When giving a corporate gift it is of utmost importance to incorporate the branding in the right manner thus highlighting your organization. Like business cards and corporate event signage your gift should reflect your organization through strategic positioning of the logo.

1. First and foremost, understand the difference between a promotional giveaway and a gift. The former is given when introducing the product, when publicizing a product whereas a gift is given to recognize the company’s top clients or to commemorate a top deal or a big project. In such cases the branding can be simple because the recipient is already aware of your company/ brand/ product. So logo need not be elaborate or prominent. In any case, it is always advisable to have a smaller logo, placing it in the corner.

2. A corporate gifting program is mostly run to create a favorable brand identity in the minds of its prospective clients or immediate stakeholders. Expectedly and rightfully, it’s the major clients who will be given priority in the corporate gift program, and will get bestowed with most precious business gifts. After that it’s the turn of employees and then obviously prospective clients.

3. While branding a gift, it is important that the placement of the brand is subtle and effective. Mostly high end corporate gifts are suitable for imprint methods such as embossing and laser-engraving. For apparels, bags and promotional clothing embroidery is the best way to have your logo put with. Another way to have your logo create an impact is by printing your logo in the same shade as the gift itself.

4. Then there’s the vexing issue of whether to courier the gift or present in person. If the relationship warrants it, the idea of sending it to the recipient’s home can be considered to add a personal touch, especially when the gift commemorates your corporate friend’s personal occasion coinciding with a festival.

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‘It is not the size of the gift that matters but the size of the heart, which gives it!’ - Quotation in ‘The Angels’ Little Instruction Book’ by Eileen Elias Freeman

‘Tis blessed to bestow, and yet,
Could we bestow the gifts we get,
And keep the ones we give away,
How happy were our Christmas day!’
- Carolyn Wells

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On the eve of Giftex 2012, where you are all set to get a kaleidoscopic view of the best gift ideas on offer under one roof, we also feel it is pertinent to know some of the key norms – dos and don’ts of corporate gifting – generic or those given on special occasion.

1. First and foremost, check the company policy on giving and receiving gifts. Know whether they prefer token gifts or something fancy or jazzy as well. Putting a logo on the gift is important, but do so in a subtle manner!
2. One should remember cultural and geographical barriers. Each state and country has its different values on basis of which gifting strategy should be devised. Follow the local conventions or else you might end up offending your international clients.
3. When giving a gift to individuals, it’s always a good idea to give a gift that is personalized in nature. Cost is not always the factor; try to follow the person’s tastes and know about his or her tastes. For example, if a client enjoys a particular sporting activity, he or she should be given free tickets to that game or a souvenir.
4. Gifting activity should not be too personal or centered around only few individual as it may create a misunderstanding. It should not be politically incorrect. For example, you should not be gifting a weight loss certificate to a fat person or a box of sweets to a diabetic this may create a misunderstanding. Avoid gifts that are based on religious themes. Generic gift ideas work best.
5. Do not repeat a gift idea year after year. Rotate them skillfully so that each year the program should arouse interest, thus making the client appreciate it more.

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Corporate gift giving is undoubtedly a serious business. As part of a well-devised program, it can help in establishing or enhancing critical business relationships and, in the process, serve as a cost-effective mode of imparting an element of goodwill to your business. We shall consider the many issues and ideas relevant to the corporate gift program’s success.

There can be multifold reasons for conducting a corporate gift program. For example, you may wish to thank your long-standing customers for their contribution to your business or recognize efforts of a committed employee for working overtime to meet a deadline. Mostly, the idea is to affirm relationships and subtly enhance the personal connection between a gift giver and recipient. It’s important to understand that gifts are different from incentives.

Customizing is a critical element for the success of a corporate gifting program. We have already checked some basic guidelines to follow for corporate gifting during festivals. Of course, these may vary based on your company policy. It needs to be decided whether to go for personalized packaging with special notes inserted in them. A nice note accompanying the present can reduce a sense of obligation, if any, on part of the recipient.

Ideally, the gifts should be given sans a precondition or a hidden motive. Of course, it would be naive to believe that there’s no bottom-line benefit to be drawn from corporate gift giving, but that aspect should be secondary.  Even though it’s an integral part of marketing strategy, corporate gift program should be subtly aimed at building bonds and a sense of long-term partnership with valued associates to make a gifting program successful.

