Tips for the Corporate Gift Industry: Year End Gifts

Showing posts with label Year End Gifts. Show all posts

Monday, February 27, 2017

Low Cost Corporate Gift Focus: Surprisingly Safety wear

I never thought of safety wear as a corporate gift. It always was a must to have item for construction companies. But the humble construction bib and drawstring bag came to mind when winter arrived and there was a decreased visibility in the mornings due to later sunrise. I realised that you can show that you value a client or an employee by investing in those low cost item in a creative way. To have the desired impact, you absolutely have to include an explanatory note, because most people are not going to immediately see what the relevance is of this gift. It is rather like insurance, many people don’t see the point until the day that they actually need it. Some of the several uses for safety ware in day to day living. According to Arrive Alive of the 10 thousand killed every year, more than 40% are pedestrians. In the mornings, when I take my children to school, the sun rises so much later and visibility is very poor. There are many people walking to work, and children waiting for lifts and "die hard" fitness enthusiast jogging in the extreme cold that I simply cannot see until I am almost on top of them. Wearing a safety jacket or even a low cost bib can increase their visibility. Then there is a dreaded flat tyre at night and possibly worst of all when it is raining that increases you chance of be knocked over. You should keep a safety bib in your vehicle for these types of emergencies. We had a breakdown recently when I was with my daughter and as it was just about a kilometre from home, we decided to walk back while my husband waited for the AA. Although the area is quite safe, there was some maintenance on the side of the road, so there were several spots where we actually had to walk in the road or cross the road. In hindsight, a safety bib would have been very practical. If you are building a home or visiting a town house development, you should have a hard hat, which some construction companies do have on site, but having a high visibility bib especially if you visiting when construction is actually is actually essential.

In a study in an Australian University by Philippe Lacherez, who is a post-doctoral fellow at the School of Optometry and Vision Science – it shows that cyclists could be exposing themselves to greater danger of being struck by a car due to the driver’s inability to see them, particularly when the light is poor, and says reflective, not high-visibility, clothing is the answer to being seen in the hours of darkness. We found that crashes disproportionately occurred during low-light conditions such as at dawn, dusk or at night. Only 34 per cent of cyclists in these low-light crashes were wearing reflective clothing and 19 per cent of them said they weren't using bicycle lights at the time of the crash. "We're concerned that this means cyclists are making themselves more vulnerable by not being adequately visible to an oncoming driver.” Some ways to use the contact bib or high visibility draw string bag for promotions.

Automotive companies Corporate wellness days Cycling Clubs Insurance companies Marathon organisers Running clubs School safety training Staff safety training Trade shows for construction companies So when you are looking for ways to maximise your marketing budget, give a practical promotional gift that will position you as someone who cares about your clients and staff in a way that counts. For more information on other low cost promotional items contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or 082 948 7461 or visit us on http://belleregaloshop.bcgshop.co.za/

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Small Items that are Suitable for Table Gives at Year End Functions

By Kim Vermaak 27 September 2014 When organising a function, you need to have smaller sized gifts that are easy to transport. If it is a gala evening, you would also need something that is upmarket that adds to the prestige of the evening. These are some of my favourite items that are below R 200.00. Maglite SOLITAIRE AAA PRES

I love the Maglite brand, it is a quality brand that is respected in the outdoor and leisure market, but I have used them for years particular with power outages. It is a good safety item for both men and women to have on hand. The Solitaire is slim, stylish and compact and operates on one AAA alkaline battery. Simply rotate the head of the Solitaire to switch your unit on and off or to focus the beam from a spot to flood light. Twist - Spot to Flood. Spare Lamp in Tail Cap. Aluminium Alloy Casing. Compact & Lightweight. Innovative Extended key 1m lead allows the light beam and keys to be used together in the same direction. Stock is usually not held in large quantities, but there are various colours, so if you are willing to hand out a mix of colours, there are great compact gifts that easy for an event coordinator to carry and pack on tables. Wine accessories in a bottle shaped container

For wine lover, this is a compact and funky design that is well received. Wine accessories in a bottle shaped container – consists of a pourer, bottle opener and drip stopper. It has a magnetic closure. On the plus side, there are usually very good stock levels, but you have to know that your market does not have any religious objections to alcohol, although there are current some very good non-alcoholic brands of wine and champagne on the market, minimizing your risk. USB Car Charger

This little item is a great and convenient gift. It is life saver when your phone, tablet etc. runs out of battery and you really need to communicate. USB car charger for your camera, smart phone or MP3 player! It is also available as a Car charger with 2 USB connections for hassle-free charging of smart phones, tablets and cameras. Wooden meteorological station "Zurich"

The Wooden weather station with clock, hygrometer and thermometer is a super upmarket gift for your exucutive clients. Business card case "Mainz"

For a business person’s function the Business card case "Mainz" is very practical as this business card holder has two separate compartments (for 10 cards each), so that you can easily separate your own cards from the ones you receive. These are just a few of the many corporate gifting items that can be used for table based gifts. For more ideas visit our website www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Your 2014 Corporate Gift Plan – First Half

