Giving

We have all heard it is better to give than receive. It does feel awesome to give, and I also believe when one gives from the heart, genuinely, the receiver feels just as much good. I’ve been thinking about how, for a living, I help people give and how there are many different ways one gives- whether things, time, ideas, thoughts, advice, or suggestions. In this blog, I am giving- sharing ideas because it is good.

Giving at the office
Click here to see six easy ways that by giving (with little or no cost), leaders, managers and companies will empower, inspire, retain and motivate their employees.

Giving for the holidays
And for those same companies, as well as individuals who may be wondering what and how to give this holiday season on a limited or no budget, our Gift Giving Tips also offers three holiday tips to help keep your costs down, while ensuring your message is genuine, and your gift of quality.

Giving to the community
There is much in the community that can benefit when people give a little time. My husband and our two sons volunteer in our city, removing graffiti around the neighborhood. We do it because we genuinely care, and it does feel great to give back to the community we live in.

Click here to read the story in our local newspaper.

Enjoy receiving as much as I have enjoyed giving.
Janet

Above and Beyond - Being Picky Pays Off

We have gained a reputation for being picky- I like to call it “particular.”
Are we picky? You bet we are!

We are picky- picky, or should I say particular, about details, quality, and service from our suppliers, just as our customers are as picky, I mean particular, about the gifts and service they receive.

We select suppliers who, like us, separate themselves from the competition by doing everything with excellence. I often say to my team that we are only as good as our suppliers, so it is important we choose and have relationships with suppliers who understand our needs in helping our client stand out from the rest- we make them look great.

One such supplier, who is officially our Janet Helm HERO OF THE MONTH, is Deb Hoffman of Deelor Sales & Marketing. Deb literally went out of her way to ensure a job would finish with the quality and price we asked for.

We choose to work with Deb to provide our custom hand-wrapped gift boxes for our custom tartan scarves, as well as other custom packaging designs. Not only did Deb save us time and money, but she also saved our client their time and money!

Thanks, Deb.
Janet

Thinking Outside the Gift Box - "Recognizing in Tough Times"

This year in particular, does the mere mention of holiday gift buying have you stuck between a rock and a hard place? Whether the market is up or down, smart companies have long recognized the value and advantage of a well-designed gift program.

This holiday season we see a return to the basics – gifts with purpose, thoughtful essentials, and earth-saving strategies - gifts that communicate the sincerity, excellence, and value that clients, employees, and stakeholders are looking for.

Join me as I share new, effective, and inspiring recognizing techniques for companies large and small in the new talk for my popular Thinking Outside the Gift Box series - "Recognizing in Tough Times." Until October 15, we are pleased to offer this results-driven talk absolutely free.

To book me for your event or for a private corporate presentation, call Jen Hiebert at 604 730.2600 or visit www.janethelm.com. Opportunities are limited, so book yours today.

What questions do you have as this holiday season approaches? How can I best help you now and during the busy holiday time? Feel free to post your questions or comments on this or any other post, as I would love to hear from you.

Janet

Our New Website is Live!

Welcome to our new website! We are excited to share with you the new design and information, as we go all-out to achieve our goal to be your first stop for gifts, your valuable resource for meaningful recognition.

Jen Hiebert, our Operations Manager, is our guest blogger today. Thanks, Jen.
Janet

Hello!

We are thrilled to present to you the new janethelm.com! When creating recognition gifts for you and your recipients, our focus is always on the story, the quality, and the personal service, and we want to extend this focus to our website, as well.

A few special new features to visit include:
Our Philosophy – find out more about what drives us, and our new icon!
Ready To Give – an exciting collection of effortless, well-designed gifts
Oh Canada – a growing selection of quality Canadian gifts
Expanded Portfolio section – view more examples of how we’ve helped our clients

We will be adding more exciting content in the near future. To be among the first to hear all about it, sign up for our blog or contact Janet to join our Design & Gift News.

Jen

It's all About You.

