The sales promotion market in the UK is sophisticated and varied with campaigns running throughout the year including corporate gifts, business gifts and promotional items. Gone are the days when business gifts were only ever bought at Christmas time for key customers or staff. But Christmas is still an important time for the promotional industry with many companies only buying business gifts to give out during the festive period.
As with Christmas gifts for family and friends, corporate christmas gifts says that you care and that is a key message for businesses to convey; whether that’s to key customers as a thank you for business over the past year, or for recognition and appreciation of a year of hard work.
Monetry bonus, wine or other alcoholic gifts, or even vouchers, are always well received, but the effect is often short term and it’s likely it won’t be remembered much longer than the contents of the bottle or the time it takes to spend the bonus. A business gift, however, will not only make a fantastic first impression, but will stay with the recipient much longer than a more instant but ultimately short lived gift.
Obviously it is important that any business gift chosen is appropriate and will be desirable to your target audience; something that will be valued and desirable, but also something that they will want to keep and use. The Business Gifts Company have over 4000 promotional items to choose from so that if Christmas is the only time you source business gifts, we can help you get it right.
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Conferences and events are one of the most common reasons for the procurement of business gifts and promotional items. Savvy organisations and companies realise that whenever the get a group of “stakeholders” in one place whether that’s shareholders, customers, staff, distributors or association members, there is a great opportunity to reinforce brand values and deliver a marketing or promotional message.
There are so many opportunities in such a scenario it’s a little bit like product placement in a top rated TV show or high grossing movie. Sometimes the message is obvious; James Bond driving an Aston Martin (or is it BMW now), or a little more subliminal; like Michael J Fox using a JVC video recorder in back to the future.
And so, if you’re organising an event, don’t miss every opportunity to project your brand and campaign objectives.
For example; a company has a organised an event for key customers and resellers to launch a new service – the corporate event is residential with delegates put up in a hotel together. So what opportunities for promotional product placement are there in this scenario.
- No doubt the marketing process will start with an invitation, so send a travel related branded item with the invitation; such as a luggage tag or travel wallet.
- The first thing they’ll do is check into their rooms, make sure there is a corporate gift waiting for them; either very useful, or really premium works best here; so a travel clock is a fantastic idea as it covers both bases.
- Any formal “gathering” is an ideal opportunity for brand building; you should consider; promotional conference folders, a promotional pen to accompany it, maybe a calculator – obviously all branded with your logo or promotional message.
- There will no doubt be food provision and whilst buffets are perhaps not the most condusive for giving out business gifts, more formal “sit down” meals are ideal. Table gifts are a delight and recipients have nothing else to do once initially seated, than open them and discuss them with the other delagates on the table. This really could be anything and will depend on your target audience; but something personal works extremely well here such as a business card holder; attendees at this sort of event will be professionals and so will have business cards so this sort of high perceived value but cost effective item is perfect. For an added touch that will really impress why not add engraved individual names?
- At the end of any good event there should be a leaving present to send them merrily on their way; again this really could be anything; but ausb flashdrive or digital photoframe would work particularly well; modern, contemporary, will be used by the recipient long after the event, and you can upload your product or company information before hand.
These are just a few ideas to spark your imagination and intimate knowledge of your own event will no doubt give you even more opportunities for product placement. And don’t forget to carry through your promotional message and corporate identity to graphics (presentation, stationery, etc). Good luck!
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Vouchers are an extremely popular and integral part of the promotional mix. They offer flexibility, choice, and they’re easy – a no brainer really. I always felt, however, that vouchers are a bit like your aunty putting a fiver in your birthday card – great – but ultimately forgetable, no emotional connection is made, and down deep you knew it was just an easy option for Aunty Mary.
Business gifts are just that – Gifts. Both staff and customerslike to feel valued and appreciated and there are many surveys that confirm that receiving a promotional incentive is ultimately more important than a financial reward.
Vouchers or simple salary bonuses can be impersonal and their effect is extremely short lived. A well thought through gift gives the impression that someone has really thought about the recipients.
Staff are not just payroll numbers, they’re individual people too, and so when they receive a gift, they respond as people receiving a token of appreciation from another person. A personal connection is made, building good will and loyalty. The same goes for customers too.