Don’t wait until 2014 arrives and the year sweeps you away. Start planning now for your corporate gifting strategy. There

are so many opportunities. Here is a list of a few events that you can use for your corporate gift planning. New Years – Wednesday 01 January Champagne Flutes make a wonderful New Year’s Gift. To start off the year give your clients crystal champagne flutes as a welcome to 2014 gift. If you are worried that they make not drink alcohol, find a recipe for a non-alcoholic cocktail and include into with the gift. There are so many delicious non-alcoholic recipes to choose from that you can’t go wrong. Plan to hand these corporate gifts out very early in January. After everyone has spent their holiday money, they will welcome the moral boost of a new year’s gift. Most people will start work around 06 January, so you can hand out gift between 06 January and 17 January. Other new year’s gifts include Conference bags, Dairies or Filofaxes, desk organisers, i-pad covers, mouse pads, notebooks, USBs Back to School – 15 January Children will officially go back to school on Wednesday the 15th of January. However some schools may change the dates a little. Many companies will start a back to school campaign for corporate gifts. Ideas include backpacks, book bags or conference bags, Frisbees, lunch boxes, math sets, pencil bags, pencils, pens, sharpeners, soccer kits, water bottles and yoyos. Conference season – January to end February Many companies will start the year off with planning and conferences. Whether you have your conferences at the beginning of the year later in the year, plan ahead for your gifts. Conference gift ideas include: conference bags, conference pens, custom printed notepads, folders, hampers, lanyards, mints, notepads, speaker’s gifts, trolley bags, USBs Valentine’s Day – Friday 14 February As Valentine’s Day is on a Friday, you can bet all the restaurants will be fully booked, so get your restaurant bookings done

early. Chocolates remain a popular choice, but with diabetes being on the increase, you can choose items that are easier on the hips. For example a Valentine’s Day cookie mug, heart shaped stress balls, mints, red t-shirt. There are a lot of choices for Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s is a very big event in the corporate gifting calendar and an essential for corporate morale. Human Rights Day – Friday 21 March We celebrate this day each year to remind us of the great suffering and loss of life that accompanied the struggle for human rights. It is to remind us that people in South Africa will never again be denied their human rights. We encourage people to not only promote this event within their companies, but also to use their corporate gifting spend to help others. Choose a charity for example a children’s home, home for the disabled or an old age home. Items such as beanies, blankets, caps, fleece sweaters, towels and t—shirts are all useful items to give to children, the disabled and the aged. Freedom Day – Sunday 27 April Freedom Day is a public holiday in South Africa celebrated every year on 27th April. On this day in 1994, the first democratic and non-racial national election was held in the country. Corporate gift ideas for Freedom day include, banners, South African caps, South African Flags, South African t-shirts. Good Friday – Friday 29 March Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. On this day Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of the Lord, Jesus Christ. While there are a number of other religions in South Africa, this day is still taken as a public holiday and is the beginning of a religious memorial that has its climax of Easter Sunday. Many people despite religious background will consume vast amounts of chocolate over the Easter weekend and retailers really pack out quite a spread over the Easter weekend. No matter what religion your clients are, many people welcome a tasty Easter treat. Great corporate gifts for this weekend are candy coated eggs, chocolate Easter bunnies, toy Bunnies, hampers, marshmallow eggs, sugar free eggs. A great idea is to host an Easter egg hunt for a local school. Family Day – Tuesday 01 April 2014 This was originally part of the Easter Celebration. Following the first free and fair elections in South Africa the day was renamed family day to include all religions. However originally it was to commemorate the resurrection of Christ who was crucified on the Good Friday. This was part of a prophesy that on the third day the Lord would rise again. The Easter Bunny is a rabbit-spirit. Long ago, he was called the "Easter Hare", hares and rabbits have frequent multiple births so they became a symbol of fertility. The custom of an Easter egg hunt began because children believed that hares laid eggs in the grass. The Romans believed that "All life comes from an egg." Christians consider eggs to be "the seed of life" and so they are symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Freedom Day – Sunday 27 April It celebrates freedom and commemorates the first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994. In 2013 we bid a sad farewell to Nelson Mandela who was a key player in the journey towards freedom for our country. Corporate Gifts for this Freedom day could include books like “The Long Walk to Freedom, Hand held South African Flags, South African Caps. Workers Day – Thursday 01 May International Workers' Day is a celebration of the international labour movement that occurs on May Day, May 1, a traditional spring holiday in much of Europe. May 1 is a national holiday in more than 80 countries, and celebrated unofficially in many other countries. Youth Day – Sunday 16 June The Soweto Uprising, also known as 16 June, is a series of protests led by high school students in South Africa that began on the morning of 16 June 1976. Students from numerous Sowetan schools began to protest in the streets of Soweto in response to the introduction of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in local schools. An estimated 20,000 students took part in the protests. The number of people who died is usually given as 176, with estimates of up to 700. 16 June is now a public holiday, Youth Day, in South Africa, in remembrance of the events of 1976. In commemoration of this day focus your corporate gifts on education. Choose a local community school and donate corporate gifts such as backpacks, conference bags, diaries; lunch boxes, notebooks, pencils, pencil bags, pens, stationary sets These are some of the many opportunities for planning for your corporate gifts calendar. With proper planning you should be able to spread goodwill through the year to clients, staff and the community. Here are some planning details to take into account. Plan for Production time Remember the following processes: 1. Plan a budget for your event. 2. Find the gifts that you like. 3. Get quotes. 4. Plan properly, just because a corporate gift was in stock when it was quoted, does not mean it will be in stock when you order. 5. Order your corporate gifts 6. Pay your deposit 7. Send through a high resolution logo. 8. Get a layout approval. 9. Thoroughly check the spelling, pantones and position of the logo an if you are happy sign off. 10. Branding will take 3 – 5 working days after you sign off your layout approval. 11. Pay the balance of your order. 12. Take delivery of the corporate gifts or corporate clothing. 13. Allow for extra days during peak season. For more information about corporate gifts or clothing contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or (011) 593 2450 or 082 948 7461 or visit our website: www.belleregalo.co.za

