Archive for June, 2009
Friday, June 12th, 2009
In recent years, Corporate Social Responsibility has moved out of many organisation’s “discretionary spend” and into the Boardroom as issues such as sustainability, climate change and resource conservation have come to the fore in civil society.
Those organisations which have embedded CSR into their business strategies and operational practices won’t be changing the way they view CSR. Britain is one of the more advanced countries in terms of CSR and the last 10 years has seen significant standardisation of “responsibility”
Just as importantly, organisations are waking up to the economic value corporate responsibility can deliver.
Most organisations are now still at the stage of being consciously aware of their “responsibility” efforts. Moving forward, the emphasis in CSR is around partnerships, with technologies such as web 2.0 enabling many more stakeholders to be involved in creating and driving sustainable businesses.
Companies should focus on creating corporate sustainability that will be delivered by responsible practice throughout the organisation.
CSR is now so ingrained in corporate culture that it’s now far-removed from the bolt-on of 10-15 years ago.
One of the keys for CSR’s sustainability is that the business case is now easier to sell. CSR can shape policies and activities throughout the supply chain to cut costs and increase profits without damaging reputation or responsibility.
Far from pulling the plug on CSR, the economic downturn is putting “responsibility” at the forefront of the business agenda.
The Corporate Gifts Company is fully committed to Corporate Social Responsibility. Check out our CSR policy.
Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts
Posted in Corporate Gifts Advice and Help | 1 Comment »
Thursday, June 11th, 2009
Growing in a recession? Impossible surely? Business expert Henry Baker Ressession Slayer writing in Promotions Buyer has some interesting ideas on how you might just pull it off.
Most small businesses are fighting for survival. However, looking to just survive is unlikely to be enough. “Grow or die” has probably never been truer.
How can small businesses grow in a recession especially when companies large and small are struggling?
The 1940s to the 1960s saw history’s biggest baby boom. There are around 50,000 people hitting the ages of 45-65 every month. Within ten years there will be more people aged over 65 than there are under-16s, and boomers own and control 80% of the UK’s wealth. They have 30% more disposable cash than the under-50s. They’ve grown up with a different set of attitudes, aspirations and desires to those of their parents.
Banging your head against a brick wall of prospects, customers and clients heavily hit by recession is wasted effort. Instead, go looking for those affected least and last – the affluent. It takes a lot longer for an affluent person to be affected by the recession. Also selling to the affluent can attract much higher prices and margins.
Baker says “It’s not 100 times more difficult to sell a designer handbag for £1,000 than it is to sell a simple clutch bag for £10. It’s not even twice as hard. In fact, with the right audience, it can often be easier. The thinking is that affluent buyers tend to complain less, be better repeat buyers and refer friends, any business looking for serious growth over the next five, 10 and 20 years should take steps to serve that market now”.
Baker recommends three areas for change:
• Change your Who – define and deliberately look to attract the right affluent demographic for your business.
• Change your What – don’t just sell simple products and services. Instead, look to create memorable customer experiences.
• Change your How – carefully consider how marketing can be used to attract the affluent. Special attention needs to be given to affinity, language and presentation.
He concludes, any business in any industry in any location can easily make changes and position themselves as a provider to the booming affluent market. So capitalise on this growth opportunity now, before your competition beats you to it, or the recession takes its toll.
Obviously how a company attracts, engages and keeps these customers will be different for each organisation. However, this baby boomer demographic will respond to gifts that are high quality, aspirational and desirable gifts. Sales promotion, corporate gifts and premium incentives always has a place in the marketing mix and The Corporate Gifts Company specialises in business gifts that will appeal to the discerning baby boomer generation.
Here are some great items such as;
• Classic Chrome City Business Card Holder – Very practical item and high perceived value.
• Silver Finish Deco Clock – Great to stay on the desk – classic and timeless.
• Cufflinks – Perfect for an elegant shirt and very desirable.
• Sterling Silver Letter Opener – Useful and very cost effective product.
• Silver Plated Handbag Mirror – Perfect luxury handbag accessory.
• Chrome Rocket Rollerball – An a-temporal product.
• Photo Frames – Ideal to admire your favourite photos.
The Corporate Gifts Co has 18 years of experience of supplying high quality business incentives, call our sales team today on: 0845 430 2902.
Tags: business gift, Business Gifts, Corporate Business Card Holder, Corporate Clocks, Corporate Cufflinks, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Letter Opener, Corporate Mirror, Corporate Napkin Ring, Corporate Premium Grained Leather, Corporate Rollerball
Posted in Corporate Gifts Advice and Help | 1 Comment »
Monday, June 8th, 2009
Promotional products and business gifts are often the poor relation of “above-the-line” marketing activity, but corporate gifts have long proved that they can be far more targeted and cost effective.
A recent survey showed over 45 per cent of respondents chose live events, roadshows or promotions as the most cost-effective method of marketing a product. This compares with just 33 per cent for TV; fewer than five per cent for direct marketing, three per cent for Internet advertising and zero per cent for distributing flyers as the best method of promoting a brand. So why do brands still allocate so much of their marketing budgets above the line?
When compared with the number of consumers reached by mass media techniques, these methods cannot hope to compete. However, when the quality of the target and depth of engagement for promotional products with a brand is considered, the long-term benefits are more obvious.
