The twenty first century has ushered in an era where we the consumers always instantly have an abundance of options when it comes to purchasing items we need. Whereas in the past one would have to search high and low for what they desire, now all one needs to do is type in a keyword and voila, everything is there for the consumer. The problem with this is simple: with an overabundance of offers, it now becomes extremely hard to find the better quality item as the diamond gets lost in the rough. Unfortunately, no place is this more evident than with corporate gifts.
If one was to peruse the web for corporate gifts they would get over twelve million hits! No one has the time to look at twelve million hits - especially not in today's busy world. So how does one find the perfect corporate gift? Sure one can look at the first pages that come up but those results are based on popularity and not necessarily substance. If a new company is offering the most spectacular gifts but they are brand new, they may land on page forty and one would never know! Therefore what does one do? I believe, the answer is one sets their bar and expectations higher and turns his or her bland corporate gift into a "Business Executive Gift"!
Many companies today are offering a "quick fix" answer to corporate gift needs. The corporate gift process has been turned into an 'assembly line' process, if one will. One picks a price range, looks at the available products in that range, chooses the product, picks the quantity, hands in the logo, fills out the shipping destination, and pays the bill. It is all so depressing and bland! As I will explain next, corporate gifting should not be a chore - it should be an art!
Having grown up in the capital of England and now living in the capital of the United States, I was exposed to and fell in love with world events and history. Even though I received my university education in politics, I chose retail as a career. But nonetheless I was able to connect the two fields. To understand the importance, one must first understand what a corporate gift is. A corporate gift is the business world of "diplomacy". There is just as much politics in the business world as there is in the political arena and no doubt, there is just as much a need to say "Thank you, we value your friendship and partnership." Therefore the first step towards making the bland corporate gift into an exquisite business gift is to understand one is embarking not on a gift buying chore but an act of diplomacy. The gift you choose to give may have long term ramifications: how other partners perceive you to be or if your employers will want to be loyal to you long term. When it comes to choosing that gift, one is not an administrator, manager, or CEO - one is a diplomat!
This then brings us to the second step of turning that bland corporate gift into an executive business gift, which is "what gift to choose?" Remember, you are a diplomat and choosing that gift is very much similar to a diplomat having to choose a gift for a foreign king or leader. What does the diplomat want to achieve? Well, first off that diplomat will want to choose a gift that the other leader will appreciate. The diplomat will want to achieve that "wow" moment when the leader opens his gift. The short term success is always in that "wow" moment and the long term success is whether that gift will have lasting power: how long will the leader remember that great gift he received and also just as importantly, how much use will that gift have? Will it sit on his desk, hang on his wall or collect dust in the closet? I do many gifts for leaders from around the world and one of the most important things I think about is "Who is this person? What makes them who they are? What will bring a sparkle to their eyes?" Whether it was Arab Kings or European leaders, I tried to understand who these people are and what is their history? If you can find a gift that will connect to their past or a true hobby they have, that person who receives the gift, will see how genuine you are and that gift will not just make you a 'gifter' but a true friend and companion. I cannot overemphasize the need to hire an executive business gift company who understands this concept.
Just as important as the person who is receiving the gift, it is equally important who the gifter is. When it comes to giving a unique corporate gift or executive business gift, one wants to choose a gift that will reflect them as well. If one is in the marketing business and is looking for a gift for a politician then getting that politician a cheap three dollar Chinese desk clock will seem unrelated and disingenuous. However if that marketer buys a beautiful leather picture frame decorated with the words of the constitution, with a little letter that says "It is all about how you frame your ideas", then that politician will see that the gifter made an effort to find a gift he would appreciate but also a gift that says a lot about the gifter. This is how partnerships and friendships are made and this is how the process of finding that perfect unique corporate gift should be made. At the end of the day, it is all about showing respect.
The final step to turning a bland corporate gift into something spectacular is the gift itself. Of course one can search the internet, pick a site, pick a price range and choose a quantity. However, I believe the trick here is to find a gift that is as unique as the idea. This does not mean it has to be made from the dried lava of an ancient volcano. What it means is that it is not a gift that can be found on every third corner of every store or every single corporate gift website of the twelve million posting. This means picking a gift that is as unique as you by working with a unique corporate gift provider who will work with you personally and come back to you with a product which is a one of a kind gift. Together you and the executive business gift company must sit together and think outside the box.
So there we have it! To choose the perfect unique corporate gift or executive business gift one should do three things: Know the heart and soul of the one receiving the gift, find a unique connection between the one giving the gift and the one receiving, and finally finding that gift that will create that "wow" moment. If one puts themselves in that diplomatic mindset then I believe one can truly find that perfect corporate gift.
I truly hope this little guide will help you all find the perfect corporate and unique executive business gift.