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/

Low Cost Gift Focus: The Car Charger

The mobile office is an option that's increasingly taken up by companies around the world. Instead of travelling to work, technology allows work to come to you. For some types of business owner (especially those who don't need to see their clients face-to-face on a regular basis), an office is no longer essential. Just yesterday, I worked at McDonalds for a few hours, as I had been in the area and was waiting to meet up with someone else close by who had been delayed. In the upstairs section there were five business people all working on laptops and drinking coffee, a common combination for any professional. While McDonalds does not jump out as a top area of work, it has wifi, has recently introduces a café, where you can get coffee in ceramic cups and saucers and some decent cakes, muffins and essential for someone with a laptop or tablet, several plug points. I do have to warn you that not all McDonalds have many plug point options. In fact not all coffee shops have plug points available, so for “the early bird catches the worm”, most definitely applies. For a professional working with a laptop or a tablet, power is crucial. While we do sell a range of wonderful power banks

, the really effective ones are not cheap. In recent years the market has been flooded with fake capacity power banks, which has led to legislation covering the manufacture and import of these devises. Laptop charging power banks are in high demand due to the power hungry nature of modern laptops and smartphone. So these types of devises are more suited for clients where you want to budget for a high end gift. But as this article is actually about low cost gifts, I now tell you about the humble, yet essential low cost technology gift for the mobile office professional. While working from a mobile office, you may you tend to use your devise’s battery up sooner than you would imagine. I use my tablet a lot. I use it to play the motivational songs that I have loaded onto to it, I use it to reply to emails while waiting at reception areas, I use it to take photos of products that I want my colleagues to see and the list goes on and on. However this type of usage does consume the battery very fast. This is when a car charger is a welcome life saver for a mobile professional.

A car charger fits into the car lighter of your vehicle. I doubt that whoever designer the car lighter many decades ago ever imagined this type of use, but we are indebted to them for the multipurpose design of a vehicle. There are some car chargers that are quite flimsy and that means that when you have inserted them, they have the annoying habit of popping out while you are driving, interrupting the power source and leaving you with a flat devise when you arrive at your destination. The ones that I like have a more solid type of body and when inserted in the lighter plug, remain in place. This means that I can concentrate on driving with the comfort of knowing that I will have a charged devise upon my arrival. The car charger is not the lowest cost promotional gift, but the practicality and value are outstanding. It has a good life expectancy and given to the correct client, will have an excellent cost per impression rate as it will become an essential gadget for the mobile professional. If you take few units, your unit cost will go up and if you take more units, your unit cost will go down. I would strongly advice that when handing this gift out, to share a story of how it has been helpful to you and to encourage the recipient to get into their vehicle as soon as possible. Perhaps you could do a covering letter or a card stating how you like to find solutions for your client and this is one way to make their life easier. Some ways to use the Car Charger for promotions. Sales rep visits Trade shows Insurance companies New product launches Consulting companies Automotive companies Virtual office companies Cell phone companies So when you are looking for ways to maximise your marketing budget, give a practical promotional item that will position you as a problem solver in times that it really 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/

High End Gift Focus: Trolley Bags

This week, I graduated to full time mobile office executive. A wonderful side effect of that, that ladies may appreciate, I that I got slimmer due to the extra mobility. Seriously though, we have had so many client and supplier appointments that my colleague and I have been on the road almost the entire week. Just yesterday, I started in Kyalami, then went to the branding factory in Wynberg to get am embroidery swatch, then to a warehouse in Modderfontein to collect an emergency order, then to a client in Bryanston to drop of some 4 in 1 jackets, then to a client in Pankhurst to get a sign off of a sample, then back to Bryanston, then back to Modderfontein and then back to Bryanston again. All in one day. My favourite corporate gift as a mobile office executive has always been a laptop handbag. It is a stylish gift, that compliments the executive suit bearing business woman, but there are times where only a trolley bag will do.

This month, I changed over to the trolley bag. One of the reasons is that we are busy with auditors and I get regular questions about expenses and transactions that I can’t even remember. So I am currently carrying a laptop, a tablet, a charger, one year’s worth of bank statements for two bank accounts, a number of invoices and a couple copies of our new clothing catalogue. As I am not married to chiropractor or a physiotherapist, for this season I have to use a trolley bag or face certain agony at the end of the day. My personal choice is the Europa Laptop Trolley Bag.