Monday, December 16, 2013

Christmas Wish List for Corporate Gifts

Sometimes my friends wonder what to buy me for Christmas as, what do you buy for someone who is a

href="http://www.belleregalo.co.za/">corporate gifts specialist. One of the first things that I would ask for is Diana Carmichael table items. My personal favorite is the range that has the sowroski crystals at the end. I would call them the master is table settings. As they are usually high ticket items, I have bought myself one item a year. I have a beautiful serving spoon, two sauce ladles and a olive spoon. What I have my eye on is the salad servers and the carving knife and fork set. I would also love to start collecting the sugar spoon, cake forks and tea spoons. The Diana Carmichael range adds a distinctive flair to any table setting. For a lower budget, beach towels are a firm favorite of mine. Over December the children a permanently in the pool. If they have friends over there are a lot of towels needed and if you get some rain of December drying towels can be tricky. Stainless steel plates, bowls and glasses are a great gift for those who love camping. They are nice and hygienic and make great all gifts. But I still favor picnic sets with plastic plates. For very young children, these are cooler to the touch and don't glare in the sun. Gazebos also make terrific year end corporate gifts. They provide shade and in the event of a sudden shower, they provide shelter while you collect your belongings. There are many times that we have had to leave the beach as we are just too hot to stay any longer, so beach umbrellas and gazebos are a welcome gift. I still welcome luggage. For a short trip a bag with a separate shoe compartment is wonderful. It trains children to keep their shoes separately and keeps things neat and tidy. If your children have sleep overs, wet towels or bathing suits can be kept in the separate compartments. We have great short trip luggage, but I still need to get larger trip suitcases. Even if you suspect that someone already has some luggage, try a different colour or style. Sometimes, especially women are in the mood for a different colour to match their mood. Other great corporate gifts for the holidays are games. The last time that we visited the Eastern Cape we were bored out of our minds as it rained so much that we could not go anywhere. So games would have been very welcome. But even if the weather is fantastic, games are still a welcome way to pass a few hours. For the beach, volley balls, bat and ball sets etc are great. Recently my eleven year old daughter has developed a passion for darts. So we already have a dart board. But if we got another one, we could have adults and children having their own tournaments. There are so many great gifts to still choose. If you no longer have time for branding, a branded gift tag will do the trick. For more idea on corporate gifts contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit us at www.belleregalo.co.za or call us on (011) 593 2450

Saturday, December 14, 2013

How to Tell The Difference Between Genuine vs. Faux Leather Corporate Gifts

We often hear clients but, I found a leather folder and half the price.

It is not always easy to distinguish between faux leather and real leather. It can be quite frustrating to purchase looks like a genuine leather folder or bag, only to later realize it is actually synthetic. Authentic leather is much more expensive than faux, so it is important to tell the difference between the two. Shoppers will be able to easily identify real and faux leather by mastering a few simple tips. Learning how to distinguish real leather from faux leather will ensure an efficient and enjoyable buying experience. Real Leather Real Leather corporate gifts are made from the skins of animals, such as cattle, goats, sheep, and pigs. There are many types of leather. One of the brands that we prefer is the Adpel range of leather corporate gifts. The leather is carefully selected from the finest Italian sources. The vacchetta leathers have been vegetable-tanned in the traditional manner using water and tree bark extracts which highlight the individual graining characteristics and colour variations, thereby adding beauty to the natural leather. The no-uniform colour and veins are a physical appearance of an animal-skin which guarantees the authenticity. The finishing of fitting are of excellent quality and the same yarn used for stitching is high-strength Examine the Pores When making a leather corporate gift purchase, closely examine the pores of the fabric. Faux leather will have pores that are in a consistent pattern, while real leather will have inconsistently placed pores. Touch the Leather Depending on the quality, real leather can feel coarse or smooth, or anywhere in between. Leather is also flexible and soft. If the item in questions feels really smooth or has a similar feel to plastic, it is likely fake leather. Faux leather also tends to stretch more than real leather. To become familiarized with the feel of real and faux leather, go to a reputable leather store and feel real leather to compare it to faux leather. Smell the Item Smell the object for the distinct leather smell. The smell of real leather cannot be replicated by synthetic materials. It may help to go to a department store and smell real leather items and faux leather items to become acquainted with the smell. Choose Based on Your Needs There are many advantages to both real leather and faux leather. While genuine leather adds a look of luxury and prestige, faux leather can be a cheaper alternative for corporate gifts. Buyers should consider which factors are most important and aligned with their leather needs before making a purchase. Types of leather gifts to choose from Leather bags, leather briefcases, leather card holders, leather cheque book holders, leather desk items, leather travel wallets, leather iPad covers, leather Purses, leather wallets, leather trolley bags, leather folder, leather journals What is Bonded Leather Bonded leather is often marketed as genuine leather. However it is manufactured from leather extracts that are bonded together to make a leather feel surface. You will notice that the grain is far more uniform than genuine leather. They make affordable leather gift, but are not genuine leather items. Please make sure that you know what you are getting when you buy. For more information on corporate gifts contact us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on: (011) 593 2450

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Are Corporate Gifts Still Relevant

There are so many changes happing in the corporate gifting industry. Due to corruption many companies are placing a ban or a limit on corporate gifts. So you may ask if corporate gifts are still relevant. Some people even see corporate gifts as a bribe. So where do you stand? Well corporate gifts are still extremely relevant. While it is very true that some companies have used large and expensive items as gifts that can easily be seen as bribes, the general gifts that fall below R 200.00 per item, can far more comfortably fall into the promotional gift category. After a recessionary time it is far more important to keep working at your exiting relationship as well as building new relationships. Corporate gifts are an excellent way to do this. They need to be relevant and visible. They need to be given after the deals are signed, sealed and delivered and more as a thank you for you business corporate gifts than a plea to get business. Dropping off a pen that is under R 50.00 after a meeting can be classed as a promotional item and not a bribe, because the value of the corporate gift is far too low to be classified as a bribe. Dropping off items such as coffee mugs, mints, hand sanitizers or heart shaped stress balls for Valentine’s Day has a fun element to it and also falls into the promotional gift line. End of the year gifts for clients who already have done business with you also falls within a thank you gift and dairies remain an excellent corporate gift as they are an everyday business tool. Ultimately, you have to ask yourself what your motivation is for handing out the gift. If your motivation is to build a relationship and the value of the corporate gift is not very high, then you can be comfortable. Find out what your client’s polices are. There are some who have a total ban, but there are some who just have a disclosure policy if the corporate gift is over R 250.00. To find our more about corporate gifts, contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Monday, November 25, 2013