As we are updating our website (more to come on this soon), I find myself more interested in the About You section than the About Us section. After all, it is about you, our customer. Without you, we would not have an About Us section, so here’s to you.

ABOUT YOU
To say you are busy is an understatement. You have seen it all, and want more than just products, you want experiences for your recipients. You demand the best, work with the best, and won’t settle for less. You have many tasks to do in a day—finding eco-friendly ideas that genuinely communicate your message and managing gift programs are just two of a hundred or more to-dos on your list. You need an assistant, you need a vacation, you need someone to help make your job easier.

You are emailing us from your blackberry because your boss is retiring in 7 days and you need an amazing gift to give and present at the reception. Seven days later we received this email from you (again from your blackberry).

“Thanks so much for making this work! I can't tell you what a relief that was!”
Michelle, Global TV, Vancouver

You have an event in Paris for top executives. What are you going to give that they don’t already have or can’t just buy? All this and it need to be effortless to travel back to the US, too. You have a budget and can’t go over a penny. Help, you say.

“Thank you. The painting and prints were beautiful. It was a very rewarding experience working with you again! Shipping to Paris was perfect! Thanks for everything!!!!!!”
Glenda, The Coca-Cola Company, Atlanta

We tip our Janet Helm hats to you, those who get it all done in a day. I am proud to say we are a part of your team, to help you look great with little effort. Your dedication to helping recognize meaningfully and making the best use of budget is to be congratulated.

Well done! (Now get back to work.)
Janet
ps. be sure to click here to subscribe to our blog and you will receive all of our updates.

Thinking of Mothers this week – Super Heroes, Super Service

My four year old drew a picture of me as a super hero and told me how super he thinks of me because I read to him and play with him.

Wow, the amazingly positive impact of how listening and simply being there for him reminds me of how customer service is just that: listening to the client, understanding what they want to achieve and delivering what they have asked for. I am extremely proud of the service we provide our clients and want to share some examples of our own heroes at Janet Helm giving Super Service.

Jen, Operations Manager, delivered exceptional customer service this week when she designed and created a custom cardboard box for a client who was traveling to New Orleans with original artwork. Working with a Louisiana photographer, we created stunning b&w framed prints of a jazz player for our client to give to top performers at a special recognition event being held in their honor. Knowing our client was taking the original as carry-on luggage aboard the flight, Jen crafted the perfect box to safely and effortlessly transport the artwork. Jen’s motto: there’s always a way!

Marina, Project Manager, recently completed a project for a client who required 246 unique glass awards to recognize their sales team. Each custom designed award was etched with logos and the recipients’ name and packaged in a custom keepsake box.

As the awards were to be distributed to all recipients located in 59 locations worldwide on the same day, it was critical the shipments be delivered on schedule. Working with three shipping companies, Marina ensured the awards were delivered on time and on budget by the most cost-effective shipping service available. Mission accomplished!

Kat, our graphic designer, continues to inspire our team and amaze our clients with her brilliant work. She enthusiastically takes on new projects and has amazing results. She’s not one to boast so I will for her. Last month, after successfully completing her diploma in Graphic Design, Kat was officially honored as “Top of the Class” for her outstanding achievements. A real super hero!

Celebrate Vancouver

With Earth Day just past, I find myself so much more aware of what little steps I can do, this year more than ever before. As a mom, I feel it is genuinely the right thing to do, as a company it simply makes good business sense as more and more of our clients want green gifts and meeting ideas that are more than the standard ideas - concepts that are stylish, naturally and responsibly.



The timing is perfect as Vancouver, my home town and the location of our studio, prepares to host the winter Olympics in 2010, where sustainability is an integral part of the games. We are excited to help our local and international clients give environmentally innovative ideas. I will keep our clients up to date with our Green Gift Line we are providing.

Please visit the official website of the games http://www.vancouver2010.com/ to see a photograph of my sons, by photographer Janis Nicolay, celebrating the fresh air Vancouver is known for, as well as other people celebrating the countdown excitement, and check out all the exciting news happening in our grand city.

Janet