“Gifts should be so presented that they suit the receiver’s personality.”

..so thinks Nidhi Agrawal. Importantly, she acts upon what she preaches. Want to know more about her passion that culminates business and hobby? Well, just hand over a picture of your choice to her and she will apply her imagination to convert it into a dramatic present to reflect the person’s interests.

It can be anything from a Hello magazine cover for someone who is an aspiring model, a book of personal achievements for a dotting husband celebrating his birthday, to a calendar with key dates marked on it, a fine family video, or an apron for a person who relishes cooking.

It was about three years back that the idea struck this aspiring fashion designer. She was confused as to what to offer as a gift to one of her relatives. Se then decided to opt for something innovative as well as highly personal. She presented a wrist watch that carried a picture of the recipient on the dazzling dial. The idea was received very well and she extended it into a small venture for offering functional and useful gifts.

Nidhi Agrawal’s personalized gifts make a memorable and unique choice. Using watches, cushions and even blankets as mediums of her expression, she has now moved on to visiting cards, candles mouse pads, towels and baby books. She has even tried the idea on a jigsaw puzzle.

She first designs the idea on her personal computer. She makes modifications to it till the customer approves it. She secures most of her work through word of mouth publicity. 

For example, she has devised a clock with its hands fixed at a specific time to represent ‘memorable moments in one’s life with the pictures in place of the numbers. What’s more the creator has on offer a satisfaction guarantee the gifts.

Bookmark to:

In the previous blog, we checked how plans can make a perfect idea on eve of the International Plant Appreciation Day on April 13. In this article, we try to find out how to pick a perfect plant for gifting.

You may be considering annuals, biennials, bulbous plants, cacti, bonsai, succulents, climbers, ferns and creepers, grasses, bamboos, palms, cycads, or flowers’ hanging baskets. Whichever type you go for, you need to be meticulous in your selection. Here are some tips for picking a perfect plant to gift:

You should invariably get healthy, fresh plants while considering them for gifting either to your client, business friend or colleague, or else the ‘green’ gift would turn meaningless. Healthy perennials or shimmering shrubs grow fast, and seem pleasing to the eyes.

Knock the plant you select gently out of its pot. Also, check the roots. A healthy plant will give a filling look to the pot, but it won’t be ‘pot bound’. Avoid those with circling roots or are densely packed and no compost being visible. Leaves of the plant you choose need to be lush green. Watch for pests and infections. Warning signs are discolored leaves, ragged edges or holes in leaves. Avoid plants that carry broken branches or stems.

Ornamental shrubs won’t flower. They are for attractive outlay. Because of their evergreen foliage and ornamental look, they draw visitors. They can be trimmed into various attractive shapes and sizes. Among the popular varieties are Juniperus, Eranthemum, Tuja compacta, Crotons and Aralia.

Hybridized rose plants also make a good gift. Their varieties are miniatures (just a foot or so tall), climbing types (can climb well up to 50 feet), standard tree roses, yellow roses (tapered buds, spicy fragrance) and pink roses (glossy, dark green foliage). White and reds roses are also a visual delight!

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

Bookmark to:

In our last blog we checked in a store, New Delhi’s Play Clan store that offers Artifacts which are politically correct and simultaneously, entertaining and humorous!

For instance, you can get a charming coaster with illustrations of the Goddess Saraswati with a little tale penned at the back. This is a unique branding style that they follow for all their accessories. “We try to weave a story, and then find different platforms for expressing each of them. We carry a small little write-up on each theme at the back of every product,” Himanshu Dogra, the brain behind it, explains.

A bunch of their exclusive products are available at select outlets like Kimaya and Malini Ramani’s Goa store. But this small Delhi space symbolizes the Clan at its best. The way the store has been designed gels with the whole idea behind it. They wanted it to be project as a graphic showcase. The yellow wall and the clones’ illustrations represent common people like us. They have displayed the frames and pillows to create a unique ambience.

It serves as a compact space. The open glass cabinets host smaller things like colorful illustrated journals, badges, coffee mugs and DVD holders. Prices have been kept moderate, which is important from a buyer’s perspective. They start from Rs 260 onwards. The items are indeed affordable for everyone, making them a true value pick for corporate or personal gifting.

Located at the Select City Mall in Saket and spread over mere 250 sq ft, Play Clan is a brainchild of Illum Designs that is branding for the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week 2009.

