About two decades ago, a dynamic a husband & wife team of Mr. Prashant and Mrs. Bijal Kalbag launched a vivacious venture, namely Creative Awards & Rewards. What forms the crux of their business process and philosophy? Let us try to find out…

The company strives up to provide complete personalized solutions to meet the creative demands of its corporate customers. With emphasis on constant innovation and experimentation coupled with a ‘Never Say No’ attitude, the duo has steadily established the company into a domain leader, steadily growing its offerings by adding diverse materials into their existing range. Here are some of the highlights of its extensive product range and its exquisite features:

•    Just to elaborate, Creative Awards & Rewards provides a bouquet of perfectly crafted products made of Metal, Steel, Crystal/Glass, Wood, Acrylic, Fiberglass, Soft PVC, Leather and Ceramic to suit every budget.

•    Besides, Trophies, Presentation Plaques and Cups, the Company also offers a range of Corporate and Promotional Gift items like Crystal Candle Holders/Paperweights/Min. Clocks/Ganeshas/Vases/ Glasses/ Bowls, Time Pieces – Wrist Watches/ Wall & Desktop Clocks.

•    Creative Awards & Rewards provides outstanding stationery Items in Wood and Metal like Photo frames /Pens and Pen holders, Calendars, Pen/Mobile & Visiting card holders.

•    Also there are magnificent items like Coasters, Ceramic Mugs and Plates, Bar Sets…… and promotional and gift items made of  Stainless Steel, Leather, Soft PVC, as well as Lenticular Products made precisely as per your design and specifications.

•    The whole gamut of operations- right from computerized designing, crystal, metal casting, wooden, acrylic, painting and packaging department- are all available under one roof to ensure quality and timely deliveries.

The idea is to help a client achieve the desired impact through highly rewarding and fulfilling corporate appreciation programs. That’s exactly why it has come up with a new range of products in the above mentioned categories. You just need to get in touch with the company’s sales representative by giving them a call and they will respond. Alternatively, you may send an online enquiry through the official website, http://www.creativeawardsnrewards.com/.

Giftex heartily supports the exciting business idea of Mr. Prashant and Mrs. Bijal Kalbag. Our best wishes to the enterprising couple…

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Shining and sizzling silver has an uncanny knack of adapting to every fashion trend - traditional to bold and dramatic; classic to contemporary. Silver signifies faith and purity as a color, and is as glamorous as gold. The metal is not looked upon as a mere luxury symbol world over. The Chinese, for instance, believe a silver locket around a child’s neck would drive away any evil spirits, whereas the Incas of Peru have called it ‘the tears of the moon’.

You can make your choice from a wide array of designs, and even personalize your jewelry and accessories in silver. While going for a gorgeous gift for your loved one, you can buy cufflinks, buckles, hip flasks, collar stays or key rings that make a perfect fashion statement.

Gifting of silverware is an idea that jells perfectly with Indian tradition. Silver thalis are now a must-have at ceremonies. Cute silver boxes are there for holding mouth fresheners and silver coins are now commonly presented in embroidered bags. While silver watches, belts and jewelry are more suitable as generic presents, utensils in silver are ideal for traditional or festive occasions.

The mellifluous metal signifies status and wealth. It is perceived to fetch good luck. Importantly, it can indeed get cool and fashionable. An elegant pendant, opulent choker, or handsome hair ornament of traditional white or pastel colored pearls set in sterling white metal will make a fashionable gift to suit one’s tastes, style quotient and sentiments. Attractively colored pearls set in sterling silver will make an exquisite, glittering gift! Even the men’s jewelry is now getting popular. New-generation uber-cool men now flaunt to love accessories! For men, you may also consider stick to watches, silver coins or a silver household object.

One indeed is spoiled for choice here!

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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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Specific rules and norms are set by respective advertising standards authorities in different countries. The same are monitored by committees that keep a tab over advertising practices that can often be misleading. These bodies are independently administered and serve like a watchdog.

For example, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) functions as a self regulatory voluntary organization. The role and functioning of ASCI encompasses addressing complaints received from consumers and industry against advertisements and claims that are considered as false or misleading. It is important in this context that we consider the difference, albeit subtle, between a prize (awarded to a lucky few winners) and a gift (available to all or a majority of entrants to a promotion irrespective of the fact whether they win or lose).

