The importance of showing appreciation and gratitude is amplified with the Year of the Dragon, as this legendary creature of myth and legend is a symbol of good fortune, great deeds, innovative ideas and big projects. From a business perspective, recognizing this important Chinese zodiac sign shows respect, which helps cultivate and strengthen goodwill among colleagues.  Mutual respect, the cornerstone of every relationship, is essential to optimizing customer and client loyalty, referrals and customer satisfaction.

Successful business is founded on successful relationships. Respect fosters and solidifies business in the following ways:

• Signals ethical intent,
• Communicates there’s “no hidden agenda ”,
• Demonstrates teamwork and partnership, sharing knowledge and experiences,
• Creates transparency,
• Is tangible evidence of attention and care to the other person,
• Shows you are interested in the other persons’ point of view,
• Gives credibility when honoring commitments and delivering on your brand promise,
• Indicates your willingness to relate to the other party in the spirit of win/win.

Sending a token of appreciation recognizing the Chinese New Year is one measure in fortifying existing relationships and opening new ones. Engendering goodwill is a helpful ally to long term business engagements.

Looking for business gifts when visiting Asia? Need advice on international etiquette do’s and don’ts? Contact us at info@dianamartingifts.com or call us at 9496312727 x 202 and we’ll help guide you through the process.

Rock Stars or Awards?

A recent article in the 1/3/12 Wall Street Journal highlights a handful of tech companies, such as Oracle, bringing in superstar performers for their annual customer/techie conference. Oracle scored both Tom Petty and Sting this year as well as other rock giants in the past, such as Elton John and Billy Joel. Pop star Christina Aguilera entertained Microsoft’s top salespeople while Ebay hired the Shins to play over the course of 12 planning meetings for senior executives.As one CEO stated, getting well-known rockers “is a best practice” and “even conservative investors would realize that it was a good investment”.

Not everyone can or will make the investment of between $500,000 to 1.5M (in addition to all the ancillary costs associated with the performance) to book a Rock Star. Indeed, when considering that the ultimate aim is to engage employees, a recognition program that honors key achievers will enhance attitude, innovation and performance without disrupting company budgets. We’ve all heard the saying, “A happy employee is a productive employee.” “Companies that manage and recognize their people outperform companies that don’t by 30 to 40% … A recent WorldatWork study found that 85 percent to 95 percent of all incentive programs reach or exceed their goals.”

Effective employee recognition enhances motivation and satisfaction, increases productivity and contributes to improved organizational performance. The most effective employee recognition programs have multi-faceted and multi-tiered events. This means that recognition is intended to support and value employees, to positively reinforce their initiative and creativity and to enhance business performance.

Diana Martin Gifts has partnered with companies across the country to support employee recognition programs designed to align employee performance with business growth and profit objectives. We provide customized approaches to acknowledge, recognize and reward employees. Contacting us is the first step in increasing employee productivity.

Looking for a retirement gift for an executive that has everything or ideas for saluting your most creative and innovative employees, send us an email with your questions at info@dianamartingifts.com or call us at 9496312727 x 202.

Top Color 2012 – Tangerine Tango

The hottest color of 2012, according to the Pantone Color Institute, is Tangerine Tango, a shade of bright reddish orange.

The color’s pop of vivacious energy is appealing to a wide audience, from haute fashion to promotional products. This inviting color brings optimism and the energy boost to recharge.

Orange, gentler than the fire of red, is a symbol of success and good luck. Perhaps this is why the iconic Hermes luxury house doesn’t even quiver during a recession.

Orange signals not only vitality, but also urgency and strength — associations that should resonate in a year in which many are hoping to start seeing changes. The color can be related
to personal power and self-worth, with the ability to extract and effectively draw from this power. The saffron robes worn by Buddhist monks reflected divine love. Roman brides wore
orange veils as emblems of the permanence of marriage.

Whether to add a burst of color to your wardrobe or to become better enlightened, let this sophisticated color raise your spirits and outlook.

With the holidays in full steam, we find ourselves toasting everything from people, events, the New Year, optimism, hope, highlights of 2011 and dreams of 2012.

