug and so there was no place to plug in the hair dryer. Luckily I had a small tool kit, so I took a standard three prong plug off one of the lamps and did a temporary swap for the hairdryer.There are a few quite a few more corporate gifts that that I would definitely keep, but those would probably spring to mind at the next spring clean. But it seems that from this latest spring clean that light orientated corporate gifts seem to be a firm favorite. They are never wasted because it is great to have them available in each room for guests. Like insurance, a good torch as a corporate gift only presents its true value when you really need it.

Planning, Stress and Productivity - How to get the best outof your gifting supplier?

2012-01-20T01:46:00.000-08:00

Planning is not just about your core business, but also other aspects that affect operations. It is statistically well known that when the human brain is under stress that intelligence levels drop. That is why often after an argument people often think of the things that they “should have” said when they had the chance.So how does this translate into planning for your corporate gifts? Well, if you leave your gifts until the last minute then you add a whole bunch of pressure to the gifting company and the staff who are working on your job.You may love the idea that your corporate gifting company has responded well to pressurised deadlines. But the more often you fall back on this strategy the higher the chance is that the supplier will crack under the pressure.We often get clients who say that they have moved to our corporate gifting service because the previous supplier let them down. But all relationships are two sided, so when planning gifting ask yourself 1. Is your corporate gifting deadline is realistic.2. Is your corporate gifting budget realistic?3. If there is a delay between getting the quotation and ordering, check on stock availability. People order everyday and your gifting company will not reserve stock for you until it has been paid for?4. Have you communicated your brief clearly? We once received a brief where the client wanted a print that was larger than the actual gift.5. Are you supplying your corporate gifting company with the tools to assist them in helping you? 6. Are you coordinating with your other departments involved, like finance or Human Resources, so that they know the requirements and deadline of the job?Planning properly can go a long way in making sure you get the best service from your corporate gifting company and will greatly minimise your stress as well.If you are looking for corporate gifts, visit our website www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

What are my Favorite End of the Year Corporate Gifts

2011-10-11T04:16:00.000-07:00

If I consider the gifts that I have received before there are some corporate gifts which are a firm favorite for me.

I never tire of cooler bags as corporate gifts. They tend to reach an expiry date within a few years, so we have all sorts. When we go to our Weekend seminars I pack a small cooler lunch bag for each of our delegates. So I love to have them in different colours so that no one accidently takes my biltong or chocolate.

When driving to my parents in Port Elizabeth I used to pack one big cooler bag with snacks etc. But then reaching back between sleeping kids does not work, so now there is one for my husband and I and one for the kids. There is less digging for things and the children have more control of their own cooler bag.
But this year I saw the car travel cooler/warmer and I am in love. Less stopping for cool drinks, everything stays at the temperature. I really like that idea for end of the year corporate gifts.

Last year one of our clients ordered beaded wine glasses. I added a few of them for myself. They are a nice fun idea and perfect for the summer braais around the house with friends.

Outdoor chairs may seem like a cliché. But outdoor chairs do not last forever. We had a some great study ones, but with repeated use we needed to get new ones. If someone were to give a picnic set it would need to have a minimum of 4 place settings. I am not in the mood to carry a number of picnic sets because there are not enough plates etc for my family. Currently our holidays are for four. My husband and I ammend the two children. Now we are going to have to upgrade as there will be five of us.

Of course for me personally spa gifts are always a great idea. I like ones with pretty neutral colours so that they can fit into any bathroom.

Bath towels never go to waste, but if they must be branded then choose a colour on colour logo, so that they are more likely to be used. Knee blankets are also a really great idea. Particularly if you have a number of friends round for a Braai and the evening starts to take on a chill and no one else wants to go inside then the guests feeling the cold will welcome something to take the edge of the chill. This is a great corporate gift.

If you are going to do coffee mugs, add a bit of festivity and add some chocolate or nougat to them. If it is nougat, don’t expect to last long in our family, so you would have to send a bumper pack with mine.

Those are just some of my favorite gifts, but there are so many more that you can choose from, so visit our site www.belleregalo.co.za to view some more ideas.

How to Choose an End of the Year Gift

2011-09-09T09:09:00.000-07:00

Around this time of the year, people start looking at end of the year gifts.
What are some of the things that you have to bear in mind for the end of the year gifts?

1. Who are you clients?If you client is a CEO who is office bound most of the days you may want to give an end of the year gift that has a relaxing element to it. Great end of the year gifts, may include a stainless steel Braai set, books,
If your client is a secretary, you may want to consider a more personal end of the year gifts, like a pamper set, teas set

2. Affordability of the end of the year gift.
Consider what you can afford for end of the year gifts. It is better to short list your client list so that you can spend a bit more on top level clients than do a blanket gift for all clients regardless of their spend.
You could for top end clients buy a mini fridge cooler/warmer and for your lower level clients and personalised coffee mug as an end of the year gift.

3. Look at the life long value of the client.
For clients who have or are capable of spending a lot with you consider how much that clients will be worth to your company between 1 to 5 years from now. Don’t give out a cheap pen as an end of the year corporate gift when they are actually worth a waterman pen end of the year corporate gift.

4. How appropriate is the end of the year gift?For conferences it is normal to give our pens, folders etc, but for a year end gift if you are going to do a folder, make it a genuine leather folder or a leather luggage item. If your client is into waste management or any other environmental service consider giving them eco friendly gifts as corporate gifts.
If your client is in advertising or design or even Public relations, well then you had better do your homework before you send out an end of the year gift.

5. Are there religious implications for the end of the year gift.
If your client’s religion prohibits alcohol, don’t give them custom wine as you may end up offending your client. Also if you do give out drinking glasses, make sure that you know if there are religious preferences before giving out wine glasses as end of the year corporate gifts.

Choose Umbrellas for the Cold and Wet Months

2011-05-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

Umbrellas make an elegant corporate gift, be it door gift for a party, or likewise. Silk Screen printing can also be incorporated together to promote your companies image.

Advertising umbrellas are seen everywhere in the world: trade shows, events of charity in the open air, on the golf course and each main street. Promo umbrellas are by no means a new idea, but have you ever wondered where they came from? You consider perhaps with these top promotional gifts for your company or your organization.

A great idea is to have umbrellas at your receptions and have a security guard escort your clients to their car on rainy days.

Why Wear Beanies?

2011-05-18T21:34:00.000-07:00

Be aware that you lose more heat through your head than any other body part.
This can be very deceptive. Your head never feels cold. Why? Because your body sends more heat to your head than any other body part to protect it.

Keeping your brain warm is so critical that your body will sacrifice any other body part before it will let the brain get cold.

Just because your head does not feel cold does not mean you are not losing heat off the top of your head. Remember this forever! You will not feel yourself losing heat off the top of your head, but you are! In this beanies are very helpful in preserving the heat of your head.

The reason your feet and hands are cold is because you are losing heat in the head area. Why? Because hands and feet are low priority and your head is top priority.
This is the body's system for rationing its limited heat supply. Because your head is given top priority when it comes to heat supply, it never feels cold even though it is in fact a giant heat dissipation module.

Remember! Your head leaks heat. Plug the leak. Wear a knitted beanie or a fleece beanie. Beanies really help you to keep warm.

If you will prioritize keeping your head warm, you will have won half the battle in keeping your body warm.

Belle Regalo offers a range of promotional beanies. Beanies are great promotional item giveaways. Embroidered beanies can be personalized with your custom logo imprint. These are great winter giveaways to keep your employees and customers warm.
For more information about beanies contact Belle Regalo by visiting our website or e-mailing us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Embroidering Jackets

2011-05-01T23:29:00.000-07:00

Great jackets to brand are those which have zip away linings.

