Stories From The Gift Box

Those little jams in gift baskets are kind of cute and they do add some colour to traditional baskets that are suffocating behind layers of cellophane. We respect that some people choose these little ordinary jams as gifts. However, we think that your gift recipient deserves something more unique.

Lots of people enjoy a nice bottle of wine and alcohol can be a gift that is truly appreciated but when gifting alcohol as a corporate gift you need to be 100% certain that it will be well received. Corporate gifts are about building relationships and the last thing you want to do is make someone uncomfortable or insulted by your gesture. There are various reasons why gifting alcohol is not appropriate, including:

• Religion
• Family history
• Alcoholism/addiction
• Personal preference

Saul Good rule #9: If you’re not 100% sure your gift recipient is going to enjoy the bottle of wine, beer or spirits, leave it on the shelf.

A month back I had an amazing experience. As Alex and I were delivering gifts into the new Woodward's building we met an amazing woman named Annie. As we rode the elevator together with a dolly full of gifts ready for the new homeowners, Annie asked us if the wooden boxes the gifts were packaged in were from Tradeworks. We confirmed and Annie went on to tell us that she had participated in training programs at Tradeworks and that it had helped her get her where she is today, gainfully employed working construction on one of Vancouver's highest profile developments.

Last week I went to Las Vegas for the Awards Recognition Association (ARA) show along with my friends at Eclipse Awards.  Recognition is a powerful way to build relationships, both in business and in pleasure, and going to the show was a great opportunity for me to learn more about the industry.  Sustainability has all to do with recognition and appreciation, as I learned so deeply working on my MBA at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute (BGI), as it's really about taking care of people and building culture, two powerful pillars needed to build successful progressive businesses and organizations.  One of the highlights of the trip was a tour we scheduled at the headquarters of zappos.com.  We had heard from friends that it was a great tour, and knew a bit about the success of this online retailer, but were totally surprised as to how progressive the organization was.  Jerry, the Zappos Major, took us on the tour and didn't cease to amaze.  In the photo above you can see him in his festive glory.  Behind you can see the desks of the c-suite, not what you might expect for a billion dollar company!

Over the last few years, living the dream of a start up business and working out of my home, I’ve come up with some rules and mantras that seem to be working.

All business is about building relationshps. Gifts are an opportunity to say more than 'thank you' for a job well done, a great contract, or employee appreciation. By building values into gifts and customizing them to tell your story, successful corporate gifts tell people what you're all about and why they do business with you. These types of memorable experiences build relationshps in a meaningful way and help you give more than 'stuff'.