Business presents at all levels

As Győző Sauer, managing director of 3L Present Kft says, “Giving a present feels good”. However, his colleagues responsible for buying presents would disagree, as it is not easy to come up with creative presents every year. According to Éva Bosnyák, managing director of Present Store, once we have given someone a gift, we have to keep this habit, otherwise it might damage our image. In the opinion of Éva Váradi, purchasing and marketing director of Golding, we should work out how much time we’ll need for buying presents and making a decision about them, well in advance, because people leaving such decisions to the last moment have a limited choice. János Király, managing director of Laurus2000 points out the importance of the time factor. Unlike in Europe, Christmas purchases in Hungary usually begin in October, which leaves less time for suppliers to do their job. Promix will choose presents for us provided we give them a brief. They even provide ideas for purchasers on their web site. According to Andrea Horváth marketing manager, professional suppliers of presents can make purchasing easier for their partners. Professional suppliers of business presents generate 60 percent of their annual sales in the last three months of the year. The maximum value of presents is lower this year than in the past. While the minimum value is HUF 500, the maximum is 5 000. Products related to poker and wine have become popular in recent years. True presents should not be confused with promotional products like plastic pens or baseball caps. Classic presents like umbrellas, clothing, pen drives or MP3 players are also popular. One of the most important considerations in choosing a present is elegant, but practical packaging. This is the area where the biggest changes have taken place in recent years. Changes in trends are carefully monitored by Dunapack Papír és Csomagolóanyag Zrt. Their production technology allows them to manufacture corrugated cardboard which is nearly as thin as cardboard, significantly lighter, and far more rigid, which makes it ideal for fragile gifts. In their opinion, professional suppliers of business presents are not yet fully aware of the possibilities offered by corrugated cardboard. This is why many presents are packaged in metal, plastic or wooden boxes, although paper boxes can be made very aesthetic. Zsuzsa Zsebő marketing director, emphasises that they always manufacture their own presents from recycled paper. Environmental consciousness has appeared in the market of business presents. ECO products only account for a small part of sales at the moment, but their popularity is increasing. This is also true for gift packages composed of bio products which can generate sympathy towards the company. There are also things to be avoided. A logo on an elegant product can ruin its value. However, there is nothing wrong with a logo on the packaging. Sizes can be a problem when clothing is chosen as the business present. Engraving different names or initials is also difficult in large quantities. According to Ildikó Gálik, strategic partner of Manager Publishing, passing on of a present is the biggest danger. A few years ago, one out of two people getting business gifts received the same music CD. Cultural traditions and religion should also be taken into consideration. For example, a Muslim should not be given an alcoholic beverage as a present. Giving foreign partners some Hungarian speciality is a good idea. Elegant gifts are often ordered from Szamos Marcipán. They have good contacts with china manufacturers, but customers often prefer wooden presentation boxes which can be fitted with a logo. The Szamos logo is usually also displayed as a sign of premium quality. Top management and key partners should always be given personalised gifts, and these should be handed over personally when possible. An invitation to a special event or program like opera, or sailing can also serve as a present. Caprice watches and jewels are an exclusive alternative among precious gifts. Among Caprice products which come with a warranty period of four years, we can find examples of solid elegance and lavish luxury as well.