This means that embroidery machines can get into the lining of the jacket and supply an embroidered jacket that does not have the inside of the embroidery scratching you or the clothing that you are wearing under the jacket.

How to Choose Corporate Clothing

2011-03-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

First impressions are lasting impressions. To create a good impression in front of client or boss, corporate clothes are one of the important factors. Therefore, in the corporate world, corporate clothing must choose very carefully. Thus, many large corporate firms give more priority to corporate clothes. Hence, to fulfil the demands, many corporate clothing suppliers have emerged.

Following are some tips which can be helpful in choosing corporate clothes from a corporate clothing supplier:

1) Choose a brand.
Selecting a good brand can become a plus point for the company. The Barron brand is terrific bard for corporate clothing where variety and stock availability are important. To ensure that the staff should look like a team, then provide them with corporate clothes, which will make them look professional and help them to work as a team. There are many brands in the market that are professional corporate clothing supplier and are experienced in supplying corporate clothes.

2) Brand it
Time for personalizing the corporate clothes occurs, when you are done with selecting the brand. Choose good and appropriate corporate colours, so that it can reflect on the company uniforms. This is important because good corporate colours will help a business owner in making business logo on the uniform. This will make the staff to look as a team and a professional worker.

Embroidery is generally a more durable and prestigious type of branding. For promotional items you can silkscreen, but for uniforms rather choose embroidery.

3) Offer variety
To change the mood of the team, offer some exciting events, couple of times in a year. Also provide or allow wearing casual corporate work wear that are attractive in colours and styles. Embroidering the company's logo on the corporate work wear will enhance the spirit of the team in work days as well as in fun days.
If the budget of the company is quiet good enough to order some more accessories after ordering corporate clothes, then it's better to order some gloves, jackets or some Friday casual clothes etc. for the employees of the company.

5) Preserve the pride
Make the staff proud by making them wear corporate clothes. There are many corporate clothing suppliers who provide a good varieties and help in the selection of company's uniforms. The suppliers also design the logos of the company with a good combination and mixture of corporate colours.

Proteas win Against Australia

2011-02-16T23:53:00.000-08:00

The Proteas had a very comfortable win over Australia in their warm up match preceding the ICC World Cup. This is good for morale, but a warning from Hashim Amla reminded the Proteas not to rest on their laurels.

The win also mean that Colin Ingram Morne van Wyk will not get a chance to bat, but the Proteas believe that that team’s hard practices will stand them in good stead for the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Make sure that your company is ready with their Protea Friday shirts to support the Proteas in their ICC World Cup Matches.

The Proteas departed for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

2011-02-14T04:17:00.000-08:00

If you think that the FIFA World Cup was the end of all the Sport’s hype, then think again and start getting your Pure Protea Friday.

The Proteas departed for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 following a press conference in Sandton, where the team thanked the public for their support in the build up to world’s cricket’s showpiece event.

The ICC Cricket World Cup starts on Saturday, 19 February and South Africa’s first match is on Thursday, 24 February against the West Indies.

In January 2011 the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr Fikile Mbalula, released his year long program that will shape and characterise the work of the department. Meanwhile Minister Mbalula, also launched the Magnificent Fridays in promoting patriotism amongst South Africans to rally and support the Proteas, Amantombazani and Die Bokke during their respective World Glory.

The minister stated that the most important thing is the face of a South African in Protea colours during the Proteas’ India invasion, the same in Singapore when Amantombazani will be doing the country proud and lastly when as the World Champions the Die Bokke will again be celebrating the hoisting of the flag.

“We are going to be 100% Pure Proteas come February/March” stated Minister Mbalula. Let’s celebrate the Pure Protea Fridays from now until end of the ICC World Cup when the Magnificent Fridays continue with both Rugby and Netball teams.

It seems that South Africa is on a huge patriotism drive and part of that is definitely the Pure Protea Friday Initiative.

So now is a good time to start planning your sport’s incentive campaigns. All South Africans are called show support every Friday by wearing the Proteas cricket shirt.

The attached picture is from: Cricket SA and can be viewed on the Cricket SA website.

Protea Friday Shirt promoted by Lead SA.

2011-02-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

We are encouraging all South Africans to wear the Protea Friday Shirts with pride to stand behind our Cricket Team.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has welcomed an initiative by Lead SA, encouraging the South African public to show their 100% support for the Proteas. Similar to the successful trend of Football Fridays, where South Africans wore their soccer jerseys in support of Bafana Bafana, people are now being encouraged to show their support for the Proteas ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup in February.

To view our Cricket Gift Range, please visit: http://www.belleregalo.co.za/Productreview/cricket_gifts.htm

The ICC Cricket World Cup, generally referred to as the Cricket World Cup, is the premier international championship of men's One-day International (ODI) cricket. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), with preliminary qualification rounds leading up to a finals tournament which is held every four years. According to the ICC, it is the most important tournament and the pinnacle of achievement in the sport.

Belle Regalo sells a wide variety of Cricket related Gifts including the Protea Friday Shirts and Proteas Tee.

Valentine's Day

2011-01-23T23:43:00.000-08:00

Valentine’s Day is a day for spreading love.

Of course the first thing that springs to mind is the legend of St Valentine. One story version contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome.

When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

For some Valentine’s Day is seen as purely commercialised, but as I only got married in my thirties, I have had a good few years of dating and my honest opinion is that the most unromantic people complain the most about Valentine’s Day.

I find for the large part that men and women who are generally romantic welcome this special day.

Of course the feeling that Valentine’s Day is commercial also is shared by those who do not plan.

Yes, roses are far more expensive on Valentine’s Day. But there is no rule that it has to be red roses. For those who have not planned of course you will be paying through your nose on Valentine’s Day. It is a simply supply and demand marketing technique used by an company at seasonal time such as Valentine’s Day, Easter, Christmas etc.

Why not buy a digital photo frame and add your favourite couple photos before the Valentine’s Day. A less extravagant gift is a photo frame with your favourite couple photo.

Have a candle lit bath, with pink champagne and pink candles and soft music in the background.

On rare occasions when we have a home based Valentine’s Day, my husband treats me to a scented massage, a glorious candle lit bath and him home made lasagne. He really makes the yummiest lasagne, so I am always tickled pink when he makes it, because I know that it is a time consuming dish.

But if you cannot make your own, guys can easily get a tray from Woolworths and heat it in the oven.
For Corporate add to your staff’s romanticism, but getting champagne glasses for the staff and a bottle of Champagne to enjoy on their own dates. Other great desk drops are Small black chiffon bag filled with pink/ black jelly beans with small single sided card luxurious foam bath. Photo frames are also a great give away. Some people use pens as Valentine’s Day desk drops.

Valentine’s Day for corporate is about showing your staff that you value them and that your recognise that when people come to work they are still people, full of the vast spectrum of emotions of which one of them is love.

Enjoy the day and make a point of treating your loved ones and staff of Valentine’s Day.

Corporate Clothing Johannesburg

2010-11-09T06:01:00.000-08:00

How you present your company will make a crucial impression among your target market. One of the things you can do to create lasting impression from customers is by making use of promotional products. In Johannesburg and other main centres in South Africa corporate clothing is very popular. In this article we help you with tips on choosing corporate clothing and for corporate clothing supplies in Johannesburg.

In particular, using Corporate Clothing is one way of maximising brand exposure to encourage sales profit.

Employees can wear Corporate Clothing along with the company's imprinted logo as part of your exposure strategy. Your choice of promotional material will play a crucial factor in helping your company achieve brand awareness and business growth. You may be looking for corporate clothing in Johannesburg. If you are looking for corporate clothing in Johannesburg then Belle Regalo can help you.

