Planning Ahead for Intentional Gift Giving

However, no matter when you give your gifts, to be an intentional gift giver, you need to prepare.  Waiting until the last minute can lead to buying the first available thing that remotely fits, and often it is received that way.  In addition, personalized gifts that are either custom-made or specially ordered require ample advance planning to assure an on-time arrival.  This will be even more important this year.  Items may take longer to arrive due to the pandemic.  Instead of a rushed, less personal approach to demonstrating your appreciation for valued clients, partners, vendors and employees, consider taking some concrete actions now to prepare for the Holidays. These same actions can also help you with gifts for family and friends.

Start With a List of Valued Relationships

It may seem obvious that you should have a list of people to whom you want to give gifts this year.  But often, we keep that list in our heads, where it doesn’t get any action.  Instead, write it down.  Go through the valued relationships that you have in your business and write down the people who make that relationship happen.  Next to each person, write a few things that you know about the person.  Jot down hobbies, interests, personal style and other details that can help you come up with a unique gift that will be well received by this valued person.

Do Your Research to Personalize Every Gift

If you find that the information is sparse, then start listening and paying attention to details about this person.  For example, if she’s a woman, then note her jewelry style — gold or silver?  Dainty or statement? In conversation, has this person mentioned a book or DVD that they might enjoy receiving?  How about a favorite sports team or a love of theater?  Does this person prefer beer or wine?  Tuck this sort of information into the back of your mind and add it to the list you’re already developing.  Knowing what your gift recipient likes and dislikes will go a long way towards making sure that the gift you pick will be treasured or never seen again.

Create Gift Options That Reflect Personal Preferences

For each person on the list, write down one or two things you might want to give that person.  Try to tie the gift possibilities to that person’s interests.  Play around with ideas that fit different gifting budgets.  Consider whether there are issues like special orders that make purchasing a little more complex.  Now you have a shopping list, well in advance of the gifting season, and you have the time to buy the perfect, unique gift that will truly demonstrate how much you value the relationship.

How VirtuArte Supports Strategic Holiday Gifting

It’s not enough to have a great list.  You’ve taken some great, concrete steps towards giving memorable gifts.  Now it’s time to start searching out and buying the gifts themselves.  Instead of waiting until the last minute, set aside time to make your purchases so you aren’t rushing just before you want to give the gift.  This year, there may be limited quantities of certain items.  We’ve all seen what has happened with workout equipment.  By being deliberate and intentional in your gift-giving efforts, you will find that this important part of your gift-giving plan takes less time and results in some great successes.

Hand-delivering gifts adds to the gift experience, but if you can’t ship your gifts as early as possible.  Due to the pandemic, UPS, FedEx and especially USPS have been stretched.  We’ve all experienced delays in getting our packages during the year.  Add to this an election year with the increased number of mail-in ballots, and end-of-the-year shipping could experience further delays.

Do you need some help with your Holiday gift plans?  Contact VirtuArte here to set up a free consultation.

The post How to Create a Thoughtful Holiday Gift Plan That Builds Lasting Relationships appeared first on VirtuArte.

I’m not a big proponent of giving gifts to your valued clients at the end of the year.  Your gift becomes just another of the many received by your client.  I tell our clients to give their gifts before Thanksgiving or in January.  No one else is giving gifts at this time, and yours will stand out.

However, no matter when you give your gifts, to be a thoughtful gift giver, you need to prepare.  Waiting until the last minute leads to buying the first available thing that remotely fits, and often it is received that way.  In addition, personalized gifts that are either custom-made or special orders require ample advance planning to assure an on time arrival.  Instead of a rushed, less personal approach to demonstrating your appreciation for valued clients, partners and vendors, consider taking some concrete actions now to prepare for the Holidays.

Start With a List of Valued Relationships

It may seem obvious that you should have a list of people to whom you want to give gifts this year.  But often, we keep that list in our heads where it doesn’t get any action.  Instead, write it down.  Go through the valued relationships that you have in your business, and write down the people who make that relationship happen.  Next to each person, write a few things that you know about the person.  Jot down hobbies, interests, personal style and other details that can help you come up with a unique gift that will be well received by this valued person.