For a polished toast to keep the ears perked, here a few tips to make the most of your toast!

• A toast should not be too long or embarrassing – keeping it short and meaningful is the key to a successful toast.
• Maintain eye-contact & speak from the heart.
• Let your guests know how excited and thankful you are to be able to share this moment together.
• Do not prepare too much, it is best to be spontaneous.
• A toast should be short enough to be memorized – no longer than a minute – especially if there are others who will follow.
• Begin by raising your glass to eye-level and look directly at the person or persons you will be toasting. As you speak, bring your gaze around the room to the other guests.
• Toasts should not be reserved for formal occasions.
• If possible, touch glasses with every person to celebrate and accept the toast. If the crowd is too large, touch glasses with the person you are toasting and they will pass the toast along from one person to the next.
• There are no rules regarding champagne glasses – from the classic crystal flute to the more colorful and artful glasses – all are appropriate. For a small dinner party, mix and match glasses to bring that extra sparkle to the evening.

Does this situation sound strangely familiar to you? Well, in fact, it should. One aspect of our life that has remained steadfast from the 18th century to today has been the need for documentation in writing. Enlightening experiences, exciting discoveries and life-changing ideas must be recorded before they can be developed. The creation of writing gave civilization the tools for creative expression and the capability to build culture. The cornerstone that made this possible is a tool we often take for granted: the pen.

Pens made of reed or quill have been in use since ancient times, as early as 190 B.C. The name “pen” is derived from “penna avis,” meaning bird feathers. A premier quill pen was created if the feather was taken off a living bird, in springtime, from one of the five large feathers on the left wing (due to the natural curve). The feathers were “dutched” by baking them in sand, after which they were dipped in boiling water, which cleaned and strengthened their core.

The Americana Silver Edition Rollerball is a result of over 2,000 years of evolution in the art of building a perfect writing instrument. The creative inner mechanism of the pen is operated by the Liberty Bell, an iconic symbol of American Freedom. The outside of the pen features a meticulously intricate scrimshaw technique to replicate the full text of the Declaration of Independence into the barrel of the pen. With aged sterling silver trims and images of the Founding Fathers, the pen embodies the fortitude, diligence and grace with which America was founded.

Pens have long been a symbol of knowledge, communication and collaboration. The motto “The pen is mightier than the sword” embodies the truth that a good writer has more power than a soldier on the battlefield. Writing has the ability to end a war, develop an international partnership or launch a new venture. Writing is ever-enduring: it is what allows ideas to outlive their generators. It establishes relationships and encourages teamwork. It fuels our collective creativity.

Yes, writing is an art. An art that allows us to alter history with the flourish of a wrist and a strong pen in hand. To place the power of the Declaration of Independence in your hand, please contact our gift consultants at 949-631-2727 or at info@dianamartingifts.com.

Included with each Americana Silver Edition Rollerball are a scroll and an ornate magnifying glass to view the sophisticated design, text and images in greater detail. The gift comes with a special collector’s edition box made from American walnut wood, with a leather lid engraved with the names of the signatories from the historic act. Edition is limited to 776 pens.

The Chinese are incredibly skilled at assigning deeper meanings to various symbols to represent a condition or energy. Walking through their country is a true education. Among the myriad of symbols, the Chinese symbols for longevity are widespread and quite intriguing. For example, would you ever think of a gourd representing long life? The gourd in Chinese culture is used in the art of Feng Shui extensively. A long, healthy, prosperous life is one of the most admirable and highest goals of humanity. It only makes sense that the Chinese, along with so many other cultures, would establish many symbols to represent the facets of longevity.

For this reason, gift giving can be viewed as ceremonial with an outcome that can be an essential determinant of success or failure. Equally important is the recognition of  an organization’s hierarchy whereby the most prominent gifts are given to the most prominent figures. Properly executed, it enhances goodwill. Poorly thought, a business relationship, or guanxi, is severely challenged.

Business development in China continues to grow at a rapid pace. For this reason, understanding and respecting their culture and cultural nuances is beneficial in building guanxi.