50 per cent throw flyers away. Add a money-off coupon to the flyer and still only 15 per cent of respondents will be influenced to note the contents. However, when a promoter uses a more engaging “experience” to interact with people, the number of respondents usually encouraged to take and read the flyer as part of a wider “experience” jumps to around 50%.
Above the line activity armed at the wrong target market is more likely to turn a costumer against a brand or company than not targeting them at all. Interaction between a company and its potential customer with a corporate gift or promotional product has greater long-term benefits when it comes to building brand loyalty. Hence, it’s more cost-effective.
Here is a list of The Corporate Gift Company top 10 best selling promotional items (in no particular order):
1. CDC01/CH Chrome Business Card Case – perfect to keep those business cards in pristine condition.
2. KYR25 – Silver Plated Cushion Keyring – very cost effective product, great branding area.
3. DSK01 Desk Set – perfect for all sort of offices.
4. FRM53 Photoframe– Ideal to embellish your favourite photos! – Great at work or at home.
5. AWD02 Star Paperweight – Perfect for to be a veritable star at work!
6. AWD04 Star Trophy – Great award and really cost effective.
7. GLB01 Globe Puzzle – Ingenious item with great “fiddle-factor”.
8. WOT01 World Timer – Perfect to put it on your office and know the time in all countries you want.
9. PEN15 Floating Pen – Original and very innovative item.
10. PEN06 Milan Pen in Chrome Box – great item – you can incorporate your promotional message or logo.
Call our sales team today on: 0845 430 2902 to see how The Corporate Gift Co can add value to your marketing activity.
Tags: business gift, Business Gifts, Corporate Chrome Business Card Case, Corporate Desk Set, Corporate Floating Pen, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Globe Puzzle, Corporate Milan Pen in Chrome Box, Corporate Photoframe, Corporate Silver Plated Cushion Keyring, Corporate Star Paperweight, Corporate Star Trophy, Corporate World Timer, promotional products
Posted in Corporate Gifts Advice and Help | No Comments »
Friday, June 5th, 2009
The CBI is an objective observer so when it gives a ringing endorsement it means something! “Taking Stock”, the CBI’s education and skills survey 2008 gave a very positive account of the impact of Investors in People on organisations, staff and customers.
The report concluded that “Investors in People adds real value to firm”. More than seven out of ten of those surveyed felt that working towards Investors in People recognition had a positive effect on their business while the majority said that a key benefit lay in improved staff morale and performance.
Among a wide range of other positive comments, the report said that Investors in People is a well-established business development tool and with high brand recognition – valued by employers, employees and customers.
The report went on to state that Investors in People provides a particularly useful framework for businesses undergoing significant and rapid change especially useful to help companies maintain service levels in these times of economic turmoil.
The Corporate Gift Company has been Investor in People accredited since 2005 and has been an essential ingredient in establishing and maintaining our high levels of quality and customer service. Along with our ISO9001 accreditation (the International Quality Standard) and our CSR Policy and our membership of respected trade organisations like the BPMA you can be confident that you can rely on The Corporate Gifts Company to supply your corporate gifts and promotional merchandise to your exact requirements.
Call our sales team today on: 0845 430 2902
Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts
Posted in Corporate Gifts Advice and Help | No Comments »
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
Some things you can only learn the hard way. You can shout at a salesman, moan at manager, disagree with a director. But never, never, upset a PA.
Why? Because PAs wield so much power within the modern business environment. Operating at the very heart of every organisation and its strategy.
The role is far more than just being a gatekeeper, deciding whether to put a caller through to a director’s phone or book them a lunchtime appointment. The modern PA is a professional in every sense – trained, independent and empowered often pulling together HR, Health & Safety, event management, marketing initiatives, and office management, as well as their normal PA duties.
They make the organisation run smoothly, ensuring that everyone is where they are meant to be, at the right time, with the right information, in front of the right people. It’s they who are the experts on who to contact in an emergency; who remind directors of a vital call, smooth over ructions, act as peacemaker, remember vital details, spot the problems, make important financial and tactical decisions on the day to day running of a business.
Get it right and the business appears to run effortlessly. Get it wrong and reputations can be irreparably damaged, business lost, opportunities squandered.
In fact, the modern PA is like an orchestral conductor, quietly making sure that a large number of busy, demanding and competing individuals, each with their own particular agendas, skills and foibles, come together as an effective, harmonious whole.
Increasingly the PA is – quite literally – the voice of the operation, the first real decision maker any outsider comes up against.
At the Corporate Gift Company, we find that the majority of our enquiries come from PA’s. Often tasked with finding a promotional item or business gift in an impossible timeframe, engraved with a corporate logo, and packed in presentation boxing. Of course the best thing we can do is guarantee to deliver on time and in budget, but we also like to give an incentive of our own – a free gift with every order.
Spend up to £100 and get:
• Promotional Pen Worth: £22
• Leather Travel Wallet: £65 (Order value between £100 – £500)
• Corporate Leather Briefcase / Laptop Bag: £99 (Order value between £500 – £1000)
• Promotional Leather Weekend Holdall: £150 (Order value £1000+)
You can choose colour for each product.
Call our sales team today on: 0845 430 2902 to see how the Corporate Gift Co can add value to your corporate PAs gifts.
Tags: business gift, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Laptop Bag, Corporate Leather Briefcase, Free Corporate and Promotional Gifts, Promotional Leather Travel Wallet, Promotional Leather Weekend Holdall, Promotional Pen Worth
Posted in Corporate Gifts Advice and Help | No Comments »
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