More and More Companies Use Corporate Clothing Corporate Clothing as promotional material offers a wide variety of choices for organisations to use.

Corporate Clothing can be used by public and private sectors ranging from postman, office staff, and other employees to best promote the organisation or business. New Corporate Clothing strategies are used as uniforms for workers just for the purpose of promoting certain brands or products. You will often find staff wearing corporate clothing in Johannesburg. However, the choice for this kind of promotional material is not only used by big corporations. Small businesses have also seen the cost-effective advantages they can get from using promotional materials as opposed to expensive television and print advertisement.

Things to Keep in Mind

If you want to use Corporate Clothing in Johannesburg to improve your business, it is important to keep in mind some of the following pointers to maximise the benefits your company will get.

1. Promotional garments should be trendy, comfy to use, and durable.
2. You should ask to see samples to make sure you arrive at the right choice.
3. Excellent customer service is important to consider when choosing the right supplier for your promotional needs and corporate clothing supplier in Johannesburg. Make sure delivery is on time and that they guarantee customer satisfaction.
4. Pick a clothing supplier in Johannesburg that offers sufficient choices of different apparel such as caps, bags, jackets, and many others that your employees need. Belle Regalo supplies corporate clothing in Johannesburg.
5. Browse through the Internet for corporate clothing Johannesburg to help you compare prices and quality materials.
6. There are also in-house embroidery suppliers or printing services that offer all your needs for branded apparel and corporate clothing Johannesburg. This will help you save time and money in obtaining your other needs from different suppliers.
Given this helpful information for finding corporate clothing in Johannesburg for you to start with your promotional strategy, you can best maximise the benefits of simple everyday things to promote your company.

How to Choose Corporate Clothing

2010-10-26T20:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of the year there is a hive of activity as people rush to get their corporate gifts organized. Then they flatten out and really have to crank things up to get going in the New Year.

We suggest that at the end of the year, you start making your decisions about the New Year’s corporate clothing.

If you are new to the corporate clothing game, then there are some questions that you need to ask yourself to help with your corporate clothing.

1. What's prompted you to look into corporate clothing options? Are you fed up of how scruffy your employees look and think a smarter approach would be better? Would you like a stronger brand identity in the marketplace? Whatever it is, this will help you to build up a profile of what type of clothing you like. Start a list - you can add to it as we go along.

2. What jobs is the corporate clothing for? If your staff works in a hotel or shop, they're going to have distinctly different requirements to electricians and mechanics. Make a list of every member of your team that you'll be kitting out as well as their job and what type of clothing they may require.

3. Some staff may work indoors, others outdoors and some may even have a job that involves working inside and outside. Bear in mind the conditions they're working in and what they'll need. Maybe you'll want polo shirts and fleeces, or perhaps you'd prefer T-shirts and sweatshirts. If they're working in the rain, make sure they have appropriate waterproof clothing, too.

Corporate clothing is not just a “nice- to- have” option, your corporate clothing must serve a purpose. One of our construction clients like the safety jackets made from mesh fabric because construction sites in summer in Johannesburg can get uncomfortably hot.

4. Will your clothing require any particular features, such as a hood or large pockets? How about high-visibility workwear or gloves? The little things will cause the biggest gripes amongst your team, so get your specifications spot on before making an order.

For example one of our clients is in construction and the managers like the fishing jackets because they have lot of pockets for things like cell phones, keys, pens etc, making it a very practical corporate clothing item.

5. Part of getting it right first time is choosing a supplier that makes durable, long-lasting corporate clothing and workwear. This is particularly vital if your staff demand a lot from what they wear. Get it wrong and the regular replacements will be costly. We find that our 150g t-shirt is a great item for durability.

6. Don't miss an opportunity to increase exposure for your business. Having your company's logo, phone number and web address embroidered on the clothing means each of your employees is taking your contact details everywhere you go.

Many firms have these details plastered across their vans, packaging and business cards, so why not corporate clothing too? I often find people looking at my golf shirts that I wear on Friday. I have a range of different colours, that suits my style and mood for the day and they all have our corporate logo on them.

7. Make sure your choices send out the right message. While it's important to choose clothing that's to your tastes, it's more important that your employees make the right first impression while wearing them. The key word here is 'professional'.
If your staff look professional, it could be what gets them the first foot in the door with a new client. Professionalism is a key reason for choosing corporate clothing.

8. Have you asked your employees for their input about your corporate clothing? Chances are they'll have a lot to say about what they'll be wearing to work, so get that paper and pen ready! Don't be surprised if there's reluctance to begin with - people not involved with the direct running of a business will often think their skills and experience alone will be enough to see plenty of jobs coming through. While this should be true, it rarely is.

If your team need convincing this isn't a uniform, why not offer them a choice? Some of our clients have a Friday casual day shirt and also more than one colour option in lounge shirts for their staff to choose from. That means that people get to choose a colour that works for them. So although they are wearing corporate clothing, they have a more positive attitude towards their corporate clothing.

9. Use the corporate clothing to stand apart from your competition. I don't mean by choosing something garish or showy, but rather something that reflects your expertise and professionalism on the job. Or even better - which reflects whatever positive attributes makes your company unique. If you have a distinctive colour scheme that appears in your logo and on your website, make sure that's carried through onto your corporate clothing.

10. Think in terms of value for money for corporate clothing, rather than cost. Cheap might please your bottom line or the top brass today, but your corporate clothing needs replacing every few months your success will be short-lived. By getting corporate clothing that durable and reliable, as well as getting your spec right first time, you could save a lot of money in the long term.

Start getting your ideas for your new year’s corporate clothing now, because in the New Year the pressure starts again and you will want to be prepared in advance.

World Aid's Day Gifts

2010-10-21T21:18:00.000-07:00

Belle Regalo supports Ikageng Itireleng by contributing a portion of our profits to this valuable ministry.

When IS World Aids Day? 01 December 2010

Don’t just buy World Aids Day T-Shirts, buy World Aids Day Gifts that matter. Any gift can be a World Aids Day gift if you put some thought into what you want to want to achieve this World AIDS Day

Ikageng Itireleng AIDS Ministry is dedicated to the needs of those children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Ikageng Itireleng wishes to provide support, mentoring, life skills and counseling to help assist AIDS-related Child-Headed Households (CHH) in Soweto as well as to improve the quality of life for orphaned and other vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS on a sustainable basis. All South African children deserve a fair and decent chance at a better life.

Their objective is not to have their actions measured by money alone but in the effectiveness, sustainability and scope of the help they provide and in the enduring love and fulfillment received by these children.

Eco-Friendly Drinkware

2010-10-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Belle Regalo sells a range of BPA Free Drinkware. Many consumer products including promotional products are being manufactured from materials that ate know cacogenics and other harmful elements that can be extremely harmful to your health and our environments.

The drinkware products listed below are manufactured from materials that are compliant and safe based on the strictest South African and International. All the products listed below are tested using a chemical testing instrument and the food related products are thoroughly tested by independent laboratories to meet applicable standards.

For more information please visit us on:
http://www.belleregalo.co.za/gifts/drinkware.htm or www.belleregalo.co.za

Women's Gifting Ideas

2010-08-31T01:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I did the whole super model thing and had a photo shoot with a South African based magazine.

It was a day surrounded by women, clothes, hair and make up. It was whole lot of fun, until this morning when I attempted to wash all the weird things that went into my hair to keep it in the style that it needed to be in for the photoshoot.

It got me to thinking about women’s gifts and some items that would fit well into the setting.

