Vouchers make a popular gift item because they take all of thinking out of it. Instead of deciding on a gift that will appeal specifically to the recipient, vouchers can offer an easy way out, meaning that a gift can be given without any of the effort attached.

As with most things in life however, you get out what you put in. It is the effort and the thought that goes into gift giving that creates the unique feeling that receiving a gift creates. Whereas giving vouchers can feel like a token effort with a lack of personalisation attached, business gifts are everything that vouchers are not.

Business gifts can be personalised to meet the requirements of both the company that are awarding them and the recipient. Gifts can be given that either reflect the reason for giving the gift (an award or something to reflect the theme of a project, for example) or a gift that appeals to the interests and hobbies of the recipient (like golf gifts or car inspired gifts). It is this personalisation that gives business gifts the advantage, making a memorable gift that will be valued and appreciated.

Business gifts will be greatly appreciated by the recipient but they can also be advantageous to the company that are awarding them. If gifts are being given to customers, they can be branded with the gift givers logo which will add an extra marketing angle to the gift. As well as giving the customer a gift that they will enjoy, they will have a reminder of the givers brand and company every time they look at it. It could also be seen by anyone the recipient does business with, helping to spread the word of your company.

There is so much more added value attached to business gifts when compared to vouchers. If a company has a price per recipient in mind, there are more benefits that will be gained from spending that money on awarding business gifts rather than vouchers, and this added value alone should make business gifts the obvious choice.

We have a number of business gifts websites that contain a wide range of gifts to suit all styles and tastes. Click on the links below to visit them and select your business gifts.

Corporate gifts from The Corporate Gifts Company, Promotional Gifts from The Promotional Gifts Company and also our Corporate Awards and Corporate Jewellery websites.

When people mention the word gadgets, there is often the idea that it is something that only appeals to men. The stereotype of the geeky type with a bedroom full of the latest gadgets is one that is often used in films, and a vast majority of the time the individual portrayed is a man. So if you are thinking of giving promotional gadgets as business gifts, is it something that should only be given to men?

The answer is of course no! The world has changed rather quickly over the last decade, with gadgets playing an increasingly important role in all of our lives. Mobile phones, computers, MP3 players and E-Readers now dominate our work and personal lives, and a recent piece of research conducted by communications regulator Ofcom showed that the average person spends 45 percent of their waking time absorbing media or communicating via gadgets.

This research shows the incredible affect that gadgets are now having on all of our lives, and to assume that promotional gadgets will only appeal to men would appear to be a dated attitude.

Whether it’s using the latest smartphone, plugging in a flash drive at work or using an E-Reader on the train to work, gadgets have firmly taken their place in the lives of everyone, regardless of gender. Not only does this mean that promotional gadgets make ideal business gifts for members of both sexes, but they will also be popular business gifts that will effectively promote any company. They will enhance a company’s reputation and give the image of a futuristic, forward thinking business.

Once branded with a company logo, promotional gadgets will be an effective way of boosting a corporate profile.

Visit The Business Gifts Company to see how promotional gadgets can enhance your company.

But one unusual addition to gadget heaven appears to be the one that has driven the gadget industry since the very beginning. Yes, the button is dead.

It all started with the Ipod. The unique touch design that drove their control unit seems to have had an irreversible affect on how we use gadgets, and now everything from our phones to our computers are operated by a touch on a screen rather than the push of a button.

So has our ever faithful friend the button become a victim of fashion or is there something more behind its demise?

There’s no question that the touch screen wins in the cool stakes. Gliding your hand over a screen is reminiscent of sci-fi films and futuristic imagery that showed us what technology could be like. The sight of office yoga across the country as people conduct their gadgets through touch could well replace the tapping of keyboards, but will touch screen technology ever replace the way we use buttons?

The touch screen certainly has its place. From a practical point of view it can make moving through pages quicker and more like the offline experience. This can be particularly useful for electronic book readers and on computers where you need to flick through a number of different pages. When combined with motion sensing equipment, touch screens have changed the way we interact with technology, turning our electronic experience into a more lifelike, offline world.

If the future of gadgets is to make controlling them a more natural experience, using motion and touch over buttons, then it could well spell the end of the button as we know it.

The Business Gifts Company have a wide range of promotional gadgets that use the latest technology to sell your brand. Whatever the future has in store for the lowly button, our stylish range of promotional gadgets will reflect the latest trends and must have items that will enhance your company’s reputation. Browse our futuristic range of promotional gadgets to see how your promotion can benefit from looking to the future.

It is a slightly depressing thought but in the world of business, Christmas is just around the corner. With the nights getting darker and the mornings getting chillier, autumn announces itself just in time for businesses to start concentrating on Christmas. For business gifts it is the busiest time of year, with companies looking to celebrate with their staff and reward clients whilst getting the word out about their brand. But can business gifts be used throughout the rest of the year to achieve the same results?