This distinction should always be made amply clear to consumers who are being targeted or approached through promotional offers. If all or almost all participants are entitled to an award in a promotion, it should not be termed a prize. In such a case, it may preferably be denoted as a ‘gift’, ‘reward’, ‘award’ or a similar such term as long as the context does not get misleading to consumers.
For example, promoters should not make a claim that respondents will get to ‘win’ a ‘gift’ because the terminology is improper, confusing and inconsistent. Rather state they would get to ‘win a ‘prize’ or will be ‘given a ‘gift’. Let’s take a practical case. A few years ago, the UK based Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) mulled over a peculiar promotion that involved the promoter offering several prizes and gifts.

The promoter considered that since recipients got one of two or three gifts on offer with no single gift going to ‘all or most’ of them, each gift could well be described as a prize. However, the authorities stipulated that since the vast majority of respondents would get one of two or three low-value items, they should be termed as gifts. The promoter thus had to withdraw the claim that these were rather prizes and not gifts.

So make sure that you promote the program in a proper context so that it is not perceived to be misleading consumers. In other words, drawing a fine line between a gift and a prize is vital.

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The occasion is celebrated across the world in the memory of Saint Valentine. But who exactly is this mysterious man? We are sure you would be curious to know as why we celebrate this day. We take this opportunity to dig into the history of Valentine’s Day and throw light on the patron saint who is associated with the day. Read the rest of this entry »

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Adding a natural touch to one’s home or office settings will make a perfect gesture and a great gift! To make your task easier, many nurseries are now innovating. As a result, there is ample choice to add to the green quotient of your friend’s or colleague’s office or home environ. Here are some Gorgeous ‘green’ gift ideas:

1. If you’re looking for wonderful ways to add a tinge of green to your friends’ or coveted client’s living or working space, we recommend you some gorgeous ways of helping your corporate friends to go green.
2. You can get beautiful Bonsais, succulents and cacti based on your budget and also the person whom you are gifting it. Potted plants such as adenium or desert rose and lavender are worth a buy.
3. If you are looking at bright, colorful varieties, bird of paradise, orchids and are recommended. Benjamina or starlight are preferred options in smaller garden plants.
4. If you want to pick exotic varieties, landscaping will help in accentuating the plants. Seeking help of a landscape consultant is a good idea to understand how to do it. The choice of plant depends on the kind of space available.
5. If it is for the interior surroundings, the decor of the space matters. You need to take into account the size of the plant. For instance, if you are getting bonsai, suggest that they be placed in front of the bigger, taller greens.
6. For home garden gifting, there are a wide range of ornamental, aromatic and medicinal plants available. You may consider creepers for wide spaces, though they may not be exotic. Of course, everything exotic need not be expensive!
7. A wide variety of them are generally seeded in October. Sunflowers and Zinnia elegans are among the available options; they bloom well in this season.
8. You can go for the willowy, tall lupins in purple that are easily available in pots as well as seeds at most nurseries. Other more exotic varieties are anthuriums or orchids. Mody Exotica, a cultivation facility, redecorates open spaces if you can afford it.

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Specific rules and norms are set by respective advertising standards authorities in different countries. The same are monitored by committees that keep a tab over advertising practices that can often be misleading. These bodies are independently administered and serve like a watchdog.

For example, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) functions as a self regulatory voluntary organization. The role and functioning of ASCI encompasses addressing complaints received from consumers and industry against advertisements and claims that are considered as false or misleading. It is important in this context that we consider the difference, albeit subtle, between a prize (awarded to a lucky few winners) and a gift (available to all or a majority of entrants to a promotion irrespective of the fact whether they win or lose).

This distinction should always be made amply clear to consumers who are being targeted or approached through the promotions offer in form of prizes or gifts. If all or almost all participants are entitled to an award in a promotion, it should not be termed a prize. In such a case, it may be denoted as a ‘gift’, ‘reward’, ‘award’ or a similar term as long as the context does not get misleading to consumers. 

For example, promoters should not make a claim that respondents can get to ‘win’ a ‘reward’ because the terminology is improper, confusing and inconsistent. In other words, respondents get to ‘win’ a ‘prize’ but are ‘awarded’, ‘allocated’ or ‘given’ a ‘gift’. Let’s take a practical case. A few years ago, the UK based Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) mulled over a rather complicated promotion that involved the promoter offering several prizes and gifts.

The promoter considered that since recipients got one of two or three gifts on offer with no single gift going to ‘all or most’ of them, each gift could well be described as a prize. However, the authorities stipulated that since the vast majority of respondents would get one of two or three low-value items, they should be termed as gifts. The promoter thus had to withdraw the claim that these were rather prizes, and not gifts.

So make sure that you promote the program in a proper context so that it is not perceived to be misleading consumers.