We have some lovely choices.
• Cotton Wool Dispensers
• Hand mirrors
• Handbag Holders
• Jewelry cases,
• Manicure Sets
• Pashminas
• Pretty girl Tweezers
• Shopping bag with cosmetic purse.
• Vanity cases

And the list goes on and on. So when you are thinking about Secretaries Day, Women’s Day or Year end Gifts, then hang out with some ladies and see what they use to give you some hints on what to give as women’s gifts.

Magic Mugs -Tips on Colour

2010-07-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

Magic mugs are mugs that change colour depending on the temparature of the liquid inside the mug.

Magic mugs go through a specific manufacturing process.

First your logo is printed onto the mug. After the print has set then the magic mug coating is sprayed onto the mug. The magic mug coating is what allows the mug to change colour according to the temperature of the mug.

Something to be cautious of is that the magic coating alters the colour of the initial pront. This means that even if the mug is printed with your exact pantone colour, it will appear to be a different colour when the mug is sprayed with the coating.

I Love the Winter Jacket

2010-06-04T01:22:00.000-07:00

I can not claim to be a winter person. But sadly as my business is not yet a multi-national, I have to keep regular seasonal patterns along with my collegues, freinds and family.

So while I am trapped in winter, I have to find things to be thankful for and one of thise is definately the winter jacket. Thankfully there are a lot more fashionable items in the corporate clothing and promotional clothing ranges of of winter jackets. Even ladies have now been recognised when it comes to corporate clothing with more and more ranges including both a ladies and gents version of the winter jacket.

Lately I have been eyeing out ladies belted jacket. The one that I have in mind (see image above), has lovely top stitching detail and is a fully padded jacket. Oh what a joy to be snug, warm and stylish as well.

Winter jackets are very well received as corporate gifts. The trick is to start planning in advance and to keep a database of the sizes of your best clients. That way you can reuse it for golf days, soccer viewing get-togethers, and other corporate events. Keep in contact with your client's PA who can discreetly tell you if too much winter comfort food has been on the boss's desk and that they may have to upsize.

Always order and few additional sizes so that if your client does not fit their winter jacket, that you can easily swap the jacket out with your winter jacket stock without too much fuss or embassment.

If you are using winter jackets as a branding tool, then put your logo on big and bold. But if you are relationship building, then you may want to keep your logo on your winter jackets small and discreet.

Plan, Plan and Plan some more

2010-01-21T17:03:00.000-08:00

Every year I say it and every year we have last minute orders.

Planning makes a huge difference. With a cretain percentage of orders things do go wrong. And as the odds are, it is usually with rush orders. A classic example was of a client who had artwork designed by their adverstising agency for banners. The designs were fantastic but when they were submitted to the factory the factory noted that the artwork was not large enough and that the background images would not come out clearly.

As the artwork was submitted only a few days before the production deadline the advertising agency did not have the time to make the changes. Becuase there was no way to change the function date they elected to use the artwork that was originally submitted. Although the banners have a very clear logo and were perefectly fine, they could have been a lot better if there was sufficient time to make changes if neccessary.

Whenever people are rushed their attention to detail drops and errors are sometimes made. By planning ahead everyone wins.

Plan Ahead for Spring Corporate Gifts and Clothing

2009-07-23T04:24:00.000-07:00

I have just declared that toe socks are probably the greatest invention of the modern world. This comes in light that I have not been able to feel my toes for a great portion of the day. More than halfway through winter I decided the drag my toes socks out. But I realized that I am not alone in the this delayed reaction to the cold. In the last two months we have delivered tracksuits; fleece jackets; fleece tops and long sleeve shirts.
The last batch of long sleeve lounge shirts were delivered on Monday. That gives the wearers about two and a half month before they start sweating in those shirts. In order to get the best use out of your promotional clothing, you should plan ahead so that the clothing has arrived before the warmer weather arrives.
That goes for spring day gifts as well. Plan ahead. Do a staff or client head count now and order your spring day gifts ahead of time.

Plan Ahead for Valentine’s Day

2009-01-06T02:45:00.000-08:00

The first big event of the year is Valentine’s Day. Every year masses of people make panicked Valentine’s Day gift decisions. When companies are handing out gifts to all there staff then they often require very large quantities which are often not available as stock items. For your Valentine’s Day gifts you should plan at least 8 weeks in advance. For very large quantities of over 5000 units often a special manufacturing run is required and these manufacturing runs have to be pre-booked. At Belle Regalo we often have to turn away clients for Valentine’s Day Gifts as they have not planned well enough in advance.

Enrich your mind with books

2008-12-12T20:43:00.000-08:00

I remember when I was at school, that after a long holiday where I had no mental challenges, that it took a few weeks to adjust to normal daily task, like writing the date, reading text books etc. In the corporate work this is true as well, it takes a while to recharge yourself into “go” mode.

So this year I decided to give gifts for gifts. They make a terrific gift and keeps the recipient mentally stimulated as well.

Some of the titles that are on my Christmas gifts.

For my teenage recipients: 365 Awesome Facts & Records About Nature
With an awesome fact or figure for each day of the year, this book covers every aspect of our natural world, from the beginnings of life to the end of the dinosaurs, and from the structure of the plant and animal kingdoms to animal behaviour and natural disasters.

For the kids I am giving: African Myths and Legends by Jay Heale and Dianne Stewart. Vividly told and illustrated, the book sustains the intrigue of storytelling that has been passed on from generation to generation. The magic lies in deciding whether the stories are fact or fiction.

For my Partying friends: Make Your Own Cocktails by David Biggs
A collection of over 100 tantalizing classic and unusual cocktails and mixed drinks. Includes a range of ideas for non-alcoholic drinks for drivers, non-drinkers and children.

One of my staff has a dream about studying law, so for her I am giving a teaser gift: Everyone's Guide to South African Law (2nd Edition) by Adriaan Anderson, Anelia Dodd and Rolien Roos This book is aimed at every South African who needs to know whether to obtain professional advice on a particular legal issue, or who simply wants to acquire a general understanding of the law. Few people know enough about the law or even understand legal terminology, yet the law is a vital part of society that affects all of us to some extent or another.

For my travelling friends: I chose Hiking Trails of South Africa by Sandra and Willie Olivier. Every major trail in South Africa is covered, with a clear description of each hike, its length and estimated time, plus information on hike accommodation, facilities and activities, such as abseiling and diving.
So choose a book as a gift this Christmas season whether they are humorous, historical, coffee table types or self help, this gift has longevity and builds the mind and spirit.

Belle Regalo offers a range of books for corporate gift buyers. We also offer branded tip in pages with your corporate logo and message for corporate gift book purchases. For more details visit us on

www.belleregalo.co.za

How I Relieve End of The Gift Shopping Blues

2007-09-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

Preparing for your Christmas list can turn you into a crazed manic shopper scurrying around at the last minute and turning a time of “peace for all mankind” into an opportunity for tranquilsers for all family-kind.

I have found that there are some deliciously unfair advantages of being a corporate gift specialist.

On Sunday we celebrated my stepson’s 26th birthday. He is currently working with an art gallery but has also been studying to be a tour guide operator. He has a great love for wild life and has a very enchanting way of telling a story, which is a great advantage in this industry.

Taking into account his passions an opportunity presented itself in July. A client ordered a consignment of binoculars for the end of the year function. I have to tell you that this is easily my most organized client, as I have met no one else that ordered their gifts four months ahead of the function. If I ever expanded to a level that I needed my own internal event coordinator, I would definitely seek her out.
But back to my tale. When I received the order, I thought, “This is great” and ordered a set for both of my stepsons. One as a birthday gift for the 26 year old in September and one as a Christmas gift for my soon-to-be 13 year old step son.