The whole exercise should be planned well in advance well before the festival season sets in. This will give you enough time to negotiate the price for the gifts you are looking for and also to avail of attractive discount offers. Inputs from experts are very essential in this regard.

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The Valentine’s Day is round the corner. It’s the most ‘loveable’ day of the year, literally. And this is your chance to express your feelings through some gorgeous gifts. Archies has come up with a fabulous range of Valentine’s goodies for your beloved. We recommend some of the cute combos to celebrate your everlasting love:

You can express yourself in a unique way with an exquisite love mug combo. It comes with a colorful ‘love Mug’ that carries musical and lighting effects.  A handwritten Valentine greeting card will make it truly personalized. You can express your heartfelt feelings. Add sweetness to it with ‘Five Seasons Premium’ chocolates.

There is another combo from Archies for you to thank your love for having filled your life with so much joy. You can do so this Valentine’s Day by expressing your warmth with this lovely combo: that comprises a cute ‘n’ charming bear proudly holding a red love heart. Again, a handwritten Valentine greeting card to go with the gift will add a personal touch to it.

For the bond that is full of lasting love, this is a true tribute. Wish someone close to your heart Happy Valentine’s Day with this heart throb combo that comprises musical love spring in a gorgeous gift box with a tender “I love you” message. It carries a handwritten personalized Valentine card. Add juicy sweetness in it with ‘Five Seasons Premium’ delicious chocolates range.

It’s just perfect for your darling who means so much to you. Gift him/her this lovely combo and unravel your innermost feelings. It will treasure his/her attractive photo in poly-resin heart shape cupid photo frame to make it personalized.

Every time you happen to be with him/her, there is a tinge of romance around. Why not thank your beloved for making your life rich with love with this combo. It carries a crystal love angel sitting pretty in a heart box with a nice love message.

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In the west a food hamper is the most preferred gift and corporates choose their hampers with great care, it is usually a  and other accompaniments. Unfortunately this trend has not yet caught up in India given the fact that most stores such as Godrej – nature’s basket or RIL’s Fresh, shoppers stop and spencers do not cater to the corporate gifting market. There is an opportunity here for someone with an artistic ability to pack and put together a beautiful hamper that the receiver will cherish. What is important is the packing to give it the kind of panache it requires.

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Employee recognition gifting is an area of corporate activity that is gaining in importance. In today’s tough times, when loyalty and commitment can be a bit too much to ask for, owing to lack of hazy business prospects, companies will do well to provide incentives to key personnel. The employees sure will appreciate it. Let us find out why employee recognition and appreciation is so very important as well as various key facets of it:

Building goodwill

A small gift goes a long way towards building employer goodwill so that they stand by you in challenging times. You may choose things that one can use for practical purposes. For devising a gift program for employees, you can seek inputs from vendors who will use their domain expertise and creativity to come up with a ‘useful’ gift idea.

Custom made gifts

It is always advisable that the gifts should always be something that your employees like and appreciate. The offerings should ideally be custom made, thereby giving a personal touch and making the recipients feel like a part of the family. The company logo should be present but if the employees name is also there, it definitely adds a personal touch to the gift.

Seniority based gifts

Connotations of gifting program will obviously vary on basis of seniority and experience of different. The items should vary on basis of the status of each employee. If a senior executive of your is a gizmo lover, he or she should be given a new phone or some new gadget. A gift given should reflect the person’s standing in the company. It should be different and unique as far as possible, thereby letting the employee look forward to the gift and cherish it.

Consider priorities of your employees

Such gifting programs should also adhere to the priorities of your employees. For example, if you want them to be health conscious, they should be given a free membership to a gym or a all expenses paid trek, thus making them realize the importance of fitness .

Some of the popular employee gifts are:

• Gift Vouchers
• Briefcase/bags (with company logo)
• Pen Stands
• Pens
• Watches/table clocks
• Diaries (very popular)
• Wallets

I some time ago came across an interesting advice: “It’s a gift that genuinely shows the recipient how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits.” Isn’t the line relevant? Do share your thoughts/ experiences on the subject of gifting to employees and its relevance.