Do Your Research Before Choosing Gifts

If you find that the information is sparse, then start listening and paying attention to details about this person.  For example, if she’s a woman, then note her jewelry style — gold or silver?  Dainty or bulky?  In conversation, has this person mentioned a book or DVD that they might enjoy receiving? How about a favorite sports team or love of theater?  Does this person prefer beer or wine?  Tuck this sort of information into the back of your mind, and add it to the list you’re already developing.  Knowing what your gift recipient likes and dislikes will go a long way towards making sure that the gift you pick will be treasured and not trashed.

Create Thoughtful Gift Options

For your next step, for each person on the list, write down one or two things you might want to give that person.  Try to tie the gift possibilities to that person’s interests.  Play around with ideas that fit different gifting budgets, and consider whether there are issues like special orders that make purchasing a little more complex.  Now you have a shopping list, well in advance of the gifting season, and you have the time to buy the perfect, unique gift that will truly demonstrate your appreciation.

Shop Early for a Seamless Gifting Experience

It’s not enough to have a great list.  You’ve take some great, concrete steps towards giving memorable gifts.  Now it’s time to start searching out and buying the gifts themselves.  Instead of waiting until the last minute, set aside time to make your purchases so that you aren’t rushing just before you want to give the gift.  By being deliberate and intentional in your gift giving efforts, you will find that this important part of your gift giving plan takes less time and results in some great successes.

Do you need some help with your Holiday gift plans?  Contact us here to set up a free consultation.

The post September Is the Best Time to Plan Your Holiday Client Gifting appeared first on VirtuArte.

When you read, you have 85 days left to shop, do you think, “Oh, I have plenty of time!” or do you start feeling the stress of Holiday shopping?

My Past Holiday Shopping Experiences

Before I started VirtuArte, I worked for a multinational corporation and traveled extensively.  The end of the year was a crazy time, and I didn’t start to think about my Holiday shopping until two or three days before Christmas.  I never took the time to reflect upon what I was going to give anyone on my list.  I would go to the shopping mall, the stores would be crowded with people, and I would wander from store to store, hoping to see something that would make a good gift for someone on my list.

I never knew what I was looking for, but I did know I had to have something to give everyone on my list.  As Christmas Day drew closer and closer, I became more and more desperate.  I would end up buying items I saw and then try to fit the items to the individuals on my list.  Sometimes this worked out well, but most of the time I would see disappointment when my gift was opened.  The whole experience from going shopping to seeing my gift being opened was not enjoyable.

A VirtuArte Holiday Shopping Experience

Last month, I sent an email to my customer Katie asking to set up a call with her to begin discussing her year-end gifts.  Last year was the first time Katie had worked with VirtuArte to select her year-end gifts.  She still talks about the reactions and thank yous she received from her clients and friends.  From the wrapping to the handwritten card to the gift itself, each person knew that Katie had spent time specifically selecting the gift for him or her.

Katie and I had our call.  My objective for the call was to get Katie to begin thinking about and take the initial steps for her Holiday shopping.  During our discussion, Katie told me she will be increasing the number of gifts she is giving this year.  We spoke about whom she gave gifts to last year, the items she gave, and the price points.

The Holiday Gifting Process

The first step for Katie is to put together the list of people she is going to give gifts to this year.  Once she has finished her list, Katie will then write down by each person’s name interests, hobbies, places they’ve traveled to, etc., to help me identify potential gift options.  In the meantime, I will put together a list of items Katie gave last year and the prices to help her formulate her budget for this year’s gifts.  I will also send her photographs of new products as they arrive.  Starting now will reduce the stress of Holiday shopping for Katie and will ensure that I will be able to get the items she chooses well before December.