In December my 13 year old stepson comes to visit us for the Christmas holidays. He is a wonderful addition to my life, but I have to admit that travel time with a demanding 5 year old and an irritated older step brother drives me to distraction.
So opportunity presented itself again. I have just received an order for 1000 USBs. It just so happens that the importer for the USBs also has some stock of great MP4 players. Bonus, get two MP4 players, one as a birthday gift for my stepson (his birthday is early in December) and one for my daughter. Then we have two occupied children instead of two terrorists saying “mommy, Mathew won’t give me any space.” Or, “No Margaret, move up”.

My stepdaughter and her fiancé recent bought a house and regularly have guests over on weekends for a braai, so I am thinking of getting them some of those outdoor camping chairs. In fact my dad just may like one of those as well, so that knocks him off the list.

This may seem a lot like cheating to you, but every job has its stressors and its perks. I consider this to be a perk. I have happy family members, who get gifts that they actually like and I save the time and fuel costs of rushing around buying gifts at what is arguably the busiest time of the year for a corporate gift specialist.

Everyday Family outdoor events and gifts

2007-09-02T22:13:00.000-07:00

As I write this I have a lot of physical tenderness We spent yesterday at a horse and game farm.

The last time that we went horse riding was in December last year. But yesterday was the first time that my daughter went riding with us. Her experience of horse riding has been a 5 minute guided pony ride.

We went out for a 1 hour ride, which was perfect for the heat of the day. Long enough for relaxation, and short enough without giving us heat exhaustion.

During the day I used several corporate gifts that I have acquired during my career. The joy of being a corporate gift specialist is that if there is something that I like, I order extra unit for us to use as a family.

We had a braai at the farm and so we packed our cooler bags, plastic plates, plastic glasses and knives and forks. I even have a great set of braai tongs which were also from my corporate gift stock. We were a group of ten, but the rest of the group had not planned properly for the event and so we were the only ones with the correct gear. A team was sent out of a type of foraging expedition to get paper plates, but in the end we had to use one of our plates for the braai meat and my family and I had to use our plates in relay to have lunch. This made me realize that when you have a large extended family, extra outdoor gifts are always a blessing.

We packed the picnic blanket and the umbrella for my grandson. Yes, I am probably South Africa’s youngest grandmother. My grandchild is from my husband’s daughter from his first marriage.

We packed our caps and my daughter took her water bottle. Accidentally my husband took one of my manufacturing samples of my caps out with us and in the dust (because the area was quite dry), it became stained. We have so many caps at home and so I wondered how many caps a person can actually have, but the more time we spend outdoors, the more I come to realize that a cap is always a useful gift.

The day was a leisurely day in the morning as we braaied, had some refreshments and I added a few centimeters on by binging on jelly babies.

At about 15H30 we went out on our ride. There was some game on the farm and we were able to see zebras, waterbuck and gemsbok. I realized that I had left the binoculars and home. We pack the binoculars away because my 5 year old daughter tends to think that they are her personal toy binoculars, so it slipped my mid to consider taking them and for that I was sorry because she could not get a decent view of the game that was further away. I would have loved to have had the digital camera binoculars with us, because that way we could have captured the event for Margaret.

My daughter had insisted on riding the white horse, but when we got on the owners said that we needed to choose another horse as we needed something slower because of Margaret.

So I swapped with my husband Colin. Well this horse was so fast that it just stopped. My husband had to get off and had to start walking the horse. The irony of it was that just on the way to the ride he mentioned that we should go hiking more often. So we went for a ride and Colin went for a hike because he walked more than 50% of the way.

So last night when we returned home, we were all sore and tired, but of course Colin was exhausted.

As the weather begins to improve of the next few weeks and we welcome spring, we are looking forward to a lot more outdoor experiences. So this may be a good time for you to begin thinking about outdoor gifts for your corporate gifts for your clients.

Enjoy Spring.

Why purchase corporate gifts?

2007-08-27T11:06:00.000-07:00

Why purchase corporate gifts? The benefits of corporate gift giving can never be under-stated! Highly successful businesses understand the importance of branding. To achieve that well sorted after branding, resources are poured into marketing which will lead us to corporate gift giving!

Corporate gifts can be broadly categorised into internal and external branding. Internal branding can be achieve by acquiring gifts to be given to staff within the company. This will help to foster the common identity to build that corporate spirit and morale which will increase productivity.

External branding is by far the most important benefit of corporate gift giving between the two. Ultimately businesses are build around customers support. Therefore it is important to send signature corporate gift to customers to set your company apart and reinforce visual identity. Successful businesses are build on relationships that is base on the service that they provide more than the products they sell. It is this relationship that helps to seal the next project regardless of the price!

Personalised corporate gift which can be made affordable is used as a gentle reminder that your company still exists and re-established the business again! Whenever possible, promotional or seasonal corporate gift are best sent to thank customers for the business support.

Corporate gifts and souvenirs are also prudently employed to launch new company at trade show to create their branding and target any possible new clients.

Belle Regalo Supplier of Corporate Gifts is a South African company that supplies and imports corporate gifts and promotional gifts including watches, clocks, pens and keyrings. For your Corporate Gifts, you can order and personalize your corporate and promotional gifts for the end of the year gifts now.

As you will see we have an extraordinary range of gifts gift companies, we provide branding (Laser & scratch engraving, pad printing, sandblasting etc.) Our product ranges are suitable for promotional corporate gifts. You can make your corporate gifts unique and personalize them, so this year you can stand out from the crowd!

For a complete professional and personalized service we offer gift wrapping for your corporate gifts. We are a one stop corporate and promotional gift solution.

Are you putting the Law of Reciprocity to work for you?

2007-08-27T08:41:00.000-07:00

Want to improve your relationships? Use the power of reciprocity to build trust, and enhance your work, family, and social relationships.

Rule for Reciprocation:

"One of the most potent of the weapons of influence around us is the rule for reciprocation. The rule says that we should try to repay, in kind, what another person has provided us."

Reciprocation flows from Divine Law that can neither be ignored or put aside. Perhaps, the most important of these laws is the law of love” Put simply, "Love is Law, Law is Love. God is Love, Love is God." This amounts to the same thing as "the gift of giving" without the "hope of reward or pay," or serving others. This 'law of love' is identified in many different ways this law of love in the workplace is described as the "law of reciprocity."

The law of reciprocity is not what can best be described as "transactional reciprocity”. Many people conceive of their business dealings as spot market exchanges--value given for value received, period. Nothing more, nothing less. This tit-for-tat mode of operation can produce success, but it doesn't invoke the power of reciprocity and so fails to yield extraordinary success."

Reciprocity is a basis of trust and a basis for legitimate power. People state The Law of Reciprocity in many forms. "I’ll scratch your back if you scratch mine." "You reap what you sow." "You get what you give." These laws can be used well with the giving of corporate gifts. The giving of gifts is an acknowledgement of the time for an appointment, or thank you for business etc.

The principle is that others will reciprocate in kind based upon the way you treat them. The world gives you what you give to the world.

Social psychologists use the term "idiosyncrasy credits" that result from the favorable impressions we make on others. These credits accumulate and you can cash them in for favors or to get others to do things for us.

Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, uses the phrase "emotional bank account" to describe the principle of reciprocity and the corresponding credit-withdrawal process in relationships. Using the metaphor of a financial bank account, the emotional bank account describes the trust that accumulates in a relationship. Like the financial bank account, you must make deposits before you can make withdrawals.

You should note eight important points regarding The Law of Reciprocity:

1. People expect repayment over time. This is based upon the idea of social exchange. Reciprocity is an implicit assumption in most of our relationships. Giving and receiving favors is a common exchange. When someone does something for you, they implicitly expect that when the circumstance is right, you will do something of approximately equal value for them. For example, if your neighbor helps you put up a fence, your neighbor will expect you to help them when they put up a fence or need other assistance with their home. If you cover for someone at work, you expect that they will cover for you when you need their help.