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Below are the vital factors that are extremely essential for chalking out a corporate gift program:

1. Determine your budget first to get a clear understanding of your corporate gift program. Once you set your budget and scope, next you should define the exact purpose of giveaways.  This will depend on what domain you are and your end user.  Your budget will though, will largely dictate how much you should allocate for the gifting program.
2. When deciding how much to spend, key thing to take into account is the intrinsic value of your business relationship. Based on it, you should make sure you give an ‘appropriate’ gift. Also, consider specific guidelines of that corporate entity and industry. You would never want it to appear as a favor.
3. Just reverse the roles. What if you receive an over-expensive gift? Talk to the giver in person if you think that the gift is too costly, too personal or not really suitable to the occasion or the relationship you share with the person. However, never discuss these things in public with the person concerned.
4. Corporate gifts can serve various roles like Thank You gifts for clients and colleagues; motivational gifts; recognition gifts for employees; new client acquisition; retention of business clients; building brand awareness; promotional products; holiday gifts for clients; trade show giveaways; premiums incentives and incentive programs; award programs; advertising specialties; service and safety awards; and general purpose business gifts and awards.
5. One discreet way to place your logo is leather portfolios. It is normally de-bossed on the cover. Some people prefer to customize with the recipients initials. If you believe you have selected a gift that will make a lasting impression on the recipient, there is absolutely no need to place your logo on the gift. The person will remember you by the gorgeous gift itself.  Also work out how you will distribute it - in person or by courier mail.

In other words, sourcing, packaging and dispatching the gifts demand an on-time and high quality solution providers to manage the specialized gifting related tasks on continual basis.

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The year 2011 is almost behind us and 2012 has started! The year gone by had some sad moments and a few memorable milestones. Even as we tend to learn from the history, this is not the time to cling to the past as we wish GOODBYE to a year gone by and say HELLO to the new year. We should all welcome it with a smile on our faces and share our joy through exchanging wishes and gifts. Here are some tips for giving a New Year gift:

1. Do not simply repeat the last year’s gift to the same person. It is a matter of common sense not to repeat previously given gifts or something which other employees have already given as a present.

2. Give something new and innovative: The gift should not be boring and pedestrian. Let there be some surprise element to it. When the receiver unwraps the gift, he or she should exclaim ‘wow!’

3. Give a personalized touch: Give some personalized gifts, like a coffee mug set with a message inscribed on it, which will give it a unique touch and surely draw everyone’s attention. This will involve extra efforts, but the end result will be worth it.

4. Stick to your budget: It is only a misconception that you have to spend a lot of money to get a good gift. Keep your budget in mind and try to get the best possible gift in that range.

5. Play safe if you cannot be innovative. You can opt for online shopping if time is a constraint. Check out for discounts and free shipping offers.

Remember, the whole idea of celebrating the New Year is for the hope and cheer it brings. There’s something special about the New Year gift that just has to instill the spirit for a fresh beginning, which always give us the hope for a better year ahead.

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Gifting is essential to motivate people and build long lasting relationships with esteemed clients. It’s a practice generally followed to celebrate a festival or an occasion or to mark the company’s success. A celebration motivates people and prompts to work harder to achieve bigger goals.

Why most businesses are on a gifting spree during the festive season? What makes them shower their clients, employees and representatives with gifts? Well, the answer is ‘motivation’. Corporate entities are driven by committed employees with good job skills. But what is it that motivates them – incentives and gifts? Right! “Gifts make a person happy…”

The thought process has changed a bit, though. Corporate houses now tend to employ gifting as a hardcore marketing tool rather than as a mere motivational tool. In today’s highly competitive business world, the emphasis is on building strong corporate relationships over the longer term. In some cases, corporate gifting becomes a sheer marketing gimmick.

Whichever way you look at it, gifting is essential to motivate people in-house as well as to forge a lasting relationship with esteemed clients. Aspirational value is important too and the best gifts are those that are aspirational in nature. A foreign holiday for instance. Such gifts are usually often the result of long-term loyalty program’s and are becoming part and parcel of the marketing strategies of airlines and the retail sector.

Of course, it’s the content or the actual gift that makes the most impact. The more it is thought through and well executed, better it will work. The facets to consider are the look of a gift, the packaging and the thank you card. Imprinted cards have a better impact as they convey a thank you message and also help in the branding.

There are several innovative mix-n-match gift ideas that you may try out. For instance, you may go for a deftly designed, classic candle stand crafted out of wrought iron. Accentuate it with scented candles. To add a mystical touch to the home décor and ambience, they include fragrances that create a soothing effect.

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