Get organised with Year End Gifts

This year I have noticed that organisational skills are critical to any success. So much time slips past us and then we notices that an entire year has gone past and we have not gotten around to things that we consider important, whether they are personal or professional. That is when gifts that help people stay organised are so helpful. I must admit that one of the best gifts that I have received was a birthday calendar. When you get a diary, then you will rewrite all your important events over in it. If you are handing out an organiser or a filo fax as a corporate gift then only the inserts will be changed, so you can keep your old inserts like important dates or contact details. The great thing about birthday calendars is they too remain constant. You don’t have to change them each year. Organisation is about saving you time. In the theme of time, watches still remain an excellent corporate gift. I have also noticed that clutter can really eat into your motivation as well as time. A

/">beautiful corporate gift option is the treasure chest you help keep your magazines together or even catalogues that you want to keep, but which look unsightly lying around. Notebooks with sticky notes are a classical way to keep organised, You are able to highlight important sections of catalogues reports , notebooks and anything else that important to you. Highlighters are also a great low cost corporate gift that works well with an

organisational theme. Watches and clocks still make terrific year end gifts and work well with the

organisational theme. This year a classical corporate gift has been leather travel wallets. When you are travelling keeping organised is a must, as you need to keep all your important items together, so for companies who have clients who travel a lot, this is the ideal corporate gift. Although work has become a lot more casual, there are simply times when you have to look smart. That is why the Executive Gents gift set with a silk tie, pocket handkerchief and matching cuff links in a black gift box is a wonderful year end gift. If you wear a lot of ties, then add this to your collection. If not then keep it as it is in your draw for those days when you have to rush out to an urgent presentation. There are so many year-end gifts that can work with an organisational theme, so you are spoilt for choice. This is just a few of our ideas, for more ideas visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Monday, November 18, 2013

Travel Gifts

This time of the year many people are taking trips, so travel gifts make an excellent year end gift choice. So let's take trip Together and see what options you can look at options you can use for this years year end gifts. First of all let's start packing. If you are off to a long trip then you may want take a larger suitcase, but if you can only

get away between Christmas and New year, then you could consider a weekend away bag. Many travelers leave very early in the morning to avoid traveling in the ghost sun. That will make flasks and mug sets and excellent idea, as a cup of coffee early in the morning is just what you need to keep alert on the road. If you are traveling with children a knee blanket is also a great travel gift is a great gift to keep them comfortable while on the road. In fact we have one that even folds up into a pillow. While you a in your car, you can still control a lot, but when you have to do those bathroom stops,that's where it is a

challenge. Not all garage bathrooms a up to scratch when it comes to cleanliness and even if the is a good cleaning schedule, when large volumes of travelers come through, that is when staff can not keep up. This is why we recommend the Journey Hand Santitiser. It means that you are able to keep your hand germ free even if there is no soap in the restrooms. You can also go for anti-bacterial wipes. We tend to use this to clean of toilet seats or tables in picnic areas that are not well cleaned. If you a like us, we have a range of supplements that we take and our children take, but to carry all the bottles with us, just means far too many things inside the cars. So a travel gift like the Paramed Pill and Plaster dispenser is a nice compact and low cost gift that fits easily into a bag or car and keeps your medication on hand and you can deal with a quick scrape of the knee by busy little people. Another great gift is the road trip first aid kit. We all hope for the best, but need to be prepared for the worst. This kit has a glow in the dark kit, which will alert people to you when you are stuck on a darkened highway, a rain poncho (no one wants to get stuck changing a tyre on the side of the road in the rain), a fleece blanket, a mini first aid kit, a dynamo torch (no batteries are needed, so you can relax knowing that it is going to work even when it has been sitting in the car unused for a long time), a reflective safety vest and safety gloves, you help you when you are changing tyres. Travel manicure sets also make a practical gift. If you have torn a nail, you could end up biting on it most of the trip, or you could quickly address it. Toiletry bags make terrific travel gifts. In fact now you can get travel sets. There are ranges of travel kit that have the same designs, so that you can introduce the whole range to your clients. For example, a toiletry bag, a back pack, cooler bag a sports bag. Although they are sold individually, you can build your stray around them. For example, a top clients can get a certain part of the range and new clients another part. Sunglasses and neck pillows are excellent Low cost travel gifts for any

traveller. You may be thinking that sunglasses are a very personal item. However, it is a practical gift choice as so many people end up leaving valuable items behind when on holiday, that they would welcome a cheaper alternative to use for the trip. Previously, I would pack one big cooler bag with everyone's snacks. But then everyone keeps on asking who've is closes to the cooler bag, to get something for them. No on long road trips, I pack a

snack pack in an individual bag for each person. That way, they can each take out what they want , when they want it and no one fights about portions. There are so many great travel gift ideas for year end gifts, that you can't go wrong in terms of variety of choice. Happy shopping. For more gift ideas visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Beach Holiday Gifts

How I long to be on holiday. To slip off my shoes and feel the beach sand between my toes and to hear the rush of the waves

hitting the shore. Best of all to hear the shouts of joy and laughter from my children, who have walked along side me this year. It is a special time for people who are sending out branded gifts. There are so many opportunities all around us for exciting year end gift ideas. Imagine your brand in these ways….. You arrive at the beach and put a branded sun visor in your car windscreen. Put on your branded beach slip slops and put on a branded beach visor. You grab your branded towel or branded roll up beach mat and grab your branded cooler bag with your refreshments. If you planned ahead you will arrive early and easily find the best spot for your beach parasol or beach umbrella and you, if

you have small children, you will be erecting your branded shade or beach bell. Of course all your personalised items, such as your beach towel and branded sunscreen and branded lip ice are all in your branded beach bag. You may start to unpack the branded picnic bag with all your favourite picnic treats. Perhaps you are not the beach mat type of person and prefer to have a branded

outdoor chair to have a good view of the ocean. If you have some extra energy, you may want to play some beach games that you brought with you. So, as you can see, there are countless ways to use the beach for your year end gift theme. It is wonderful to know that you gift will be part of the happy memories that your clients will have over the holidays. For more ideas for corporate gifts and year end gifts contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on 0829487461