2. Acts must be mutually rewarding. A successful relationship requires that all parties benefit from the relationship and invest in the relationship. Even when one party might be the primary giver, they still often have the expectation that they will receive in kind—if not from the other party then from the world at another time. If you are going to give a corporate gift, make sure that it is of nature that it can be used and will be appreciated.

3. Deposits don’t simply accumulate. The value of the deposits can increase or decrease over time. People may forget or ignore small deposits. People may remember big favors, large deposits or large gifts for longer periods. The value of deposits is what the other person perceives the value to be.

4. You can go in the red. You can wipe out your account with a single withdrawal. If you don’t have a large accumulation of credits, or you make a very large withdrawal, or you make many small withdrawals, you can go in the red.

5. You make deposits or receive credits by making favorable impressions on others—by doing things for them. You make deposits through courtesy, kindness, honesty, respect, gifts and other favors. The favors are often small, but they accumulate over time as your relationship blossoms. The deposits build trust and create a history of what the parties involved in the relationship expect from each other.

6. A history of reciprocity promotes trust. People evaluate your actions and motives based upon their perceptions of your previous actions and motives. If you are consistent in your corporate gift giving there is also a level of trust that the relationship has meaning to you and that you will consistency service this client.

7. Reciprocity is a very powerful form of power. The expectation of giving and returning gifts and favors creates an obligation to stick to agreements. This is a very powerful and psychologically binding expectation. Although they may never discuss the expectation openly, it is there and affects negotiations and relationships.

8. Reciprocity can be both positive and negative. If you harm others, they may seek revenge or retribution. People want to make things even in a relationship. They want to do good for those who have treated them well. They want to do harm to those who have harmed them.

By understanding and using the power of reciprocity, you can improve your relationships and avoid mistakes that can permanently damage your relationships. In life and work, you get what you give. Take for example when you are working on your corporate gift corporate gift has tarnished the relationship. strategy. If you give branded wine to a person who is a recovering alcoholic or who has religious objections to alcohol, then the

The lesson is that we cannot pursue the power of reciprocity. When we try to invoke reciprocity directly, we lose sight of the reason for it: helping others. Paradoxically, it is in helping others without expecting reciprocity in return that we invoke the power of reciprocity. The path to reciprocity is indirect: reciprocity ensues from the social capital built by making contributions to others.

The deliberate pursuit of reciprocity fails, just like the pursuit of happiness. Acts of contribution, big and small, build your fund of social capital, creating a vast network of reciprocity. And so those who help you may not be those you help. The help you receive may come from distant corners of your network.

How to Use Corporate Gifts

2007-08-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

Even if you can define what corporate gifts are – you may have even more trouble answering the following question: how to use corporate gifts to your company's best advantage.

Corporate gifts are broadly recognized as anything given out by a company for free, with or without the company's name and logo attached to it. Sometimes, the smaller value items of this type are known as promotional items, but the two terms can be used interchangeably. Most people think of corporate gifts as being in the domain of large companies – places like Microsoft or other corporations with many employees as well as many customers. In fact, corporate gifts can work to help out any company.

Most smaller companies may not be able to give out as many corporate gifts or items that are very expensive, but you can still learn how to use corporate gifts to your advantage. One way to use these gifts or items is to give them to customers that you are already doing business with. Studies have shown that customers are much more likely to choose to go back to a company that has given them a corporate gift over a company that has not. These gifts can be great for customer retention.

Another way to use these corporate gifts is to give them out at trade shows or other exhibitions. In this case, you may not choose to use the higher end gifts you would give customers (such as office sets and other related objects), instead you will probably end up using promotional materials that are less costly. Some examples of these items that would work well in a trade show environment include pens, pencils, key rings and pads of paper – just to name a few.

A final way to use corporate gifts is in name recognition and brand building. If you are looking to build the size of your business and have more people choosing you on name or logo alone, you need to build your brand. Handing out promotional items or corporate gifts to prospective customers and current customers is a great way to accomplish this. Others who see these gifts will learn your name and remember your “brand” later on.

Big or small, learning how to use corporate gifts to your advantage can really help your business. Be sure that you are doing all you can to gain new customers and keep the ones you have by using these gifts.

For Corporate Gift ideas visit our on-line catalogue on www.belleregalo.co.za

Personal vs. Desk Based Corporate Gifts

2007-08-24T01:47:00.000-07:00

Requests for desk based corporate gifts are a frequent one that I get as a corporate gift specialist. Often my clients question whether they should give a desk based corporate gift or a personal use corporate gift.

The answer lies in what you wish you achieve with your corporate gifts. Is it a relationship building corporate gift or an adverting gift?

Generally speaking, advertising is the paid promotion of goods, services, companies and ideas by an identified sponsor. Marketers see advertising as part of an overall promotional strategy. Other components of the promotional mix include publicity, public relations, personal selling and sales promotion. If your chief reason for giving out the gift is for advertising then the branding should be very prominent and visible. In this case a desk based corporate gift is an excellent idea.

This kind of corporate gift should be novel and useful so that it will actually be used by the recipient and thus promoting your brand. It should draw the eye of people to the item. Remember that the person who is already a client may enjoy the corporate gifts, but as they are an existing customer the primary focus of this gift is to draw attention of people who are not yet customers to your product, unless your goal is to reinforce your brand. This means that if this corporate gift is highly visible to passers by it will be noticed and it will thereby activate the brand building capabilities of this corporate gift.

CRM is an acronym for Customer Relationship Management. CRM is an industry term for software solutions that help enterprise businesses manage customer relationships in an organized way. An example of a CRM would be a database containing detailed customer information that management and salespeople can reference in order to match customer needs with products, inform customers of service requirements, etc.

Corporate gifts can be good relationship-building tools for expressing appreciation and gratitude towards your most valued employees, customers.

These corporate gifts have a primary focus to build the relationship between you and your customer. As the relationship is the primary goal of this corporate gift, go for subtle branding. Don’t use your client as a human advertisement. Rather build the relationship with your corporate gifts and turn the customer into an advocate for your copy, because their referrals will mean a lot to your business and your reputation. You can make use of branded ribbon and branded gift wrap to enhance the brand and advertise your product especially upon delivery when a lot of your client’s colleagues are likely to see the corporate gift, but always put the customer first when deciding how to brand this corporate gift.

For relationship building corporate gifts we recommend that you give a gift that they can use even at home. Some ideas include wine gifts, binoculars, hampers, books, jackets, watches etc.

Industry Related Gifting Ideas

2007-08-21T23:02:00.000-07:00

From time to time I get industry related gifting ideas questions.

This is a response to a client who is looking for low cost gifts for the catering industry.

When I was in charge of functions at some of the previous companies that I worked at, I found that it was very difficult to differentiate between caterers.

If you find a good graphic designer or copy writer you can put together a fabulous brochure that can blow anyone’s mind. But I looked for over all presentation, whether the caterer was on time for the appointment (as this would be an indication of whether they would meet deadlines) and of course taste. But these days it is difficult to taste unless the caterer has an open day. So her are a few gifting suggestions for caterers.

For introductory appointments I would suggest:

Branded ribbon, beautiful boxes and tissue paper. Then make up a batch of your signature cookies, pastries etc and place in the beautiful box. I am personally going to make up these boxes for me as many of my clients already have it all. A few years back I was at an exhibition and I had a taste tester at one of the caterer’s stands and I was sold.

Try to make your gifts representative of your industry.

Waiter’s friends are a lovely industry gifts. For the uninformed who are reading this response, a waiter’s friend is a wine bottle opener.

