Posts Tagged ‘Corporate Gifts Co’
Friday, October 9th, 2009
Well, I hope you enjoyed the first part where we talked about squeezing the lemon. Of course, it’s rare that a sequal ever lives up to the original – but I’ll give it a go.
So this time we’re going to consider the pie; how to grow the pie, specifically. The first part talked about the lemon as your customer base, and the anology of squeezing the lemon was how to get the most juice (business) out of those lemons and not let the lemon shrivel up in the fridge.
So, squeezing the lemon was all about getting the most from your existing customers in a more direct and short term way, and growing the pie is about maximising profit and creating value for both customers and suppliers as part of a longer term strategy. This is done by;
- Differentiation – what makes you different/better than your customers? Look at; product, pricing, distribution, advertising and promotion, selling, core competencies, competitive advantage, USP’s
- Added Value – what aspect of your product/service adds real value for the customer?
- Value Chain – monitor and feedback performance up stream and downstream to continually improve.
The key elements of growing the pie are;
- Constantly strive to deliver value for the customer by improving your overall proposition.
- Understand the supply and value chains and learn how to leverage key aspects to create added value and differentiation.
- Change the mindset of both your company and your customer base. This is more important than immediate short term gains.
So what does The Corporate Gifts Company do to grow it’s pie? Good question, and a challenging one too. Well, we talk to our customers constantly about how they find our service and product, what they liked and what they didn’t like; we encourage testimonials (good or bad) and we have used that feedback over the past 18 years to hone our service and quality levels so that we give our customers exactly what is most important to them; reliable service, consistent quality (we have the international quality standard ISO9000), appropriate and quality promotional branding, and responsible business practices (see our CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility – policy.
Thanks to The Cranfield School of Management’s BGP (Business Growth Development) programme for inspiration.
Tags: Business Gift Ideas, Business Gifts, Corporate Gift Awards, Corporate Gift Sales, Corporate Gifts Co, Corporate Message, corproate gifts or promotioanl gifts, Engraved Gifts, Engraving Messages, Promotional Gifts, Promotional Messages, Promotionaol Gifts, Sales Incentives
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Friday, October 2nd, 2009
At the world famous Cranfield School of Management’s Business Growth Development programme they spend a lot of time talking about a couple of tasty food analogies; “Squeezing the Lemon” and “Growing the Pie”. As part of the marketing part of the programme these two ideas are at the heart of the growth of any business. So what’s the story behind these culinary concepts for success? Let’s start with the lemon.
The lemon signifies your customer base, and who amongst us can put hand on heart say we get the most out of all our customers? Do we sell as much as we can, are there other products or services we can sell to them, do we sell to all divisions and departments of our customers’ businesses? No, well that’s actually the story for most companies and to add even more zest to the analogy think of your average customer like this; if we’re using a lemon at home more often than not we cut into it and squeeze out what we need and then stick it in the fridge – great, the poached salmon tastes great. The problem is when we go to use the lemon again (sometimes after weeks sitting lonely and forgotten next to the eggs) it’s wrinkled and dried and all that juice has been wasted.
And that’s what happens to new customers; we fail to squeeze the maximum amount of business out of them. After the initial order is won, we don’t pay them enough attention until eventually they go and find another supplier. And if you didn’t know already, it costs up to seven times more to aquire a new customer than look after an existing one. So the moral of the analogy is; get squeezing - before your lemons dry up or someone else does it for you.
Of course, in the light of the above blog, it would be remiss of me not to mention that The Corporate Gifts Company supply a comprehensive selection of promotional items and advdertising merchandise that are perfect for communicating with your customers in a tangible and cost effective way. Whether you want to reinforce your brand values with items such as business card cases or clocks, or say thank you to key customers with an appropriate promotional desk item or personal accessory, The Corporate Gifts Company can help you squeeze your lemons.
Look out for “Growing The Pie” next week!
Tags: brand name, Business Gifts, Business ideas, Corporate Gifts Co, Corporate Message, Cost Effective, Engraved Gifts, Exexcutive Clocks, Growing your business, promotional business card case, Promotional Clock, promotional gift ideas, Promotional Gifts, promotional incentives, Promotional Messages, Promotional Sourcing
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Monday, September 28th, 2009
The Corporate Gifts Company are delighted to launch our new website.
The new design features a fresh clean look with easier navigation and useability.
More importantly, there are some fantastic new benefits for our customers;
1. Prices have been reduced significantly across the board.
2. Prices now include Engraving and Set Up (so no extras for branding)
3. All orders are now inclusive of standard UK freight/carriage.
4. We are offering a free pre-production sample on every order, so you can be confident your logo or promotional message will be just as you require it before we go to production.
5. We are guaranteeing 7 day turnaround on branded items from stock – so that you can be confident your promotional items will get to you on time.
FIVE good reasons to chooseThe Corporate Gifts Company for your business gifts this Christmas.
The new webiste also incorporates our new items for Autumn 2009 (perfect timing for the Christmas executive gifts, staff gifts and customer thank yous) with exciting items such as the spinning propeller letter opener and the F1 car paper clip dispenser. (see all our new products here ).
Call our sales team today on 0845 430 2902.
Tags: Business Gift Ideas, corporate events, Corporate Gifts Co, Engraved Gifts, promotional giveaway
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Thursday, September 3rd, 2009
The Personal Touch
In times of economic downturn, priorities change. If you are planning a marketing campaign you will undoubtedly need to take this into account. For consumers, debt levels, mortgage repayments and fuel costs fuel costs take precedence over wider concerns. In business, too, companies take a more inward approach, concentrating on cost cutting and cash flow rather than new markets and revenue streams. Both consumers and business will gravitate towards safe options; good, services, and brands that convey reassurance and familiarity. Quality and reliability became increasingly important and whilst all this jittery uncertainly is certainly challenging, it also provides major opportunities for companies to engage with their customers in a closer more meaningful way. Personalised marketing and individual communication are the new watch-words and marketers who get their heads round this new concept will have a distinct advantage in a highly competitive market place.
Corporate gifts are an ideal way to connect on a meaningful and personal level with your key customers, most promising prospects, and even your staff. The Corporate Gifts Co specialise in a high quality business gifts that will convey a sense of familiarity in the classic styling of for example the silver plated Carriage Clock or the, Galileo Desk Pad, and reassurance in the quality of items like the premium leather range or the sterling silver collection. All our items can be engraved with your logo and promotional message using our in-house diamond engraving.
Why not add individually engraved or embrossed names to really create that personal touch. Call 0845 430 2902 for more details.
Tags: business gift, Business Gifts, Carriage Clock, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, engraving, promotion
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Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Get ready for recovery
Is it? Isn’t it?
Will it? Won’t it?
Is the worst of the recession over and are we getting ready for the long awaited recovery? Who knows? If I did, I wouldn’t be writing this blog – I would be sitting on a beach in the Bahamas. In these times of uncertainly, if you can be sure of one thing- it’s the businesses that are prepared for the recovery that will most benefit from it. So what can you do to get your company ship shape to take advantage of all the undoubted opportunities that will be coming your way?
Here are our top ten heads up
1. Review – be honest dispassionate; look at where the business is now and where it needs to be in the future.
2. Cut supply cost – look at your whole supply chain: look for new suppliers offering better deals, re-negotiate with existing suppliers, and buy strategically with fewer suppliers rather than add hoc with lots.
3. Cash is king-tighten credit controls, use whatever leverage you can and monitor regularly.
4.Cut OK costs-concentrate on areas with the most savings, get staff ideas (they often are closes to spending waste) and be ruthless with “nice to have” costs.
5. Cut stock-keep your inventory to a minimum-convert old stock to cash, and reduce slow moving lines.
6. Staff-think outside the box regarding job roles and personnel. Keep and reward that add value to your business, and clean out those that don’t.
7. Processes- examine your procedures and invest in more efficient processes. Look for duplication and bottlenecks.
8. Outsource? A great way to make a fixed cost into a flexible one. But make sure it’s right for the business.
9. Location-not a realistic option for some businesses, but huge costs can be sauced by moving departments/functions abroad or even elsewhere in the UK.
10. Look after key customers-get closer to your customers, offer real value, and keep them interested and talking to you. Make judicial use of emailers, direct mail, face to face and sales promotion. The Corporate Gifts Co can supply executive incentives from; sterling silver to clocks and from USB drives to desk accessories. Call today on 0845 430 2902
Tags: Branding, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, engraving, executive incentives, promotion, sales promotion
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Tuesday, September 1st, 2009
STERLING SILVER
The hallmark of quality; how often you heard that phrase? So why is the hallmark synonymous with the concept of quality?
Hallmarking precious metals was one of the very first instances of consumer protection in history; devised in Birmingham, England as a means of verifying the quality of the material goods were made of and protecting consumers from unscrupulous traders – not much has changed has it?
As silver plate is essentially a thin layer of sterling silver on top of a base metal such as brass or zinc alloy, it is difficult for the layman to tell the difference. The hallmark therefore, is indisputable proof that an item is made from sterling silver or another precious metal.