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

How to Choose a Year End Gift

I am wondering when I will be able to buy sleep in a bottle as a corporate gift or year end gift. I think it would be best marketed as a year end gift, because year end is the time when people seem to be utterly exhausted. Most people are just trying to out together energy to get through another day and then are hit with year end parties, what to choose for year and gifts and how to plan for their own Christmas gifts and own Christmas parties. In this time so many people leave their decisions for year end gifts until the last minute. They know that year end gifts and corporate gifts are great relationship building tools. They know that they make great apology ideas and they know that they help to keep your company top of mind in difficult economic time. But they just lack the energy of thinking about what to give as a year end gift. So for now grab yourself a cup of coffee, preferably in a branded coffee mug are go through this checklist. We have gone through categories of gifts and given you a list of applications or these gifts to make it easier to choose a year end gift. Bags Sports Bags / Tog Bags: Men’s gifts, Women’s gifts, sporty people, good general year end gift, team building gift, 94.7 cycle

challenge gift Drawstring backpacks: Low Cost Gifts, Student gifts, men’s gifts, women’s gift, great promotional give away, World Aids Day Gift, cheap corporate gifts Shoulder Bags: Student gifts, back to school gift, sporting event gift, promotional give away gift Shopping Bags: give away gift, promotional gift, campaign gift, cheap corporate gifts Backpacks: sporting event gift, team building gift, back to school gift, conference gift Document Bags: Back to school gift, conference gift, product launch gift, low cost gift Conference Bags: Conference gift, back to school gift. Low cost gifts, high end gift Laptop Bags: Conference gift, men’s gift, woman's gift, year-end gift Laptop Sleeves: conference gift, men’s gift, woman’s gift Trolley Bags / Trolley Backpacks: Year end gifts, conference gift, men’s gift, woman’s gift Luggage Sets: Travel gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gift, year end gifts, general corporate gift Toiletry Bags: Travel gifts, year end gift, incentive travel gifts Corporate Clothing Caps: Back to school gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, Sporting gifts, team building gifts, Breast cancer awareness gifts, promotional gifts, giveaway gifts, low cost gifts, cheap corporate gifts Bucket Hats: Promotional give away gifts, back to school gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, low cost gift Bandanas: Promotional gift, cheap gift, low cost gift T-shirts: Back to school gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, Sporting gifts, team building gifts, Breast cancer awareness gifts, promotional gifts, giveaway gifts, low cost gifts, cheap corporate gifts Lounge Shirts: men’s gift, promotional clothing, corporate clothing, uniforms, men’s gift, and woman’s gifts Golf Shirts: Golf day gifts, promotional gifts, team building gifts Tracksuits: team building gift, sporting gifts Jackets: Year end gift, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts Drink Ware Gifts Water bottles: Give away gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, Team building gifts, cheap gifts, giveaway gifts, student’s gifts, 94.7 cycle challenge gifts Thermal Mugs: Give away gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, Team building gifts, cheap gifts, giveaway gifts, student’s gifts, Travel Gifts Thermal Flasks: Give away gifts, World Aids Day Gifts, Team building gifts, cheap gifts, giveaway gifts, student’s gifts, Travel Gifts Coffee Mugs: Desk based gifts, giveaway gifts, promotional gifts, woman’s gifts, men’s gifts. Folders A4 Folders: Conference gifts A4 Zip Around Folders: Conference gifts A5 Folders: Conference gifts A5 Zip around Folders: Conference Gifts Leather folders: Men’s gifts, Woman’s gifts, executive gift Homeware Gifts Salad dishes & Salad Servers: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Cheese Boards & Cheese Sets: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Carving Sets: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Salt & Pepper: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Ice Buckets: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts or low cost gifts and give away gifts Bar Accessories: low cost gifts and give away gifts Coffee Sets: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Tea Sets: Year end gifts, woman’s gift, men’s gifts, executive gifts Key Holders Plastic Key rings: Cheap give way gifts, promotional gifts, motor show give away