Tips for Reducing Stress

Giving a gift is a way of showing someone how much you appreciate him or her as an individual, whether in a business or personal relationship.  The process of selecting that gift should be enjoyable, not stressful.  Here are some tips for reducing Holiday shopping stress:

Before you go to a shopping mall or surf the Internet:

1. Make a list of all the people you are thinking about giving a year-end gift to
2. After each person’s name, list information about them, such as interests, hobbies, places they’ve traveled to, colors they like or wear, etc.  This will help you think of possible gifts
3. Write down a couple of gift options for each person.  This will help you narrow down the number of stores you will visit

Now you know:

1. To whom are you going to give gifts to,
2. Possible gift options for each person, and
3. Where you need to go to find those gifts.

All of this is done before you leave your house or hit “Search” on your web browser.  You are now ready to start shopping.  To further reduce that stress, don’t wait until the last minute; start your shopping as soon as you possibly can.

In the comments below, let me know how you’ve dealt with your Holiday shopping in the past.  I’d love to hear about your experience!

If you would like assistance brainstorming Holiday gift options, contact me, Debbie Myers, at (202) 297-9524 or by e-mail at dmyers@virtuarte.com.  I would be happy to help you.

The post Start Your Holiday Shopping Early to Make Gifting More Meaningful appeared first on VirtuArte.

Can you believe we’re already through two-thirds of the month of June?  Where has the year gone?  For me, June is a month of many celebrations — my sister’s birthday, graduations, Father’s Day, and weddings are ones that come to mind right away. These moments are the perfect opportunity to think beyond the expected and explore unique gift ideas that make celebrations truly memorable.

Choosing the Easy Gift Versus the Thoughtful Gift

Like most people, when I was invited to a wedding, I would find out where the couple was registered, go to that store, pick an item from the registry, and have it shipped to the couple.  I often took the easy route and selected a place setting of their silverware or dinnerware.  I hardly put any thought into the gift and it showed.  I’m sure when the couple used my gift, they didn’t remember who gave it to them.

A VirtuArte Wedding Gifting Experience

Recently, Barbara, a VirtuArte customer, was going to a wedding and wanted to give her friends a gift from VirtuArte.  I asked her if she had looked at the wedding gift registry.  She told me they had asked for dishes, glasses, salad servers, serving bowls, and a wine decanter.  After hearing what the couple was requesting, I made the following suggestions:

Barbara made the selection.  I wrapped the gift, included the handwritten card about where the item came from, the artist, and how it was made, and shipped it to the bride and groom.  A few weeks later, Barbara called to tell me she had received a beautiful thank you note from the couple.  What stood out in the note was the couple told her whenever they used the serving plate, the couple would think of her and remember their wedding day.  This is exactly what you want a gift to do.

How to Choose a Unique Wedding Gift

If you find yourself in need of a wedding gift this month:

1. Take a look at the wedding registry
2. Select an item similar to what is being requested but is unique.  It can be handcrafted, have a story, or come from a place the couple visited.
3. Wrap it beautifully and include a handwritten card.  The gifting experience starts with how the gift is presented.
4. Ship the gift to the couple or take it to the wedding.

What’s a gift you’ve received from someone that really stands out?  That makes you remember the person who gave it to you every time you see it?  Thoughtful, unique gift ideas have that kind of lasting impact. Share a photo in the comments below or on the VirtuArte Facebook Page.  I can’t wait to see them!

The post Giving Unique Gift Makes Every Celebration More Meaningful appeared first on VirtuArte.

At a time when retailers are selling the latest products at very low prices, these movements are working to get people to become more aware and/or conscious of what they are purchasing and the social and ecological impact those purchases can have, both positive and negative.  VirtuArte embraces these movements and in 2018 we are committed to creating a greater awareness of where our products come from, who makes them and the social impact a purchase from VirtuArte can have.