The answer is of course yes. Motivation and rewards don’t begin and end with the Christmas festivities and business gifts can play an important role within marketing and staff incentives.

Branded business gifts are the best way to spread the word about a company as the gift can embody the spirit of the brand.  They can be used to spread the word not only about the company but deliver it’s brand values to the end user. If a company are promoting their futuristic ideas and want to be seen as looking forward, this message can be transmitted by giving promotional gadgets, for example.

As well as marketing and brand awareness, business gifts also play a year round role in boosting motivation. Staff who are rewarded for their efforts will be more enthusiastic about their work, and this can only help productivity. Nothing replicates that feeling of receiving a gift whatever time of the year it is, and if that gift is given as a result of the work somebody has done it can have a profound affect.

In these times of austerity, where achievement cannot always be rewarded with a cash bonus, business gifts are a more affordable way for businesses to recognise the hard work of their employees. For companies who have been forced to make cut backs, they can give staff a welcome reminder that their efforts have not gone unnoticed.

With the attention of businesses starting to shift towards Christmas, don’t forget the benefits that giving business gifts can provide all year round.

Promotional gadgets make an exciting business gift as they have a wow factor that is hard to replicate with other gifts. But that wow factor is not always felt by everyone who comes into contact with promotional gadgets.

Although promotional gadgets are exciting, they can also prove to be a nuisance to other people who are exposed to them. Call it gadget envy but items such as music gadgets, mp3 players and phone gadgets like Bluetooth headsets have the ability to make people pretty angry, especially in confined spaces such as trains and buses.

We’ve all been there. Stuck on a train next to the guy with the loud headphones or having the world’s most inane conversation through his Bluetooth headset (not that it’s always men who have this habit!) Even the biggest gadget lover will admit to having been annoyed by someone else’s flash toy in the past. But where does that leave companies with promotional gadgets?

There is a real possibility that promotional gadgets could backfire. With logos being attached to the product, it can enhance a company’s reputation through the desirability of the gadget it is attached to. It can also work the other way however, where people who are annoyed by an individual’s selfish usage of the product being put off the brand involved.

Although there is only so much control a company can have over their promotional gadgets, it is important that recipients understand their responsibilities when using the items. Though no one wants to sound like a nagging granny, it is important to instil a sense of corporate responsibility in the users. After all, the way people use their promotional gadgets will ultimately reflect back on the company whose name adorns it.

Rather than nagging and instructing people to use promotional gadgets correctly, the most effective way is to ensure recipients have a respect for the brand and the company and know that the way they use the products will reflect back on the company. Recipients’ respect for the brand will also ensure that they treat their promotional gadgets with care, and this can be achieved through efficient management and a strong brand.

For more tips on managing your brand effectively, this promotional gifts article has some helpful advice on using your brand to your advantage.

The same is true with business gifts. Once the decision has been made to award business gifts, so begins the endless searching through thousands of different products to try and find the right business gifts for you.

To try and make life easier for the business gifts buyer we have put together this list of hints and tips that will help you decide on what you want as a business gift and where best to find it.

1. Why do you want business gifts?

Seems a pretty straightforward question but it can often be the key to finding the right business gift. What are your motives behind getting business gifts? Do you want to reward your staff, promote your company, enhance your brand or appeal to new customers?

Once you have decided what you want your business gifts for it can make life much easier. Staff rewards come in many different forms but once you know what you want it can make things go more smoothly. You can choose a business gift item like an engraved picture frame or a business card holder, or something they can use at work like a promotional flash drive or other promotional gadgets. If you are looking to reward achievement or even provide a staff incentive, corporate awards can make an exciting business gift that can also improve staff morale.

If you are looking to promote your business or appeal to new customers then business gifts are an effective promotional marketing tool. They can of course be personalised with your brand to make a truly bespoke business gift that will carry your brand message in style. You can use promotional gifts that carry your logo to spread the word at an exhibition or conference, or use business gifts to provide potential customers with a reminder of your company and brand.

And talking of brand awareness, many companies use business gifts after a re-launch to help inform staff of their new brand and the values behind it. If you are looking to promote your green credentials for example, then eco-friendly promotional gifts can be used as an appropriate platform to show off your new logo whilst promoting your brand values to staff.

2. So I Know I Want Business Gifts, But What’s The Difference Between Business Gifts And Promotional Gifts?

It won’t take long on Google to realise that business gifts come in a range of shapes and sizes. Whereas business gifts fulfil the more tradition gift item role, being an attractive gift that people will use and display, promotional gifts are often cheaper items such as promotional pens, promotional calendars and umbrellas where the main aim is promoting your business. These are particularly useful to give out at exhibitions and conferences where you are trying to promote your company and spread the word about your business.