Metal Key rings: give away gifts, motoring gifts, means gifts, ladies gifts Novelties and Giveaway Gifts Pen Holders: Desk Based gifts, give away gifts or executive gifts Paper Clip Holders: Desk based gifts Puzzles: Give away gifts, promotional gifts, back to school gifts, travel gifts Clocks: Year end gifts, desk based gifts. Promotional give away Calculators: Back to school gifts, Stress Balls: promotional give away, year end gifts, cheap gifts, low cost gifts, conference gifts, trade show gifts Lanyards: Conference gifts, trade show gifts, give away gifts, low cost gifts Sweet Jars: Desk based gifts, Valentine’s Day gifts, year end gifts, promotional gifts, desk based gifts. Photo Frames: Desk based gifts, secretary’s day gifts, woman’s gifts Notepads: Back to school gifts, executive gifts: Conference gifts, Outdoor Gifts Cooler Bags: Year End Gifts, Outdoor gifts, Promotional gifts, give away gifts, back to school gifts, World Aids Day gifts Picnic Backpacks: year end gifts, outdoor gifts, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts, holiday gifts, student’s gifts, competition gifts Braai / BBQ Sets: men’s gifts, year end gifts, year end gifts, outdoor gifts, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts, holiday gifts, student’s gifts, competition gifts Wine Sets: year end gifts, outdoor gifts, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts, holiday gifts, and executive gifts Mini Fridges: year end gifts, outdoor gifts, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts, holiday gifts, student’s gifts, competition gifts, executive gift Golf Gifts for Golf Days: Men’s gifts, golf day gifts, year end gifts Personal Care Gifts Lip Ice / Lip Balm: Give way gifts, secretary’s day gifts, woman’s gift, back to school gift, student gift, travel gift, 94.7 cycle challenge gift, cheap gift, promotional gift Sun Block: Give way gifts, secretary’s day gifts, woman’s gift, back to school gift, student gift, travel gift, 94.7 cycle challenge gift, cheap gift, promotional gift Hand Sanitizers: Give way gifts, secretary’s day gifts, woman’s gift, back to school gift, student gift, travel gift, 94.7 cycle challenge gift, cheap gift, promotional gift Promotional Wet Wipes: Give way gifts, secretary’s day gifts, and woman’s gift, back to school gift, student gift, travel gift, 94.7 cycle challenge gift, cheap gift, and promotional gift Manicure Sets: Woman’s gift, give away gift, year end gift First Aid Kits: Promotional give away gift Pamper Gifts: Woman’s Gifts, Year end gifts, executive gifts Technology Gifts Memory Sticks: Conference gifts, corporate gift, promotional gifts, and give way gift Laser Pointer Pens: Conference gift, corporate gifts Optical Mouse: Conference gift, corporate gifts, desk based gift, executive gift Web Cams: Executive gift, year end gift, woman’s gift, men’s gift, team build gift, and speaker’s gifts Digital Photo Frames: Executive gift, year end gift, woman’s gift, men’s gift, team build gift, and speaker’s gifts Hubs: Conference gift, corporate gifts, desk based gift, executive gift Torches and Tools Pen Knives & Multi-tools: Men’s gifts, year end gifts, promotional gifts, executive gifts and low cost gifts Torches: Men’s gifts, year end gifts, promotional gifts, executive gifts and low cost gifts Adventure Sets: Men’s gifts, year end gifts, promotional gifts, executive gifts and low cost gifts Tool Kits: Men’s gifts, year end gifts, promotional gifts, executive gifts and low cost gifts Writing Instruments Metal Pens: Year end gifts, upmarket gifts, men’s gifts, woman’s gifts, conference gifts Plastic Pens: back to school gifts, World Aids Day gifts, desk based gifts, cheap gifts, promotional gifts, and give way gifts Pen & Pencil Sets: Year end gifts, general corporate gifts, conference gifts Stationery: Back to school gifts, desk based gifts, promotional gifts, and give away gifts. For help with choosing your corporate gifts or year end gifts, contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit www.belleregalo.co.za

Monday, October 21, 2013

Sports Bags Get You Noticed.

Round about people start worrying that they have not gotten the perfect beach body for their December Holidays. So they are going to think about starting to jog or going to the gym. And remember that when 01 January comes around and bring with them New Year’s resolutions then your clients will moving en mass to the gym as part of their new year’s resolution frenzy. At the beginning for the year when on the treadmill many people are going to start the thought process of how they will run their business decisions in the New Year. So this is the perfect time for your corporate gifting sports bags to be visible with highly energised and focused people. There are such a large number of sporting bags to choose from. One of the bags that I love is the double decker sports bag. It a

firm favourite corporate gift for golfers, as the separate bottom zip up compartment keeps the messy grass and dirt covered shoes away from the rest of your clothing. If you are a swimmer, then you can keep your wet towel away from the rest of your items as well. Sports bags are a highly visible corporate gift as they are carried. They do not fit into pockets and purses like many of the novelty corporate gifts. They are not tucked way into draws or at offices like desk based corporate gifts. For more ideas on corporate gifts or sports bags, contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Corpprate Gifts for Busy Women

Admittedly this has been a harder year for me than most. In my current space I have an eleven year old ballerina princess daughter who has an extramural activity list that makes my head spin and a very busy 15 month old princess who is learning to explore the world. Every few weeks my beloved step son comes to visit after a challenging week at his bursary programme. As I am writing this after hours, I know that at least twice, my 15 month old daughter will cry for me, a she is in that clingy phase. Professionally we have had far shorter lead times than ever before and many challenges and changes in the industry. So when my mind is trying to find that calm and sane place, I find myself fantasising about a hot bubble bath, in silence with soft candle light. A calm and relaxed place where no one is calling me or demanding anything and where there are no deadlines. A place where I am not considering budget, or how much school fees are going up by next year. This is where pampering gifts make a wonderful introduction into a corporate gifting strategy. Yes, I know that I have to be well groomed and presentable for the corporate world, to look wonderful for my husband, to set an example for my children and to feel good about myself. It is just that finding the time to do all these great things is a challenge. And when I look at the average woman that I meet in the corporate world, I see evidence that I am not alone. But when I have been given a gift, I use it. One of my favourites is the Empress Pamper Set

I love this because of the vanilla undertones. It is a wonderful all-rounder pamper gift. As I mostly shower, I like the fact that this pamper corporate gift a shower gel in it. fragrance: warm vanilla & lime blossom 1 x 100ml shower gel 1 x 100ml body lotion 1 x 50g bath crystals 1 x 30g bath fizzer 1 x face towel presentation box: 29.4 ( l ) x 14.4 ( w ) x 5.3 ( h ) Another pamper set with shower gel is the La Donna Pamper Set

I love the striking design of this hamper. This pamper corporate gift is for that kind of women, who likes striking and bold designs. fragrance: syriacus 1 x 100ml shower gel 1 x 70ml body lotion 1 x 85ml body scrub 1 x 32g bath fizzer 1 x face towel presentation box: 21 (l) x 20.8 (w) x 5 (h) This gift reminds me that I really want to feel soft. If you spend ages in the shower and you have the time to exfoliate your

body every day, then that is wonderful for you. But as for me, I have to get in and out as quickly as possible, so this gifts with the sisal pad, reminds me to take care of those parts of me that are crying for attention. Plus the colour of this pamper corporate gift is perfect for breast cancer awareness month. fragrance: pink peony with citrus 1 x 300ml shower gel 1 x 220ml body lotion 1 x 100g bath salts 1 x sisal pad presentation box: 26 ( l ) x 26 ( w ) x 6 ( h ) Okay, yes, I have not lost my mind, this is not a pamper corporate gift. But is a practical and stylish large bag, which a busy woman cannot be without. I love the fact that it has a removable pouch. As busy women have less time to scratch around in their handbag for important things are only small in size. Microfiber

40 (w) x 12 (d) x 33 (h) polished chrome handles removable pouch front zippered pocket For more information about corporate gifts contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or call us on: 082 948 7461

Monday, October 14, 2013

What Are People Spending on in Terms of Corporate Gifts?