Trolley bags are a higher end gift, but an extremely well received gift that has a long life, so your brand gets a boost at the same time. The wheel mechanism automatically increases the cost of any bag in comparison to a laptop back pack. So if cost is a factor for you, then opt for a back pack. However I have found that gents are more likely to use a back pack than ladies. So it would be wise to segment your market and give the back pack to gents and a ladies laptop handbag to your female clients. However, the trolley bag is a unisex upmarket gift, so well received by both ladies and gents. Trolley bags come in a range of fabrics. From nylon bags all the way through to genuine leather. I personally use the Europa Laptop Trolley Bag. It has a nice smooth mechanism and at a size of 51cm x 58cm x 26.5cm can hold quite a lot. The two front pockets are ideal as I can put smaller items, size as a dongle, lip ice, my keys and change in without having to empty the whole bag to find something small. For the AU Summit last year, we supplied the Checked executive Rolling Back Pack. It worked well with the earthy colours of the Summit’s logo and complimented the bamboo usb and pens that the delegates received. While the dimensions 45cm x 31cm x 15cm is smaller than the one that I use, it is ideal for a conference or everyday use where you do not have a lot to carry.

Of course if you are trying to impress that top client. Nothing beats the genuine leather items. You can expect to pay from about R 3 500.00 excl VAT per genuine leather laptop trolley bags and even more for certain brands. There is a lot of debate going on in the market about what constitutes genuine leather, so I would encourage you to do some research and use the tried and tested method that if the price seems to be too good to be true, then it probably is not the “real deal”. Trolley bags can be used for: Attorneys Conferences Medical reps Sales executives Summits Universities where the text books are massive For more information on other high end promotional items contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or 082 948 7461 or visit us on http://belleregaloshop.bcgshop.co.za/

Battle of the Branded Coffee Mugs

Branded coffee mugs can be compared to the food industry. Yes, there are fast food outlets that can give you a cheap, fast meal, but is it actually any good in terms of the long term health of your body? Or you can go to a restaurant that takes longer to prepare the meal, but the quality is superior and the enjoyment factor is greater. At the end of the day, when you are working with relationships with a client, what is the choice that is going to show that you value the relationship? Do you expose your client to the “fast food option” to branding or corporate gifts or the “time intensive” quality approach? As I sit here I have three types of branded coffee mugs on my desk. All of which we actually sell. So my experience is based on actual performance of each process. Exhibit 1: A pad printed mug Exhibit 2: A sublimated/digitally printed mug Exhibit 3: A kiln fired mug Which mug do you think that I as a corporate gifting specialist use for my own company branded coffee mug? I use the kiln fired mugs. Why? I bought these mugs over five years ago and while some mugs did not survive because of getting chipped by being knocked against other hard objects, over years of washing, every single mug still has the print intact. The extreme heat used in kiln firing bonds the material to give a very strong finish. There is no fading or distorting or peeling. In fact, while I would never give away a used mug, the branding is so prefect that five years down the line, that if you were to give away this mug, no one would ever guess that it is not brand new. That is what I call longevity of a corporate gift. The pad printed mug we sold to a client who did not have the budget for kiln firing and did not have the time to wait either. This mug has gone through the same use as that our own branded mugs have, but the last letter of the pad print has finally peeled off. The digitally printed mug faired the best in the low cost area. But over time the print did start to fade, after exposure to microwave and washing. While the pad printed and digitally printed mugs are still good quality, the results speak for themselves, that the print process of the kiln fired mugs out-performed the pad printed and digitally printed mugs. What is Kiln Firing? Kiln Firing is a basically a type of oven,that produces temperatures sufficient to complete some process, such as hardening, drying, or chemical changes. Various industries and trades use kilns to harden objects made from clay into pottery, tiles and bricks. For coffee mugs, the kiln basically bakes the print into the mug. It is one of those ancient technologies that has stood the test over time over centuries and why ancient artefacts can still be considered beautiful these days. What do you need for a kiln fired mug? Firstly you need a logo that is in Vector format. The company who designed your logo can help you with this, or you can have your logo redrawn. Vector files such as AI and EPS can remain editable so you can open them back up in Illustrator and edit any text or other elements within the graphic. We can assist with having your logo redrawn at a fee. Secondly, you will need to plan. The kiln fired mugs take time. The decals have to printed, then applied by hand to the mug and then they have to be kiln fired. Cooling down on the branded coffee mugs takes a minimum of 24 hours and if you try to artificially speed this cooling down process, the mug will crack. In total you will need to budget a minimum of 10 working days. What is the kiln firing process? The mugs are silkscreened; each colour is printed separately, one at a time, which is why the artwork for these corporate gifts needs to be supplied in Vector format to enable the layout technician to separate the colours. The print is first printed onto a decal. The print is then submerged into soapy water which allows the printer to apply the print by hand onto the mug. Full wrap prints are possible this way. After the mugs are decorated, they are then placed into the kiln, which is heated at 800 degrees Celsius for ceramics and 600 degree Celsius for glassware. The end result is a professional job that is permanent, scratch fee and dishwasher and microwave safe. Styles of branded Coffee Mugs available Bullet Branded Coffee Mug Cone Branded Coffee Mug

