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

Top Selling Year End Gifts

I was taking a look at what were good sellers for year-end gifts last year. Our top list for year end gifts were. 1. Beach Umbrellas 2. Coolers 3. Diaries 4. Double Decker Bags 5. Our of Africa Sling Coffee Bag 6. Pens 7. Photo frames 8. Portable Braai 9. Zip Around Folders 10. Knife Set in Boxes 11. Management Journals 12. Watch Gift Set Beach umbrellas make wonderful year end gifts, as so many people particularly those who live in Gauteng, head off to the beach. If you have your client a beach umbrella as a corporate gift or year end gift last year, then any kind of gift that is associated with outdoors would complement a beach umbrella. For example beach mats or beach towels make wonderful complimentary corporate gifts or year end gifts for beach umbrellas. Whether you are adding to a beach corporate gifts idea or want to have an outdoor theme for your year end gifts, cooler bags are always a winner as a corporate gifts. They are perfectly practical gift for those impromptu picnics. Annually the gift that remains a practical, recurrently excellent value for money year end gift is the enduringly popular diary. Diaries come in a range of size and colours and give longevity to your brand. The double decker bag is a firm favourite for a weekend away or for a golf day or any other corporate sporting event. Introduced last year was the pit of Africa sling coffee bag which is a stylish alterative to the wine glasses typically found in picnic baskets. The coffee bag makes for a fun alternative to picnics during winter months. They are perfect for travelling especially if via road and have coffee for two travel companions. Pens are not just for conferences, chosen well a pen is a wonderful year end gifts for senior executive an there are many up market pens to choose from for corporate gifts or year end gifts. Photo frames make wonderful gifts for women as well as for gents who have family pictures that they want to display on their desk. Photo frames make wonderful corporate gifts and year end gifts as they are versatile and can be used as desk accessories or in the home. Portable braai are a great seasonal gift for National Braai day or year end gifts. There are a variety of styles and sizes to choose from, but one thing is for certain, they are always a well-received corporate gift of year end gifts. For these and other corporate gifts visit us at www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us at info@belleregalo.co.za

How to Choose a Conference Pen

When choosing a conference pen there are number of factors to consider. The Conference Delegates If the conference is one where the delegates pay to attend, you can probably use an inexpensive plastic or promotional pen as a conference pen. Your budget would be low and you would probably choose a one colour print on your conference pen as the pen is a convenience gift. However if the delegates are your guests and are at a management levels, you may want to choose a pen that gives a more lasting impression. There are a good number of metal conference pens that are still in a comfortable budget that will easily used by executives but are not top of the range conference pens. If your delegates are dignitaries, CEOs are other high level managers, then you can add parker pens and waterman pens and options for conference pens. There will then double up as conference gifts in addition to being a great conference pens. Budget Venues, snacks, conference material, speakers etc all up for the overall cost of the conference. So where your costs are spiraling, then your may want to choose low cost conference pens. However, if you are choosing quality over quantity then you can give our fewer items in your conference pack and choose better quality pens as your conference pens. Purpose of the Conference If your conference has a quality theme, then you need to tie in everything that you do to fit in with the image that you are trying to portray so choosing a quality brand for conference pens will add the prestige of your brand and your conference. If you are looking for conference gifts visit us on http://www.belleregalo.co.za/gifts/Branded-pens.htm or look at our conference pen catalogue or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za or call us on: 082 948 7461

Start of the Year Corporate Gifts

Having just come out of the Christmas season, I must admit, I love Christmas. I love giving and getting gifts and I love the spirit of generosity that passes over all over the Christmas season. But when everyone gets back to work the sinking feeing of post purchase dissonance sets in with many. That feeling that maybe you should not have spent so much. It is at these times that a little perk me up gift for staff or clients is most welcome. A time that a small corporate gift can lift the mood. Little welcome back to the office corporate gifts or desk based corporate gifts and brighten someone’s day. Other ideas include coffee mugs filled with nougat or bags of jelly beans or even a cookie coffee mug. As it is the begining og the year and people are planning strategies pens are a excellent corporate gifts. You can do cheap pens or parker pens, watermann pens, cross pens or polo pens. Any up-market pen is an excellent corporate gift at the beginning of the year. This is also a good time of the year to start planning for Valentine’s Day corporate gifts. We have a great range of gifts on http://belleregalo.bcgshop.co.za/ For new gifting ideas visit us on www.belleregalo.co.za or e-mail us on info@belleregalo.co.za