Shopping bags are also a good idea. But remember to add a message in the shopping bag. For example, we only use the freshest ingredients in our dishes. Here something for you when you are stocking up on fresh ingredients.

Coasters can be purchased in sets, but handed our individually. You get a coaster that is a puzzle. Take one piece of the puzzle out and send it to your client with a message. “A good caterer takes care of all the little details that make a prefect function. This piece represents you, we take care of the rest. Then drop off the rest of it and inspire your client.

You have to communicate the relevance of the gifts to your clients. It will elevate your message and your reputation as a creative caterer and event coordinator.

For more gift ideas visit our online catalogue on our website.

Customer Retention Strategies

2007-08-20T22:32:00.000-07:00

Few senior managers have regular contact with a broad range of customers, while many do not give clear, visible leadership in achieving excellence in customer management.

This marketing “speak” tends to end at boardroom level and does not infiltrate into every level of the business. Corporate gifts become a “nice-to-have” and not an integrated part of the customer acquisition and customer retention strategy.

Many companies do not know how many high-value customers they lose, nor do they know the reason why key customers are lost. What is also alarming is the fact that studies have shown that in the vast majority of companies, staff responsible for talking to customers could not articulate why customers should buy from them. Each failure to observe good practice leads to a leakage or even in some cases a hemorrhage in profitability.

You can and should use your corporate giving as part of a corporate communication strategy. When your consultants takes the corporate gift to the client, don’t let them just drop it off at reception. Make a set appointment and get the consultant to do a debrief of the year with the client.

Get them to ask face to face critical questions such as “Mr/Ms Smith I am always looking for way that I can improve my level of service to you. Can you give me three suggestions on how I can improve, based on your experience with me this past year?”

You can set the questions, but also set the tone for the next year, so that the client knows that you will do what it takes to retain their business.

Make sure the corporate gifts should be highly suitable and appreciable so that when you are sitting face to face with the client he/she has a positive attitude.

It is important to determine what the policy will be this year on corporate gifts. and to send out a memorandum to your corporate office. You may consult with the person, those who get the gifts in your corporate office only for a suggestion, but let your relationship with your clients be the guide.

Make sure the corporate gifts should be highly suitable and appreciable. Be sensitive to religious and cultural preferences while purchasing end of the year gifts. Unless you know that the client drinks never give alcohol. High stress levels in the work place have lead to alarming levels of alcoholism and certain cultures prohibit the use of alcohol, so keep that branded wine for those who will appreciate it.

You should not offend anyone because you have to work with them everyday, so don’t go for funny or obnoxious gifts. They will appreciate a hamper with pamper items or consumable rather than ten pencil sets, so be careful that you purchase gifts that are not too ordinary.

At the beginning of the following year, drop off a branded jar of mints, sweets or nougat to set the tone for the new year and retain those valuable clients.

You can visit www.belleregalo.co.za for some gifting ideas.

Happy shopping.

Branding using low cost gifts

2007-08-20T03:04:00.000-07:00

Despite the number of unique and attractive gifting options, pens remain a firm favorite.

Instead of reserving pens for a conference alone, hand a few to your sales consultants to hand out when they hand out their business cards. I personally have given pens to people that I have met when I was at a function and I have actually received calls from people who have received them.

So many people give me their business cards at a function, but I do not always remember where I have met them. When you give a pen, you can use it to write on the back of your business card where you have met the person who you are giving the pen to. So when they next see your card, they can say “Oh yes, Mrs …., I met her at the Gibs Forum that I attended. This was some great advice that I got from sales and marketing guru Jacques de Villiers.

It may surprise you that as a corporate gift supplier I am often without a pen. Yes there is the irony, so when I get a pen at a function, I keep it in my handbag and unless my 5 year old daughter has been looking for lip ice in my bag and removes a pen (because she and my husband are have a love of pens), these pens tend to stay in my bag and each time I use them, the issuing company’s brand is reinforced.

Actually this works for a number of low cost gifts. I have an Old Mutual lip ice in my bag. Take that into account with the current great television advertising for the rural based lady who started a nursery with the funds in her Old Mutual investment, the brand is slowly sinking into my brain. It made we wonder why I have not considered their investments as an option for me before.

So guess who I will be investigating next time I take out an investment. Why Old Mutual of course thanks to their clever integrated branding campaign.

It seems so simple, but it really does work as part of a long term branding strategy.

But please remember to add your website address or telephone number onto the pen. If I was looking at an Old Mutual investment, I would not know who to call as the lip ice has no contact details on it.

For my smaller clients I usually recommend the website address instead of a telephone number because if their number should change the pens or other low cost gifts become will not direct the client to them.

Happy networking.

How to show your customer that you care?

2007-08-19T23:13:00.001-07:00

Gift giving is made a lot more complicated that what it should be.

There is an old saying “ People don’t care about how much you know until they know how much you care”.

In my life I have found this to be true. I am sure if you think about it, in your life there are people who have stood out.

Those are the people who take time for you, who understand your situation, or who have a listening ear. In fact from a spiritual level, the Christian bible has a section on the love and spiritual gifts. “If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth, but didn’t’ love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like clanging symbol.” It speaks about a number of the spiritual gifts but love always comes out on tops.

What does this has to do with corporate gifts, you may ask? Well a lot actually. Going through a corporate gift catalogue and choosing gifts according to budget without being concerned with to whom or why you are giving out these gifts to is rather meaningless.

But of course you do not have the time to get an individual gift for each client. There are however ways of showing that you actually took some time to consider your client.

For example today I sent out a low cost gift idea to some of my regular clients. Usually I do not send out the inexpensive give-away option notifications, although there are on our on-line gift catalogue, but when I received notification that the gift idea had arrived in stock, I saw how it could make my life better.

For years I have suffered with backache and before I had my daughter I would often be seen with a large handbag. The kind that contains the kitchen sink as well as all the “absolutely essential” things that any woman has to have.

Plagued by continuous, shoulder and backache and frequent headaches I ditched the large bag and opted for a small bag that can only contain a few things.

But I do still need a cell phone; in fact I have two, one for business and one for personal, so that I preserve my private family time. I also need a pen, business card holder, lipstick holder, notepad, comb; lipstick brush and a few other odds and ends.

Today I received a notification of an all-in-one calculator with pen and business card holder. The business card holder has a roller so you can just roll the business card out. What, a wonderfully compact and useful item. One that can easily fit into my handbag and give me more space and time. Time, you may question… yes, time. Scratching around for a pen, my business card holder etc is frustrating. Here it is all in one space and that removes frustration in my life.

Now how can you make the love of people relevant to this gift? Well just send a note to accompany your gifts communicating something much like my experience and tell your client, that you know that life is cluttered and that we all need a little extra space, extra time, less frustrations etc.

Now you have just found gifts that can make your client’s life a little easier. The gift then changes from a just another branded gift, to a solution that you have thought up just to help your client improve their life.

The best received gifts are the ones where your client sees that you took a little extra time and thought into what your corporate gift is.

Start spreading the love.

Planning now for your end of the year event

2007-08-17T04:31:00.000-07:00

As we lead up to the last quarter of the year it is a good time to start thinking about the year end functions. This is the time of the year when my event coordinators really start feeling the heat.

Astoundingly enough I had a client who just took delivery of binoculars for their year end function and just this week I had a call from one of my clients in the air conditioning industry asking for end of the year gift suggestions.

But I have to admit that these fabulously organized clients are a rarity. So many clients may book venues and other elements of the function in advance, but seems to leave the year end gifts until the last minute.

However the corporate gift industry is not isolated in this dilemma. I was chatting to one of my favorite caterers Prue Leith the other when the CEO told me that he had received calls three days before a function to see if he had availability to do catering for an event. Sometimes we can help with the event because we are available, but sometimes it is just impossible.