Jumbo Cone Branded Coffee Mug

Slimline Branded Coffee Mug

Sqaured Branded Coffee Mug

Standard Branded Coffee Mug

Spoon Branded Coffee Mug

Uses for Coffee Mugs Exhibitions Bosses Day Cancer awareness New product launches Year End Gifts Introductory visit gifts Valentine’s Day World Aids Day For more information on other promotional items contact us on info@belleregalo.co.za or 082 948 7461 or visit us on http://belleregaloshop.bcgshop.co.za/

Gender Differences in Gift Giving

In a recent advertising pitch from a publication, I was advised to advertise my business in a publication aimed at secretaries. This reminded me that many of our corporate gifting clients are in fact women, even if they have a final decision maker who is male. This made me delve a bit more into the gender psychology of gift giving. It is not that men do understanding the importance of gift giving. In fact the saying “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts”, stems from a final Greek vs. Trojan strategic move after a ten year battle, in which the cunning Odysseus, a Greek military strategist came up with the idea of a Trojan Horse created a very strategic gift. When the "Trojan Horse" was left at the gates of Troy, the Trojans thought the Greeks had left it as a pious parting gift because they had given up and sailed home. The Trojans welcomed the gift and took it within their walls; little knowing the belly of the beast was filled with armed soldiers who would soon end this battle. Some researchers believe evolutionary forces may have favoured gift giving. Men who were the most generous may have had the most reproductive success with women. Men do make excellent gift givers if motivated to be involved in the process. I can remember as a girl that my father always chose perfect gifts for me that showed his knowledge of me as a person and these gifts were always well received. However, generally women have a higher involvement in the process of selection, particularly where there are many people to give gifts to. Gender differences in gift giving seem to emerge early in life. Researchers at Loyola University Chicago studied 3 and 4-year-olds at a day-care centre, all of whom had attended the same birthday party. The girls often went shopping with their mothers and helped select the gifts and wrap it. Boys, meanwhile, were often unaware of what the gift was. “They’d say, ‘I took a nap while my mom went shopping for it,’” said Mary Ann McGrath, the associate dean of the graduate school of business at Loyola. Margaret Rucker, a consumer psychologist at the University of California, Davis, says men are typically more price-conscious and practical when it comes to the gifts they give and get, while women tend to be more concerned about giving and receiving gifts with emotional significance. Many corporates make use of the benefits of gift giving. Corporate gifts make a more personalised form of marketing and corporate gifts definitely help to strengthen bonds and in some cases gift giving can ease tension between enemies. At the beginning of the year when the motivation to go back to work, corporate gifts can certainly help improve morale and get staff’s excitement levels to be back to work a boost. So where does the gender difference come into making corporate gifting decisions? Women’s natural skill at gift selection can assist in choosing something that is special and theme appropriate. They are also able to select items for a varied group of people. Before we stereo type everyone, I have to point out that I have known women who are clueless at gift giving. I have family members where I have wondered, what on earth were they thinking when they give out gifts. But if it be foolish to not recognise that genders have a trend of natural abilities and the best leaders acknowledge that, while being mindful of individual skills. So harness the strategic, budget setting and emotional intelligence of your team to make the best corporate gifting selection. Should you require any additional information about corporate gifts, please contact us on: info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on 082 948 7461

Themes for Valentine's Day Gifts for Corporates

This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday. That gives corporates a terrific opportunity to organise something on Valentine’s Day. This I am favouring corporate picnics for Valentine’s Day. They fall within a romantic theme, but work well for corporates. This is quite easy to coordinate. If you have a large budget, buy wicker picnic baskets for clients or staff and fill them with delicious Valentine’s Day treats. Then get large picnic blankets which can be laid out in a court yard, in a sectioned off part of the parking lot etc. Most baskets come with all the plates, glasses and utensils for two to four people, so you don’t need anything extra except your food. Even a lunch cooler filled with Valentine’s Day treats will work well. Hire a whole bunch of plants from a décor company or a nursery to create a little sectioned off piece of paradise. Be sure to choose plants that are of different heights to create a natural feel. Get some tranquil music which you can play over a portable CD player or hire a sound system. Include in your basket a love song CD that your guest can take home with them as well. If you have a lower budget, get platters from a local Spar and give each guest a sandblasted champagne glass with miniature personalised champagne bottles as a Valentine’s Day gift. We have a big demand for personalised wine as promotional gifts. After all the yummy treats, why not and out to your guests some banded mint tins, which will be an excellent Valentine’s Day gift that will be used a long time after your Valentine’s Day corporate event. There are some many ways that you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with your clients and staff, just use a little imagination and you can spread some love this Valentine’s Day. For more ideas for Valentine’s Day Gifts, contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on 082 948 7461.