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You might have been advised that you need to ‘think beyond the boundaries’, to make your gifting ideas work. But by no ways this would mean going overboard. Be creative and not careless.

Let me give a practical example. Say, you’ve decided to present food baskets. But You should not gift basketfull of yummy chocolates to a person on a strict diet or suffering from diabetes! It’s like indirectly mocking him. You need to know the person better before finalizing your choice, or else the whole idea will backfire.

Work out budget

Depending on your clientele along with your marketing budget, you can either go for elegantly designed high-end objects or basic ones. In effect, gifting should be planned in advance, there by having sufficient time for negotiating the rates for the gifts and also availing discount facilities

Know the intangibles

Apart from the tangible aspects, other intangibles are equally important. Try to ensure the appropriateness of any gift or favor you give or receive. Be grateful to the person who gave a gift to you, with a nice note like: “You have really understood my taste. Mention how you plan to practically use the gift.

Want to refuse a gift…

In certain circumstances, you might not be in a position to receive a gift. However, its giver would perhaps refuse to take the gift back. This can be other way round, and the client might show unwillingness to accept a gift. Maintain a proper record of your formal or official interaction with the person. Make sure the appropriate authority next in your chain of command is always kept in the loop if such a situation emerges.

Be discreet

Being discreet is another important aspect while gifting. If you decide to only give gifts to some employees who are your friends, do so out of the office. Last but not the least, remembering everyone while giving gifts can go a long way in building and maintaining relationships. When gifting to staff, accommodate even the lower hierarchy. This passes a message that each person is valued in your organization and is treated as a vital part of it.

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Gifting can prove to be an effective public relations strategy, if employed creatively, even refusing it, at times. Though you have decided not to accept a gift, make sure that the person knows the reason for your doing so. This will avoid any misunderstanding. In case, you are thinking to decline a gift, do so in a courteous manner. Here’s why and how:

• Accepting overly generous gifts is not usually the proper thing to do. And if there are certain unavoidable circumstances under which a gift needs to be returned, there is a way to do it. For example, write a tactful note to the person acknowledging his or her gesture even while refusing it politely.
• If receiving a costly gift makes you feel uncomfortable or you think it can cause a potential damage to a business relationship, it is correct to refuse the gift. Doing so is perfectly acceptable. Accepting gifts as favor from clients is among the most sensible things to do. Refusing generous giving, however, must be done in a respectful way.
• Approach your ‘generous giver’ in person. If the person might feel offended, try to sooth his or her frayed nerves by writing a letter. Thank the giver for his or her gift. Though you are refusing it, still thank the person for the kind gesture.
• Explain carefully your position to convey why you are refusing the gift. If it is your company policy to not to accept expensive gifts, have a copy of the same on hand or incorporate that part of your company policy statement in your letter.
• Express your regret in a genuine manner for refusing the gift. This is important if you need to maintain a continued business relationship with the person so the latter does not feel awkward.

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Father’s Day festival gives us the perfect opportunity to express gratitude to our Daddy for all his unconditional love and affection. It’s an occasion to make your father feel that you owe your progress and prosperity to him; you appreciate and acknowledge his selfless contribution in your life. Here are some tips to help you think of a fabulous Father’s Day gift.
First make a list of his interests and hobbies of your Dad. Is he a sports lover, technophiles or a book lover? If he is a gadget-freak, get him a new gadget. Think of an accessory, which supports his hobby. Gifts related to activities of interest to your Dad like gardening will sure make him happy.

Give him a gift card so that he can pay a visit to his favorite store. This may appear a tad impersonal, but you give Dad the opportunity to get exactly what he wants, something he will totally appreciate.
Plan an ideal Sunday by taking a cue from what your Dad likes to in his leisurely time and then give it a real royal, super-size treatment. Stick to your Dad’s comfort zone in terms of his tastes and preferences. If he has always worn horizontal striped buttoned down short-sleeve shirts, think twice about getting him the vertical stripes just because you believe it would look good on him.

Celebration of Father’s Day makes you ponder about the vital role played by your father play in your life. The day helps you to come emotionally closer to your Dad. Children must take this opportunity to express their gratitude for fathers. The best way of doing so is giving him a beautiful gift, and saying “I love you, Papa!” Making a Father’s Day memorable has nothing to do with how expensive gift you get. You just wish to let him know how much you respect, love and appreciate him.

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Tags: , corporate gifting for employees, business gift baskets, promotional gifts, business gifting, Business Gifting
Corporate gifting, Business etiquette, promotional products, Corporate gifting India, Best business gifts

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