Sometimes you may feel that your corporate gifting strategy is just based on a feeling that you get when looking through a catalogue, but there is a lot of data that can help you make more informed decisions. In this article we have presented some of the statistics available for promotional gift spending based on the US figures. We also look at how this related to our market and what gifting options are popular within these categories. Based on US studies corporate clothing remains a firm favourite for promotional spend, with t-shirts representing 13.8% of total spend. T-shirts represent $ 2.7 billion of the $ 19.4 billion distributor revenues for 2012, the year in which the study was completed. Other clothing items represented in the study were polo shirts, which

we refer to as Golf shirts or Lacoste shirts, coming in at 6.7% of the annual spend. Other shirts come in at 2.1% and other wearables at 4.8%. Making the total clothing spend at 39.6%. If you add the cap spend at 5.6%, then you get to 45.20% of the total corporate gift and promotional gift spend. Corporate clothing can bring profit for your company in terms of quality, standards and reputation. Just spending a little money for your corporate clothing can pay you back in terms of much costumer and better reputation for your company. Corporate clothing can be used for promotional give away. But you can also kit your staff and clients our with leisurewear such as sweatshirts, tracksuits, customised cycling gear etc. When they are wearing it at gym or a sporting event that brings exposure to your brand. At Belle Regalo our figures confer with this our clothing sales being on a year to day basis 50.36% of our total sales. This year was a big t-shirt selling year for us, with corporate shirts or lounge shirts and golf shirts being other good sellers. Other big areas are bags at 8.7%. However it is interesting to note that in the US from 2009 to the close of 2012, bags had

decreased by 21%. The study does show which bags have caused the decline, as there are so many types of bags to choose from: Drawstring bags, shoppers, totes, shoulder bags, backpacks, conference bags, laptop bags, sports bags, double decker bags, trolley bags and eco-friendly bags Top sellers would definably include drawstring bags, document bags, lunch bags or coolers. These are low to medium cost bags that can suit most budgets and are very well received. Writing instrument sales in the US were 8.1% of total spend on promotional items. There was an 8.1% increase in the market from 2010 to 2012. Pens do remain a firm favourite as a promotional item. There are a number of good quality low cost pens to include in your corporate gifting budget. They are an excellent conference gift or hotel gift. Drink ware came in at 6% of the total promotional gift spend in the US. One of the great drinkware items is the ceramic coffee mug.

Coffee mugs have endless possibilities for use. The most natural is for the use of tea, coffee. Hot chocolate, warm milk. But we have found that some of our clients use our coffee mugs as pencil cups. I have to admit that was a surprise. A coffee mug is a safe choice for corporate gifts. Pens and pencils are often lost or even thrown away and bags are used for s specific purpose. But a coffee mug is used time and time again. Coffee mugs are placed in the top five items as a preferred corporate gift. At Belle Regalo we prefer to Kiln fire our coffee mugs. The mugs are decorated by hand using water sliding decals and then baked in a linear kiln at 780 Degrees Celsius. The heat allows the decal to bond to the glazing of the mug. When it is cooled, it is permanent and dishwasher safe. Although USBs drives made up 3% of total promotional gift spend, as a group USBs and other electronic and technical products represent 10% of the overall market. Great technical gifts include, cable management, car chargers, earphones, IPad Covers, laser pointers, stylus pens, USB hubs, USBs and webcams to name but a few. What we found very interesting was that incentive awards are rebounding with the economy. This category has grown by 105% since 2009. This means that there is an optimism that is showing in where people are spending. This study gives some perspective on where people are buying. It can give you hints on what are popular choices for your corporate gifting strategy. For more idea on corporate gifts visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Creating the Perfect Picnic

I love picnics. I love the feeling of getting close to nature, of being out in the fresh air, surrounded by greenery. Picnics can be a wonderfully intimate time for a couple if you choose to make it a special date or a fun time with friends or a quality time outing with family. The perfect picnic contains a number of integral elements to create a good atmosphere. Good company, beautiful locations, good weather, tantalising food, and good equipment. You will be the judge of who to invite for your picnic. But here are some tips for the location and equipment. For a good atmosphere the combinations of the elements are important, as a family we have a few favourite locations. Many cities will have some sort of bird sanctuary, many of these are free parks maintained by the municipality and are a welcome sanctuary for city weary folks, due to the silence expected when at a sanctuary they make perfect locations for couple picnics; however our children also enjoy them. At the entrance to our neighbourhood bird sanctuary there is an overhanging mulberry tree and we pick a few on our way in as part of our culinary treat for the day. We usually take two or three picnic blankets with us. We use one to spread the food out on and use one for my husband and I to lie on and one for the children to sit on. This is why picnic blankets make an excellent year end corporate gift. There are a number of different styles. For comfort choose a fleece blankets, but make sure that it is a proper picnic blanket with a waterproof lining. If you choose a plain fleece blanket, then the grass tends to stick on it, making it impossible to shake off and you have to pick bits of dry grass off. However we do sell a zip up fleece pillow/blanket which is a great pillow for your picnic if you feel like napping under a shade tree. It is also a great general blanket to put into your car, in case of emergencies. You may ask what sort of emergencies you can get that you need a blanket for. Well, if you are with children and your picnic carries on until close to sun down and the weather changes, you can cover them in the car on the way home with the blanket. This make the zip up blanket a very practical corporate gift. If you are with elderly family, you may want to take outdoor chairs with you on your picnic and get a table and gazebo for shade. Frail people have trouble bending down and getting up, so a chair is a far easier option for them. We regularly go to the botanical gardens, especially during their concerts and many families set up their tables and outdoors chairs on the fringes of the park where they can still hear the concert, but not obstruct the view of the other guests. A botanical garden is a great place to go for a short day hike. Choosing the perfect picnic item depends on where you are going. If you are planning to lounge around for the afternoon and ease away the tensions of the week, then a luxurious traditional wicker picnic basket creates a wonderful nostalgic atmosphere. As many of these baskets have a carry handle and if you lucky a strap, the person carrying all the gear may start to take strain if you have to walk a lot. So I would not recommend these for hiking days or if you are walking a lot, like at the zoo. Or a zoo picnic or a hiking day, opt for a picnic backpack. This leaves your arms available for climbing or carrying children or as a couple, simply to hold hands. If you are hiking, then a picnic backpack with a cooler bag component is wonderful as your hydrating drinks will still be cool when you really need refreshment. Picnic backpacks are a strong seller for year end corporate gifts. As a family that likes variety we have a few of them. That allows us the create theme outing, plus we are also prepared for larger groups. Speaking of drinks, a great nifty cooler bag that is now in our range has cup holders in it. After countless picnic on uneven grassy planes, we have lost our fair share of beverages, so whoever though of this great design of cooler bag, was a genius. It has space for two cups, so of you have a large group, get two of them. They are a very practical corporate gift for people who love the outdoors. A picnic is a way to revitilise the soul, get away from the television and enjoy a special environment. It is usually a very low cost outing, so if you are choosing corporate gifts this year, giving a picnic item is a wonderful gift for any family as it can help them to create special memories and boost relationships. For more ideas on corporate gifts contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za