It’s an old cliché, but it really is the thought that counts (even more so at Christmas). Business Gifts really do make an emotional connection that will build good will and loyalty. You need to give an awful lot of vouches or salary bonus to get that sort of return on your investment.
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I recently read an article with a bold claim, “Addressing environmental issues will save your company money and make you more successful”. Wow, it doesn’t get much better than that. And whilst the green lobby is still making progress the economic crisis around the world has taken a little edge off the debate, and you feel that to drive significant change in the present downturn, it really does need to be every bit as good as that to make an impact.
TOP TIPS FOR OFFICE RECYCLING
- Introduce a staff awareness campaign – you’ll find that most people are behind the idea and just need a little poke in the right direction – make everyone sign up!
- Make sure management are involved – visibly and practically – otherwise the campaign will lack creditbility.
- Try to get everyone involved in monitoring and recording results – the efforts will be more effective if staff are directly involved rather than passively watching from the sidelines.
- Look online for research, tips and advice – there is a wealth of information out there free of charge.
- Don’t procrastinate or overplan – just get going and make something happen – you can always hone your strategy as you go.
- Start simple with something everyone can understand and get behind eg banning plastic bags in the work place.
- Get some fun into it – saving the planet is of course a serious subject but positive action is a reason to celebrate – so make sure it’s all not too heavy or authoritarian and build some fun into tasks and activities.
- Reward people for their good work and enable them to feel proud of their green achievements. Offer incentives for positive behaviour such as competetions, prizes, and recognition – motivate them and keep momentum going.
- Buy Green – there are more and more green products coming onto the market all the time – keep looking – even if the thing you were looking for wasn’t available last time.
At The Business Gifts Co, as well as our standard range of eco friendly gifts, we actively source more and more environmentally sound promotional gift solutions every week; whether it’s a product with an eco-friendly function, or made from recyclable materials, or whether you need a business gift made in the UK rather than shipped from China, we can help with green requirements. Call today on 0845 430 2902.
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I read a recent article by entrepreneur Oli Barret in which commented on how things can be so obvious that we don’t even see them; namely “seeing the wood for the trees”. Great businesses and entrepreneurs are able to cut through all the deadwood and often grasp the blindingly obvious (and most importantly act on it, of course).
Barret sites various high profile examples; Rocco Forte (of Forte Hotels fame) who once famously said, “The secret of delivering good service is to employ nice people”. Or a famous film producer who when asked what made a great story replied, “Having a great story to tell”. And author Ken Robinson commenting when a teacher claimed her pupils were bored in class suggested it might be because the lesson was actually boring.
Obvious, isn’t it? But we all suffer from missing the obvious from time to time (some more than others, of course).
How many marketers reach for advertising,tv, media, or emailers, when a more targeted and cost effective method is staring them in the face? Sales promotion, and particularly Business Gifts is a great way to reach targeted and segmented sections of your customer base or highly identified new propects. Business Gifts create a tangible impact with a longevity that is hard to match. They can convey highly relevent marketing and promotional messages that communicate with the target directly (some products can even be personalised with individual names to give that personal touch). Different products or delivery methods can be chosen for distinct segments of your database so that the promotional item is desirable and appropriate to the recipient.
The Business Gifts Company have over 4000 products to choose from from caps and clothing to electronics and executive – so when you’re looking for promotional items to create the maximum return on your marketing campaign, well, the answer is obvious.
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Many companies have needed to make serious cuts as a result of the downturn in business due to the recession. This has meant redundancies for many companies and whilst this is difficult and unfortunate for those that have lost their jobs , it can often be extremely difficult for those that are left behind.
Making the cuts is just a start; managing the business and motivating staff after the event is where the real work begins.
Communication is key with remaining staff especially regarding the direction of the business and where they fit in – they need to be reassured and motivated – speak to them individually and get to know what pushes their buttons. Consider incentives to motivate staff, and not just financial; which obviously makes sense when budgets are tight. Rewards such as an early Friday finish or flexible working may not be the big bonuses they’ve come to expect, but if you’ve done the job of communication well, your staff will appreciate the effort and feel engaged with your company.
Ensure success, achievement and positive attitude is recognised; this is a great way to boost individual and team spirit. Consider, too, sales promotion style incentives; from vouchers to business gifts, they can be presented individually, to a team, or company wide.