This is Play Clan’s flagship store. Apart from the one at Select CityWalk, two more are on their way. One has already opened at The Garden of Five Senses. Another one is coming up in Mumbai. According to Himanshu Dogra, the brain behind it, their production is still small-scale. This is because they are keen on maintaining a sense of exclusivity. The idea is to keep each artifact personal.

Tags: Best business gifts, business gift baskets, Gifting occasions, corporate gifts companies, Cheap corporate gifts, low cost gifts, Worst gifts, Popular corporate gifts, Corporate gifting, gifting to clients

Bookmark to:

Play Clan is place tucked away in a glassy mall in the capital city that offers experimental and alternative gift ideas. It is not a commercial enterprise; it’s a rather small-scale retail venture.

Eccentricities that expressed in ink & paper in the form of illustrations in popular graphic novels spill onto accessories showcased here. They represent age-old icons, urban pop culture, and other symbols of everyday life. These are Wonderful artifacts with a contemporary touch!

You get to see a sage from Kashi on a colorful, classy mug — with the Ganges ghats illustrated over his body, or a DTC bus as an illustration in a small frame, or a rickshaw colored in with letterings ‘Taxi no. 9211’, ‘CNG’ and ‘Roses are red, violets are blue’. The ravishing rustic metal kettle and captivating chai glass cups are iconized here.

T-shirts and formal shirts sport a larger picture, with the Indian “Hum do hamare do’ family sharing a Bajaj scooter, an Old Delhi nook flush with kites flying high on Independence Day,  or superstar Rajinikanth posing with his bike. Mumbai’s towering skyscrapers and VT (or CST) are etched in cushion covers and frames. Snatches of Kolkata are also there. The Presidential House is splashed on other curios

Himanshu Dogra started Illum Designs almost eight years ago. He unveiled the first Play Clan retail store in 2007. He has mentioned in an interview: “Our themes change every couple of months.” Their current theme is India images, across cities. They will soon introduce a Goddess Saraswati theme.

The wonderful artifacts in this store are politically correct and at the same time entertaining and humorous. They will help you to strike a chord with the person whom you opt to gift them.

Bookmark to:

You may love astrology or hate it, but cannot ignore it. There are peculiar gift giving ideas relevant to each sign. Whether you are deliberating over what to gift your boss, your friend or mate on his/her birthday or any special occasion, their zodiac signs will give you clues for the suitable gift. Here, we consider Cancer, Leo and Virgo!

CANCER

Boss: For Cancerians, there’s nothing more precious than their home or their family. Good gifts for them comprise a family portrait, prints, photo albums, home accessories, decorative pieces, etc.

Friend & Family: Mix sentimentality with home & hearth and you’ve got it right with them. An intimate dinner bash, a family outing, or quality time with your partner are great tangible or intangible gestures that they will appreciate. Things to do with home décor, kitchen utilities will be well liked. Your options are cookbooks, cooking courses, goodies basket, gift certificates from a home store etc.

LEO

Boss: A Leo treats her/himself as the king of his/her domain, much like Lion, the king of the jungle that represents this sign. A Leo boss has high expectations and expects to be treated royally. Appropriate gifts are the high quality and rather grand ones! Sophisticated and exclusive items like jeweler, gourmet foods & wines, fine crystal products, branded merchandise make ideal gifts.

Friend & Family: Go for something, which is flashy and makes them feel as the centre of attraction. Gift items with a lot of bling like rhinestone studded clothing, diamond ornaments, hair accessories, fancy cuff links go well with them. They like to be pampered so a session at the spa is a perfect gift for them. Apart from those making them feel like king, gifts involving an element of drama are also well received. Thus, lottery tickets or tickets to a big Bollywood/Hollywood hit will allow you be in their good books!

VIRGO

Boss: Probably the most practical Zodiac sign, a Virgo tends to be extremely organized and tidy. They appreciate gifts that reflect or accentuate the same quality. So, your options comprise fancy calendars, personal diary, organizer, visiting card holders, leather wallets etc.

Friend & Family: Apart from being organized, a Virgo is also very health & beauty conscious as their sign rules the House of Health. Ideal gifts include salon certificates, beauty treatment packages, gym memberships, exercise equipments, manicure and pedicure sets health products, etc. Healthy and long-lasting is the way to describe a Virgo friend. Good gifts comprise health books/CDs, dancing/sports lessons, vacuum cleaner, Yoga class membership, etc.

Tags: promotional products, gifting india, Worst gifts, corporate gifts companies, , Business etiquette, business gifting, Cheap corporate gifts, business gift baskets, Gifting events

Bookmark to: