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Posts Tagged ‘corporate gift’

Corporate Gifts Or Vouchers?

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

Once a company has decided to award corporate gifts, it can be tricky to know which path to go down. With many companies offering different things there are plenty of options out there, but one early decision that will have to be made is whether to go down the corporate gifts or vouchers route.

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, corporate gifts are everything that vouchers are not.

Corporate 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 corporate gifts the advantage, making a memorable gift that will be valued and appreciated.

Corporate 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 corporate 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 corporate gifts rather than vouchers, and this added value alone should make corporate gifts the obvious choice.

We have a number of corporate 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 corporate gifts.

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

Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts
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Do Us Brits Take Our Holidays For Granted?

Wednesday, September 1st, 2010

Here in Britain we are slowly returning to work after the extended weekend that comes around every August. The Bank Holiday gives everyone a chance to enjoy a bit of extra time in the summer sun which should get us all ready for the build up to the next break we’ll get at Christmas. In Britain we face the very unusual situation of offices being either depleted or completely empty for much of August and the week over Christmas, but do our holidays make us more motivated at work?

An interesting article on the BBC website explores the freedoms we have with our holidays in Britain compared with the much shorter, and in some cases non existent holidays employees are granted in the USA. It would appear from reading the article that the US is the only country out of the top 21 richest in the world not to impose a legal mandate on employers granting time off. But what does this do to employee motivation? Do us Brits find ourselves more motivated as a result of our holidays or does the time they take up interfere with overall productivity?

There will be many views from many quarters arguing the merits or otherwise of employee holidays, but their effect on motivation should not be ignored. The idea of holiday allowance being awarded on merit or as a result of long service is one that may appeal to some companies as a way of offering an incentive to workers. But rather than motivating junior employees, could this approach just lead to staff resenting those co-workers who have holiday allowances that they don’t?

Burnout is also a factor in employees’ holiday as a well deserved break from work can ease stress levels and allow staff time away from the stresses and strains of work. Although work levels may be hit while employees take holiday, there is surely an argument that productivity levels out when compared with stressed, tired and unmotivated staff who have not been granted holiday.

There is no doubt that employees in Britain are lucky when it comes to their holiday allowance, and changes in the law over the years have made it a much fairer working environment for employees with rights and privileges that have never been seen before.

Employee motivation is now key, with bosses realising that they will get more out of a happy and rewarded workforce than by cracking the whip. Indeed, employee motivation is now big business, with strategies and award schemes being established to offer employees incentives and rewards for improving their work.

This British approach to working practices has done well to survive given the increasing use of American corporate motivation practices by UK firms. It would appear that whatever practices are adopted over here, there’s nothing that will ever stop us from enjoying our holiday.

Tags: Corporate Awards, corporate gift, corporate gifts
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When Is The Best Time For Corporate Gifts?

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Corporate gifts are an effective business tool for marketing, motivation and as a reward for achievement. As we emerge from the back end of summer, many businesses will be turning their attentions towards Christmas, but can corporate gifts be just as effective the rest of the year round?

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 corporate 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 corporate 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 corporate gifts can play an important role within marketing and staff incentives.

Branded corporate 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 carbon fibre gifts, for example.

As well as marketing and brand awareness, corporate 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, corporate 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 corporate gifts can provide all year round.

Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts
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Have Brands Gone Too Far In Their Quest For “Corporate Language”?

Friday, August 20th, 2010

The amusing story this week of the English Professor who claims she was thrown out of Starbucks for refusing to use their corporate language has been one of those stories that everyone feels strongly about. The professor’s apparent distaste for corporate language seems to have resonated with many of us who object to being told how to use language by a company.

It’s easy to feel slightly stupid ordering coffee from an American store in Italian, then there is the added confusion of just what the names of those coffees actually mean. It’s not only this particular chain of coffee establishments that practice this form of marketing speak however, and now you feel like you should go armed with a phrase book whenever you enter a different coffee chain. Evolution takes place in every language, but have we seen the dawn of linguistic evolution started by corporations?

With stories like this it is easy to have a short memory and think that only modern companies are trying to get us to talk their language. There’s no doubt that it has become a legitimate marketing technique to use specific words, phrases and music to remind us of an individual brand. Starbucks use the terms tall, grande and venti to sell their different sizes of coffee, a practice that riles many people. There is an argument however that given the aura of exclusivity that goes with coffee drinkers in Britain and the US that pretentious language is part and parcel of the experience. After all, Starbucks haven’t done too badly at all out of the practice.

As I mentioned it would be misleading to believe that marketing terms entering everyday language is a new thing. How many people continue to “Hoover” the carpet, even though that particular term refers to a manufacturer and not a practice. We also make announcements over a “Tannoy” and “Google” a query online, yet these do not appear to provoke the same ire as the language used by a coffee establishment.

The real issue would appear to be the motives used by companies when this marketing terminology becomes part of language. The more accepted marketing and brand terms that are used appear to have naturally entered modern language without an obvious attempt by a marketing department to force feed us their language. In places where you are forced to order a product in the language given to you by a company, resentment can happen (has anyone else been tempted to tell the staff of a popular fast food chain to Mc off?!).

So what can the world of marketing and corporate gifts learn from this? Well, that there is no doubt associating language with your company is an effective way of promoting your business, but it’s the way you do it that counts. Come up with something snappy and inventive and if you’re lucky it might go viral. But don’t force people into accepting your brand language as you could very soon see people starting to avoid your company as a result.

And if you get lucky with your slogan and people love it, visit The Corporate Gifts Company and get it engraved on your next set of corporate gifts!

Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts
Posted in About The Corporate Gifts Company | 1 Comment »

3 Ways Of Using Your Brand To Your Advantage

Tuesday, August 17th, 2010

There are many benefits to having a strong brand in business, and more than ever brand values are being used as a way for customers to find their way around an increasingly saturated marketplace.

Whether you’re an online business, a high street retailer, even a political party, brand identity is becoming an important way of getting a company noticed and enabling it to speak with one clear voice.

Once a business has decided to enhance their brand it can be difficult to know how to use it to their advantage. Companies may have invested a great deal of time and money into developing their brand, only for it to stagnate as they have difficulty in realising it’s potential.

The Corporate Gifts Company have come up with a guide to getting the most out of your brand to make sure a company’s efforts don’t go to waste.

1. Make sure it gets noticed

Many businesses choose to rebrand in order to better communicate their brand values and create an identity in the market place. In order to do this, your brand needs to be thrust under the noses of the people who will take notice, whether that’s potential customers, existing customers, suppliers or shareholders.

Promotional products can help to do this. Promotional stationery and promotional items can help with this, as it puts your brand in a prominent position in the workplace or the home. Whether it’s promotional pens, promotional t-shirts or promotional calendars, items such as these can help companies spread the word about their brand, their business and their product, getting themselves noticed by the people that matter.

2. Use your brand to motivate staff

The right brand used correctly has the ability to inspire and galvanise a workforce. It can be used to transmit the core message of the business throughout the company, ensuring everyone is pulling in the same direction. It is important that everyone working for the company is made aware of the brand and taught how to use it correctly to make sure the message is kept consistent.

Use a brand launch to make a special event out of the occasion. Rather than just replace old stationery and logos with new ones, give the event a real sense of occasion to get staff excited about the brand and it’s message. This will not only encourage staff to accept it but also provide an important occasion to educate them on the message and how to use it correctly. Promotional banners and branded corporate gifts can be used to give the event a special feel, as well as corporate awards to encourage staff to be an ambassador for the brand and raise awareness.

3. Be Prepared

The strongest brands are those that have prepared in advance. Before launching your brand, consider what message you want to portray and what voice you want to transmit. It can be easy to get carried away with colour schemes and logo designs, so think carefully about what you want your company to say before deciding on a brand image. This is especially important if you are a charity or an organisation that gives opinion and advice. If there are tricky or controversial issues that your company gives advice on, it is important to decide on your position before your brand launches. This can save answering tricky questions when it’s too late to change.

Once you have launched your brand effectively, don’t be shy about it! Use promotional gifts and promotional products to show off your brand to anyone who will listen!

Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts, promotional gift, Promotional Gifts, promotional product, promotional products
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