3. Where Do I Start With Branding?

While it may seem like a daunting task, getting your product branded is relatively straight forward. The choices are usually engraving or branding and you can discuss the different options open to you once you have chosen a business gift. Engraved business gifts are usually better when given as a gift whereas branded items are usually more appropriate for promotional purposes. When looking at the products online, your branding options will usually be explained and if not, experienced staff are on the other end of a phone to help you out

4. What If I’ve Left It To The Last Minute?

It doesn’t always have to lead to panic stations! Companies like The Corporate Gifts Company keep stock in the UK and engrave in house so you won’t have to wait for your business gifts to be shipped in before they start engraving. Holding stock in the UK means shorter lead times, so you can have your business gifts with you within 7 days. If you leave a bit longer then obviously you will have more choice, but quality business gifts are available even if you do leave it to the last minute.

 5. So I Know What Business Gifts I Want, Now How Do I Make Sense Of The Prices?

The internet has it’s upsides. It means you can browse an seemingly infinite range of business gifts from the comfort of your own desk. But sometimes there’s no substitute for a person on the end of the phone to talk things through with. Most websites will make your pricing options pretty clear on their website but if you have multiple colours and engraving positions it can soon start to become confusing. If in doubt just pick up the phone and talk to someone and they will be able to give you an exact price in seconds. Remember, just giving someone a call doesn’t oblige you into buying anything, so if you’re unsure, just ask.

Hopefully this will have made the process a bit clearer and given you more of an idea of what you want. But now where do you go. Our family of websites caters for every promotional and business gift occasion. Once you’ve decided what kind of business gifts you want, just click on the link to be taken to the right website for your needs.

Corporate Gifts            Business Gifts               Promotional Gifts               Corporate Awards                      Corporate Jewellery

A practical business gift is one that will be used more frequently, therefore will be seen by more people. Popular promotional gadgets like promotional flash drives are used so widely because their practicality means they fulfil not just the marketing aim but they will do a job for the person using it. In many ways they have become the promotional pens of the 21st century, with prices coming down all the time making them both practical and affordable.

Practical promotional gadgets also fulfil another purpose that other business gifts cannot match. Because of the quality of electronic gadgets and the wow factor that often comes with them, promotional gadgets have the potential to be a real talking point. Well designed gadgets often make themselves into a talking point, which gives a unique opportunity for your brand to be the centre of the conversation. It also benefits the company’s reputation as a forward thinking, modern business when their brand appears on sought after technology.

If you want your brand to have a futuristic, 21st century reputation then consider using promotional gadgets for your business gifts. Visit The Business Gifts Co for more information.

When businesses make the decision to invest in promotional gadgets, it can be a big financial commitment. Although the price of electronic goods does come down over time, it can be an expensive venture to make sure staff have all the latest equipment.

If a company is considering using promotional gadgets for staff to use for work then there will obviously be a few casualties on the way, as often the combination of a smart new gadget and a warm cup of coffee don’t always mix. A few breakages should of course be accounted for, but on the whole employees should be encouraged to respect their new company toys. It is now commonplace for company’s to issue devices such as portable harddrives, USB flashdrives and portable projectors, but it is important that these devices aren’t abused or taken for granted, as an already costly purchase could be increased rapidly once replacements have to be ordered.

Have you had any unusual lost gadgets in the workplace? Have any promotional gadgets met their maker in a strange way? Or do you know of any methods to make sure employees respect expensive gadgets? Leave us a comment on the blog, or join in the conversation on our Linked In group.

Every few weeks our blogs will highlight a unique product or product range that you might not know exists or that can easily solve a problem.

The beauty of using promotional gadgets as business gifts is their unique ability to solve a problem whilst providing a gift with the wow factor. This week’s promotional gadget of the week certainly does that.

Ideal as a business gift for a sales rep or anyone who needs to present on the move, this handy portable USB projector plugs into any laptop or computer to provide an instant presentation for any purpose. Whether you need to present your monthly figures to the board, display your website to a large number of people or show a snazzy Powerpoint presentation, this USB projector is just the thing for you.

It is small and light making it ideal for travelling so will fit perfectly in your laptop bag. If you need to present on the move, Click Here for the ideal business solution.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t a few rotten gadgets around however. Whether they’re promotional gadgets or not, the average home is full of relics from technology past. Take a look in the average garage or loft (with permission of course) and you will see the remains of deceased tamagotchi’s or even the odd Big Mouth Billy Bass with the batteries, fortunately, flat.

Yet however annoying these gadgets were, everyone fell for them. Millions of people went out and spent their hard earned money on these items only to get bored of them after a week (or in the case of the singing fish, an hour).

So what were your worst ever gadgets? What did you get for Christmas one year that seemed amazing one minute only to drive you crazy the next? Or what did you buy that took you ages to save up for only to be a massive disappointment?

They don’t just have to be promotional gadgets, any ill fated technology will do. Leave a comment and let us know your gadget nightmares.