Practical Gifts for Conferences and Exhibitions

The adage meetings mean business might sound like a cliché, but it’s the absolute truth of the matter. Networking at events lays the groundwork for excellent business deals. Some of them are even singed at the venue. While there is strong growth in website and other digital marketing, people do feel safe when dealing face to face with people. You get to see if the person’s smile is genuine, if their handshake is form and get a better understanding of the person that you will be doing business with. Here are some ideas to enhance the experience of the visitors and delegates at your conference or exhibition. Name cards on lanyards meetings are vital. Sticker badges say “tacky, unprofessional.” They will disappear for good when the sweater is put on or removed, and they can’t and won’t be transferred to new garments on the following day. We have all heard of presenters who have had their entire hard drive was wiped just as they are about the present at an events. Memory sticks or USBs not only give you the opportunity to give a small conference gifts but they also allow you to add the presentation to the USBs, so that the conference delegates can re-print the notes afterwards. In addition, they make excellent back-ups for presentations. If you have the budget you can have a custom USBs moulded into the shape of one of your products. This definitely sets you apart from the rest. Business card holders are not often thought of as many people believe that delegates have their own business card holders. But I have fund it invaluable to have an extra card holder as this allows me to put the business cards of all the delegates that I would like to keep cards of. This practical corporate gift that you can use again and again. If you have a refreshment stand, why not handed out a free coffee mug or branded glass at the stand. If this is a bit above your budget, then have disposable branded coffee sleeves to put around your disposable cups, this will show off your logo and attract more people to your stand. Notebooks are a terrific conference and exhibition gift as they allow delegates to take notes of the stands that they likes or people that they want to reconnect with. I have often written a note on the back of a card in the hope of looking at it again and have forgotten where I put the card, so a notebook would be great way to relook at the notes made at the event. By the end of an exhibition all the shopping bags that countless companies hand out, start to dig into my hands and so one of the best exhibition gifts that I receive was a luggage spotter handle. They make holding a whole bunch of shopper bags filled with catalogues, so much more comfortable. At another exhibition that I attended a stand sold trolley bags with their logo on. People flocked to this stand to relieve them of their stock. Some exhibitions do not allow the sale of products, but perhaps you can arrange for your top clients to stop by and get their free trolley bag or you can have an hourly lucky draw for conference bag. Over a 3 day conference you would only need 25 trolley bags for a competition. These are add onto the normal conference gifts such a conference bags, conference folders, pens, stylus pens, trolley bags There are so many conference gift options to choose from, but the ones mentioned in this article solve some of the practicalities that need to be take care of at an event. For more information about corporate gifts for conferences and exhibitions, contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on (011) 593 2450 or 082 948 7461.

Upcoming Corporate Gifting Events

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. 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

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

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

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

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

How to make a Difference to Children in 2014 using Corporate Gifts as part of Your Corporate Responsibility Programme.

In the New Year many children in this country will start the year without basic provisions for school. As part of your corporate responsibility you can make a big difference by sponsoring a local school with back to school items. There are many ways that you can impact the children in the community. Before you make a decision, it is important to know that there is a difference between plain charity and empowerment. A basic back to school sandwich box or lunch tin is something that may seem simple to some, but makes a huge difference to many children. If your company is involved in a sandwich run, giving out lunch time to put the sandwiches in at the start of the year makes a huge difference. For a children to bring their own sandwich box to the sandwich table is a small yet powerful thing, it adds a small element of control back to their lives and gives them something that is their very own. A gift has a vastly different emotional impact than charity. Basic back to school stationary items such as pencils, pens and notebook can make big impact. While charity contributions can be allocated for BBEE points, you can have the items branded as well. Back pack and conference bags give children an attractive ways to carry their books, personal belongings or stationary items with them to school. With literacy and mathematics being very important issues in the educational development, items such as pencils cases with contents and mathematics set can be hugely impactful. Play items such as frisbees and soccer balls add enjoyment to life. This cannot be overlooked as play is an extremely important part of development and bring stress relief which is increasingly important issue for children as a stressed child finds it very difficult to learn. We would also recommend sponsoring a few soccer teams with soccer kit and socks. Team sports are an excellent way to build social and emotional development in children. For girls we also recommend sponsoring netball kit of even a girls’ soccer team kit. Through children learn the sports three P’s, practice, patience and persistence. While companies still have the opportunity of sponsoring school in a cash basis, there is always a risk that funds will not be spend in certain areas. However sponsoring physical products can make a huge impact. Your corporate gifting company can supply you with many ideas that can help you to make an impact in your community. While writing out cheques is easy, the long term impact of sponsoring items with your band on it has a longer term good will impact. Many of these young people may even aspire to work at your company once day and be loyal to your organisation. For more information about corporate gifts and corporate clothing contact Belle Regalo on info@belleregalo.co.za or visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za

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