Thursday, September 26, 2013

2014 Calendars and Diaries

Can you believe that we are stepping into October? Every year thousands of diaries and desk calendars go out to clients and every year people tend to leave their calendars and diaries until the last minute. Don’t let this happen to you. Plan in advance for 2014 diaries and calendars. But also allow you creativity to flow. There may be some people who have sent out diaries ahead of you, so how do you get your 2014 calendars stand out from the rest. One way is by choosing beautiful designs. Our wildlife art calendar for 2014 is presented in a double wire format again, to allow your clients the pleasure of framing the full-size artwork pages after the calendar has run its course and to give them the opportunity to linger on a favoured image for longer. Another excellent way is to put your calendar onto something else that is useful. For example our memo strip memo sets that have calendar strips in them.

Or why not try a foam mouse pad. Foam mouse pads are inexpensive and very useful. Or turn a corporate gift favorite, the branded coffee mug into a calendar.

We love the 4 in one cd stand, with calendar and notelets and a place for a pen. Upgrade your CD calendar order to this unique set-up containing:

• Your choice of CD calendar from the 3 standard themes • Note paper • Business card holder at the back • Pen holder Secure a standing spot on clients’ desks and simply order refills for future years. Other traditional calendar ideas include: Desk calendars; Wall calendars; Diaries; Fold-up triangle calendars; Brochure calendars; Promotional calendars So start capitalizing on a huge marketing opportunity for your brand with calendars and diaries this year. Happy shopping! For more information visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Monday, September 23, 2013

Not just another braai gift

Last week I went to visit a former business partner and the encounter sent me back to my studying years. Our lecturer was giving away a well published marketing book for anyone who could remember the ways to improve product sales. But sheer luck I just happened to remember them that day. One of the methods was to find other uses for the same product. Which brings me back to my encounter with my former partner? I had taken him a copy of our latest corporate gifting catalogue, along with a sample of my current favourite corporate gift, the LED braai light. The LED braai light is a great corporate gift for national braai day, but also is a prefect gent’s gift as a corporate gift. These corporate gifting categories are fairly obvious to me. However this gent is currently studying and when I demoed the gift and showed him how the clamp works, he said “Although I have been to a lot of braais, I almost never braai myself, but I do complete my assignments outside on my balcony and the light does not quite reach the keyboard. I don’t like to keep the main light on as I often study after hours and don’t want to disturb the neighbours. This light can allow me to clamp it to my desk and help me with my assignments.” I was amazed. That particular application never occurred to me. I then realised that this LED light could be used as a number of corporate gift applications. It can be used as a camping light, or an emergency light that can be left in your car. I remembered that recently my husband was doing a repair on the car at night and because of bad visibility, I had to stand outside holding a lamp for him and this light would have been ideal. That is the great thing about sharing ideas that you get to learn from each other. Not just about applications for corporate gifts, but how to share experiences to make life better. So when you are thinking of corporate gifts, try to think out of the box. The LED braai light could well be your saving grace when there are power failures, when you are camping or yes, even when you are braaiing. For more information on the LED Braai light and on other corporate gifts visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za

Monday, September 16, 2013

Corporate Gifts

Have you searched and searched for unique corporate gifts, corporate clothing, year end gifts or just small desk drop gifts to entice your audience. Belle Regalo are specialists in this field and over 12 years of experience in the corporate gifting industry. Although we are based in Jhannesburg, we are able to source these corporate gifts or promotional gifts in all major regions i.e. Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban, and can easily through have them delivered to you via your courier of choice. Whether you are looking for unique office gifts, conference gifts, executive gifts or fun novelty desk drops we are able to offer a full service of sourcing the gifts, branding them with your company logo, packaging them if necessary with swing tags, gift tags. Belle Regalo offers a gift wrapping service during year end to assist you with speeding up the process of distributing Christmas Gifts to your clients and staff. Corporate Gifts are great incentives for employees and can be used for a number of reasons, from a theme for year end functions event, showing appreciation for work well done, or generating excitement and anticipation for a new product or service launch. Branded corporate gifts are a teriffic way to advertise your company and create brand awareness in the market place. We have a great many categories of Corporate Gifts. Contact us on belleregalo.co.za or info@belleregalo.co.za

Tips for the Corporate Gift Industry