NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS

Everyone loves to receive gifts that are creative, thoughtful and presented with flair. But gift giving is an art that few do well.

To begin with, choosing a memorable yet affordable gift requires time and imagination. But the challenge doesn't end there. Packaging and presentation often are as important as the gift itself.

Enter Simply Northwest, a professional gift service that has won the hearts and loyalty of husbands and wives, executives, meeting planners, secretaries and more. "Gift giving sends an important message," said De Scott, owner of Simply Northwest. "It's a reflection of your feelings. It tells the recipient: You, the relationship, or the business you provide, is valuable. "If someone does their homework finding out about your feelings, preferences and hobbies, it shows they think the relationship is important enough to nurture." Scott began Simply Northwest a decade ago as a part-time home business. But within a few years, her creativity, drive and marketing savvy had propelled it into a full-time venture. In 1996, Simply Northwest earned the business community's highest praise, the Spokane Chamber of Commerce Agora Award for best small business in the region. The most important recognition, however, comes daily from clients. "Gifts are an important aspect of my business," said Tim Szymanowski, vice president of sales and marketing for Telect Inc. "When I give a gift, I want it to be classy and unique. De Scott and her team are focused on meeting my requirements, and they make it easy. It's just a matter of picking up the phone. I can throw out a thought or a theme, and they'll come up with an idea that's perfect. They are wonderful, creative people, providing a terrific service." Scott's varied career provides a good background for relating to her customers and their needs. In addition to being a wife and mother, she has been a secretary, marketing representative and saleswoman. "Ten years ago, this region was just starting to emerge as a destination point," Scott said. "Businesspeople from major metropolitan areas told me they envied the simplicity of our lifestyle. Having grown up in the Northwest, I knew this region had a lot of unique things to offer - huckleberries, Walla Walla sweet onions, salmon, silver mining. So I decided to market it. "We started by focusing on food. It was an easy choice, because everybody loves to eat, plus it's fun to try new things. Scott's idea was an instant success. In the early years, she targeted her sales at meeting and convention planners, and the hospitality industry, establishing herself as the premier gift basket business. Today, gift baskets are still the biggest volume seller, with 12,000 delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year's in 1998. But the business has expanded its product line far beyond that level. With its headquarters and showroom at 11808 E. Sprague, Simply Northwest now caters to corporate and retail customers, as well as visitors and conventions. Its product selection includes nearly every type of Northwest food and craft you can think of, from huckleberry vinegar and popcorn to hand-crafted rock candles, silver-dipped pine cones, Adirondack furniture, birdhouses, wreaths, wind chimes, teddy bears, wine, and elk antler pen and pencil sets. To make sure gifts are presented with a certain panache, Simply Northwest designs and manufactures custom packaging for each occasion, such as engraving for wine bottles and other glass items; imprinting on mugs, ribbons and boxes; and, laser-etched wood picture frames. Picture a package shaped like a red stick of dynamite, with a message shouting "Thanks for a Dynamite Job," or "Sorry We Blew It." Creative packaging can make all the difference, said Scott. You may be limited to a $1 per person budget, but we can make it look like $5. Several years ago, Simply Northwest won over Saturn car dealers when it suggested treating car buyers, who were patiently awaiting the arrival of their automobiles like expectant parents. Special "newborn baskets" were created for car buyers nationwide, winning both Saturn and Simply Northwest kudos and customer loyalty. If service is the key to success, Julie Prafke, president of Humanix Personnel Service, is sold on Simply Northwest. "It just makes my life easier," she said.. "Their salespeople always act like you are their only customer. They have an imaginative team, and I never have to worry about finding the perfect gift, no matter how outlandish the request." Another twist to Simply Northwest's services has been an expansion into international customs and gift-giving. To make sure it is all done appropriately, Scott and her staff have researched gift-giving customs of many countries. "Give someone an inappropriate gift or present and you can squelch a deal," said Scott. "You don't want to present a package wrapped in white to a Japanese customer, for example, because white signifies death. Giving a pen and pencil set, however, would be good, because twins are a sign of good luck." All in all, Simply Northwest has made creative gift giving a fun and profitable art.

Copyright 1999 Cowles Publishing Company
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.