The “Fast Movements” Affect Handcrafted Products

Before starting VirtuArte, I found, in my travels, many beautiful items handcrafted by artisans in developing countries using traditional skills.  You can think of this as “the slow” process.  But I also found, in some places, there were fewer and fewer artisans making these items because the younger generations are not interested in learning these traditional skills.  There are a number of reasons for this, but the main reason is that the younger generation didn’t see a way of earning a sustainable living using these skills.  If the younger generations stay in their villages or towns, they opt for faster ways to create products, using cheaper materials that damage their health and the environment, or they just sell cheaply made products from China, India or other countries.  This can be seen in the products now sold in local markets.  If these individuals decide to leave their towns or villages they move to the larger cities in their countries in hopes of finding a job and a better quality of life.  What often happens is these individuals find low paying jobs or no jobs at all and end up living in worse conditions then if they had stayed “home.”

These traditional skills are an important part of a country’s culture.  They are not written down anywhere.  The only way these skills are kept alive is by the older generations teaching them to the younger generations.  If these skills are not used, they are lost and then become very difficult, if not impossible, to revive.  I started VirtuArte to assist artisans in developing countries to generate a sustainable income through the sale of their handcrafted works of art, thus preserving these traditional skills.

Gift Giving Tips For The Conscious Consumer

The next time you have a gift-giving occasion, choose an item that:

1. Is unique and handcrafted.  These items are often one-of-a-kind or limited quantities and keep the traditional methods of weaving, sculpting, carving, jewelry making and other skills alive;
2. Is respectful of people.  Often individuals, workshops or cooperatives proudly state in their product information that providing environmentally safe working conditions, living wages, and skills development are an important part of their mission; and
3. Has a story behind it.  Knowing where, how and who made an item gives more vibrancy and meaning to a gift.

Ultimately, make your gift selection based on the aspirations, likes and wants of the recipient, however, be conscious of the impact your purchase can have on others and the environment.

The post How Conscious Gift Giving Supports Artisans and Cultural Traditions appeared first on VirtuArte.

I was at a networking event and one of my vendors came up to me and gave me a gift.  It was a box of chocolate covered Oreo cookies with the VirtuArte logo on some of the cookies and her company logo on others.  The gift was not wrapped and it had a pre-printed card.  I thanked her for the gift.  As she walked away I thought to myself this person doesn’t know me.  If she did she would have known I don’t eat desserts or candy very often.  I also figured I was one of many clients to whom she had given the same gift.

Here are a couple of tips for giving a business gift:

Don’t give a gift just to give a gift. If you are going to give a client, colleague or employee a gift, give them something that has meaning to them and will be appreciated.

Get to know the person. Building on point #1.  In my post dated 14 November 2017 I give a list of questions to answer.  If you take the time to answer these questions for each of your gift recipients you will know what kind of gift to give each person.

This is a “thank you” gift, not a promotional gift. Don’t put your logo on the gift.  When was the last time you received a birthday gift with the name of the person who gave it to you engraved on it.  If you must have something on the gift that ties it to your company do something subtle, such as using ribbon in your company colors.

Wrap to “Wow.” In last week’s blog post I wrote about creating a gift giving experience.  Part of that experience is in the presentation of the gift.  Spend time wrapping the gift.  People receive gifts with their eyes.

Hand write a card. The reason for giving a gift is to express your appreciation for the business relationship you have with that person.  A pre-printed card doesn’t have the same effect on the recipient.

What is going to happen to the box of chocolate covered Oreo cookies?  I’m not going to eat these cookies.  Paul, my significant other, doesn’t like chocolate so he won’t eat them either.  I ended up giving the box to Paul to take to the office and his colleagues ate the cookies.

I know this isn’t what my vendor had in mind when she thought about giving me a “thank you” gift for my business.  However the truth is, this is what happens to a lot of “business gifts.”  The item is often put in a drawer or closet, given away or thrown away.  If you are going to spend the money on a gift, give something that will be displayed or used by your client.  Every time they use or look at it you will be thought of.

Copyright : Wavebreak Media Ltd

Before you give your next “thank you” gift, take the time to think about what will be meaningful to your recipient.

The post Business Gift Giving Tips To Make a Lasting Impression appeared first on VirtuArte.