And again today the communications director of The Communications Firm said that he had to take over two projects where the PR companies had messed up, but were last minute jobs.

The down side of leaving things to the last minute or changing suppliers for your year end function is that availability becomes and issue as does quality. When placed under pressure event coordinators are not able to pay the same kind of attention to detail as they would have with a well structured brief that allows for ample time.

They are only as good as the information and time frames that you give them.

So when planning you year end gifts for your year end functions, please allow enough time to let the professionalism of your event coordinator shine through.

Gifts, branded serviettes, branded gift wrap; banners; invitations all have lead times and some customized items have to be manufactured and factory space has to be booked. Sadly many people see events gifts from a retail perspective. Sometimes the goods are not available the way they would be if you were in a retail centre. Capacity has to be booked.

So it is best to start your planning for your event now if you have not done so already.

It is almost spring

2007-08-15T21:09:00.000-07:00

I just love spring. It is an exquisite time of new beginnings, new scents, and new ideas and for the romantic a time for love.

While I do not relish the idea of racing around the house with a feather duster, I do welcome the idea of smelling the jasmine, hearing the beautiful song of the birds in the morning when I wake up and visiting the botanical gardens to enjoy lazy afternoon picnics in the warm sunshine with my dashingly handsome husband. Plus I get to visit a nearby dam with my beautiful little fairy princess daughter and feed the ducks.

I also love the idea that the warmer weather allows us to throw open all the windows and let the warmth of the day filter lovilgly into our home. I finally get to go though my storage and bring out all my pretty summer dresses and spend the weekends in feminine strappy sandals or simply barefoot in the glistening, dewy green morning grass of spring. This is an excellent time of the year for the ladies to go for a pedicure to get those pretty toes perky for the delicious waves of sunshine that bless our lives.

Although it is freezing now while I write, I know that in just a few weeks the delicious sent of spring will fill the air and every time you breathe you breathe in sheer happiness. I can hardly wait.

Yes, Spring Day, 1st September, symbolizes hope and new beginnings, flowers bloom and summer is on its way. Celebrate this month of September, and encourage your staff and clients with a gift to show that you value them.
For Spring day we actively promote beaded gifts from a black empowered manufacturer who is a non-profit organisation, and aims to dramatically impact and improve the lives of previously disadvantaged South Africans by providing Technical Skills, Business Skills and Life Skills training, together with, Job and Wealth Creation opportunities.
The project has trained and empowered more than 300 unemployed, and currently employs up to 80 people in its Job Creation programme.
That is our way of promoting spring in their lives. Job creation is like that firm bloom of spring, full of promise and possibilities.
I hope you plan to celebrate this wonderful time of the year both in your business and in your personal life.

What branding to use

2007-08-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

There are so many branding options that even I get taken by surprise from time to time.

It takes quite some research to get on top of all this branding.

As a rule of thumb: Items given away on mass, like fun run t-shirts etc should have big branding on it, but do remember that your runner’s number needs some special as well and try not to have your logo so big that it is partially covered by the runner’s number.

On days like these less really is less. Your single branded banner may look larger than life in your office, but on a day where there are masses of entrants, masses of watering points, you need to go big or as the critics say, go home.

For more personalized gift such as the ones that you give to your individual clients, subtle branding is always best.

Here is a list of some of the forms of branding that are available.

• cap printing;
• 3d embroidery;
• branded ribbon;
• customized labels;
• domed stickers;
• embroidery;
• foiling;
• laser engraving;
• pad printing;
• sand blasting;
• scratch engraving;
• screen printing;
• tip in pages;
• YAG engraving;
• gift wrapping.

Happy Branding

What are some of our most frequently requested gifts?

2007-08-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

This is a question that I often get asked। A lot of clients find that it is very difficult to choose what to give on the various occasions that clients have to receive gifts. It is heard to ask outright what a client wants.

That is rather like your spouse or girl find or boyfriend asking what you would like as a gift. There is no element of surprise at all. But perhaps you could send out a survey at the beginning of the year to your clients and find out what they like or have already received.
When your Financial Director approves a budget for you, then you pretty much have to stick to it, but that does not have to mean that your gifts can’t be great or well appreciated. Some of the best gifts are items that can be consumed, for example we recently supplied a Nomu hot chocolate and cocoa box and the recipients loved it. Consumables get used up and not left for years on end in a cupboard.
But to answer the question plain and simply, here are some of our most frequently requested gifts.
Eventing companies and advertising companies often request low cost gifts and in this category our top sellers are:
• Caps;
• Lanyards;
• Pens;
• Stress Balls;
• Wallets
• And of course for 2010 soccer balls
Corporate Companies order products that have a higher value. Our most popular products are:
• Business Card Holders;
• Hampers;
• Laptop trolley bags;
• Moleskine notebooks;
• Outdoor gifts;
• Picnic baskets;
• Wine;
• Wine tool boxes

Happy Shopping.

All I want for Christmas

2007-08-13T22:21:00.000-07:00

Earlier on this year, I did a survey with my suppliers to find out what their top selling products were to assist Belle Regalo with comparing our top selling gifts and to see if there were gaps in our offering that we needed to fill.

Later we followed with an on-line corporate gift survey with community members mostly entrepreneurs to see what their top gifts were that they wanted in the following three categories:

1. For a conference gift.
2. For the end of the year gifts.
3. For a sporting event gifts.

It seems that a lot of women have an issue with what they get because so many of them responded. In fact over 75% of the respondents were women.

Our results were:

Conference Gifts:
Top position: Conference bag: But one that is beaded or hand painted. = 19.44%
Position 2 & 3: USB and pen both got 8.33%
Other items mentioned: Beach bag; compact umbrella;, bath treats; clock; gadget; goody bag; IPOD; map book; GPS; shoe bag; music; toiletry bag with goodies inside

End of the Year Gifts
Top position: Pampering gift (hamper or Spa Voucher) = 19.44%
Positions 2, 3, 4 & 5: Binocular, wine, chocolates, hampers = 5.56%
Other items mentioned: Cooking hamper; crystal glasses; diaries, flash drive; gadget; hamper; preserved figs

Sporting Event Gifts
Top Position and position 2: Tracksuits and umbrella = 11.11%
Position 3: Windbreaker, but it needed to be fashionable = 8.33%
Other items mentioned: Calorie watch; caps; cooler bags; digital photo frame; fold up chair; hamper; hat; jacket; leatherman (not an imitation one); picnic hamper; t-shirt; water bottle

Respondents by Industry
Advertising: 2.78%
Banking: 8.33%
Beauty: 2.78%
Broadcasting: 2.78%
Coaching: 5.56%
Events: 25%
Finance: 2.78%
Healthcare: 2.78%
Immigration: 2.78%
Incentives: 2.78%
Legal: 5.56%
Marketing: 13.89%
Recruitment: 2.78%
Secretarial: 2.78%
Tourism: 5.56%
Other: 8.30%

What is startling is that I recently did a survey of what some of my suppliers gave as their top selling gifts. I say some because not all of them were willing to release this information.

There is a strong contrast between what people want and what corporate gift buyers are buying. The only item that matched up was cooler bags. They are on the wanted and sold list.

The results made me think of a conversation that I had with one of the BWA / Nedbank Business Woman of the Year finalists for last year, she remarked “I can not tell you how many of those stainless steel coffee mugs I have”.

It is sad when we focus our corporate gift procurement merely on what the budget allows and do not take into account what our customers want.

I encourage you to ask some of your top clients what they have already received as a gift and what they are most likely to appreciate. Ask for about 3 – 4 ideas and then match your corporate gifts budget to that or re-think your strategy.