For example; business card holders are perfect for executive level or sales staff, digital photo frames are great for any office staff whether for use at home or to take home, and computer accessories are alway desirable and well received. All can be branded with your promotional message or corporate logo.
admin Business Gifts Information Business Card Holders, business gift, business gifts, Photo Frames
To give our readership a brief look into what’s hot at the moment we thought it’d be a good idea to list the top 5 hot promotional products of the moment:
Reflecap – Cotton Cap
Astro – Rotating Clock/Picture Frame
Mintcard – Creditcard Mint Dispenser
Colindales – 2M Measuring Tape
Tau – Pc Accessory Pack
Should you have a requirement for these of any promotional product then please contact us for moe information.
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As Christmas is nearly here once more, I thought it would be interesting to write about some of the psychological aspects of gift giving.
To summarise; giving a gift to someone is a very simple process but the psychology behind this act of giving is more complicated than people realise.
All sorts of scientists from psychologists to economists have studied the purpose and complexities of giving gifts in human beings and have compiled a huge amount of data regarding it.
It isn’t unusual for people to claim they are going to opt out of giving gifts altogether, because they think that Christmas is too commercialised, this can be detrimental to social bond building… Let me explain:
The act of giving gifts actually facilitates a variety of social goals. Giving a gift strengthens an already existing bond between two individuals (this can obviously be extrapolated to a company or organisation level).
In nature, giving gifts is evident in males giving gifts to females in order to mate. Those with the better and bigger gifts have more success than those who were less generous. This again can be extrapolated out to the human sphere, as the impulses are already built in our genes and as a believer of Dawkins we are all ruled by our genes.
As an aside… Those who refuse gifts are removing themselves off from important social cues by allowing their social group to ignore them and their requirements. By refusing gifts, they are isolating themselves and weakening the relationship with others.
The moral of the story is that is a good idea for an organisation to give gifts at Christmas to targeted groups for the benefit of subconscious bond building and better social understanding on the relatively macro level of companies rather than individuals.
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Healthy Promotions
London’s Evening Standard recently reported that Nestlé’s London office have challenged their workforce to become the healthiest corporate headquarters in the world. The company is apparently supplying pedometers to staff who in turn pledge to do 4,000 steps per day with such initiatives a “walking meetings” and increased water consumption instead of after-work drinks. Fantastic! But will it be an idea that catches on?
Well, just in case it does, the Business Gifts Co have lots of promotional product ideas to get your staff incentivised to get with the programme.
We have everything from Pedometers to Body Fat Analysers and if it all gets a bit too much; Heartbeat Monitors and First Aid Kits.
And it doesn’t end there, our website features a Sports section, Golf products and even a promotional clothing section so that your staff can be branded and kitted out for their physical exersions.
Encouraging your staff to get healthier and fitter is not only a responsible and innovative thing to do, it also gives you opportunity to reinforce company brand values. Brand your logo or message on our activity based promotional items and you’ll have yourself a walking, talking jumping, living embodiment of your company ethos.
Call The Business Gifts Co today on 0845 430 2902 to get your promotional campaign kick started!
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What Should Business Gifts Do?
Promotional items and business gifts have come a long way over the past couple of decades. Corporate gifts are no more only rolled out at Christmas and restricted to cork backed coasters and plastic rulers. The market is more sophisticated both in terms of what can be supplied but also in the expectations of purchasers. What can business gifts do? Well there are three fundamental things to consider when choosing a promotional item; your company, your promotional campaign, and your targeted audience.
1) YOUR COMPANY
Any marketing campaign must be appropriate to your company, what it stands for and its values. For example don’t choose confectionary if you are a health food company – obvious I know but you get the general idea?
2) YOUR PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN
Marketing campaigns come in all shapes and sizes, they are designed (if they are they are well thought out) to reach specific goals and targets. Your choice of promotional items must be aligned with these goals and targets. Will the business gifts deliver results and enhance the campaign and don’t choose a promo item just because you like it.
3) TARGET AUDIENCE
Profile your target audience and make sure you understand what drives them and pushes their buttons. Your choice of business gift must be appropriate and desirable. Longevity is key, so choose a product that will stay with recipients for some time; whether it’s a personal gift or business related.
If you can align these three things; company, campaign, and customer, then your promotion stands a good chance of being a success.
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