The hallmark is made up of symbols that denote; the year it was made, the assay office it was verified at, the maker, and the grade of precious metal. Most common are 925 silver, 9ct, 18ct and 24ct gold.
The Corporate Gifts Company have a comprehensive collection of sterling silver promotional items from business card cases to bookmarks and from photo frames to paperweights. All can be diamond engraved using our in – house engraving facility. We can also design special commissions and bespoke items in sterling silver and solid gold such as; cufflinks and corporate jewellery or keyrings and personal accessories. Our in – house design team can supply FOC visuals – just ask the sales team.
Tags: Bookmark, business card cases, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, engraving, gifts company, promotion, promotional item, promotional items
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Friday, August 28th, 2009
Christmas is coming Notebook and pen
Cone wine stopper
Champagne stopper
Carriage clock
Deco clock
City desk set
Puzzle globe
Handbag mirror
5 x7 photo frame
In these very uncertain times, there is still one thing we know for certain; Christmas will be here again on the 25th December! And whilst this has certainly not been a year to write home about, there will be still many companies sending (and receiving) corporate gifts this yuletide. The promotions market is, of course, much more sophisticated than a hamper or bottle of Bells at Christmas, nevertheless, Christmas is still the busiest time of the year with last minute decisions and turnarounds at break-neck speed.
Companies still want to recognise customers and staff at the end of the year by showing their appreciation and loyalty for the past and ushering in hope of prosperity in the New Year. Business gifts at Christmas are also a favourite for winning new customers too.
If chosen carefully, a desirable and appropriate promotional item branded with your logo will stay in the mind and on the desk long into the New Year.
The Corporate Gifts Company specialise in silver plated and leather items perfect for yuletide marketing and sales promotion. Our stock is held on site and carried out in –house so that we can achieve those impossible turn around times needed in the run up to the big day.
Be careful not to buy a cheap “stocking filler” promo give-away that will be discarded with the junk mail (so often a false economy that rarely delivers the desired results) but choose a truly memorable and desirable silver plated or leather gift. We offer some fantastic packaging options to compliment our gift box available as standard. All you need to do now is choose. Here are our ten top selling Christmas executive incentives (in no particular order.)
Tags: business gift, Business Gifts, Carriage Clock, Champagne Stopper, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, executive incentives, gift box, gifts company, Handbag Mirror, packaging, promotion, promotions, sales promotion
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Thursday, August 27th, 2009
The carrot or the stick- the age old question when it comes to staff motivation. In the 21st Century we like to think we’re a little more enlightened – no dark satanic mills for us, no sir. In a job market where the employee is king (well, until the recession came along, that is) it’s been all carrot and no stick.
And whilst the economic downturn may well have “redressed” the balance somewhat, the future is still orange! And it’s not all about money, other factors such as job security (very topical) and career developments are big winners. So what are the key issues to consider?
WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE COMPANY?
It’s very easy to get caught up with what works for the employee. Any scheme or incentive must be aligned with business goals and objectives. As with Investors in People, training incentives must have bottom line benefits for the company.
CREATE OWNERSHIP
Get your team involved up front. Buy in will come from involvement and that will effectively drive performance. Listen to what really motivates them and centre on that and that will effectively drive performance. Listen to what really motivates them and centre on that, especially for goal hungry sales staff.
BE COMPETITIVE
Check out the competition and make sure your scheme is up to scratch. Otherwise …..
MEASURE
If it can be measured, it can be managed. Staff will respond better to specific, measurable targets. Build in those KPI’s (key performance indicators).
EVALUATE
Don’t cast anything in stone; test, evaluate, review and develop. Failing schemes can be de-motivating and may see staff walk.
REWARD AND RECOGNISE
Finally, don’t forget to make individual or team achievements public and visible.
The Corporate Gifts Company has loads of great ideas to help your motivation scheme along. Staff will be highly motivated by awards, plaques, corporate jewellery such as lapel badges, or a well chosen gift to say thank you such as sterling business card case.
Tags: award, Branding, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, engraving, gifts company, incentive schemes, plaques
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Friday, August 21st, 2009
Make your promotion special
Promotional campaigns come in all shapes and sizes. Quantities, target audience etc all vary; from hundreds of thousands of plastic pens at a few pence as give–aways, to a prestigious item for heads of state. When budgets are squeezed like now, there is always awareness that a “special” corporate gift for selected customers or staff can have a bigger impact and can be more cost effective than adapting a scattergun approach that is so often prevalent when times are better and budgets are more liberal. If you allocate the same budget but purchase fewer items coupled with a targeted approach, your promotional campaign can be cost effective with greater results
Segmentation of your database is key. You can slice your pie any number of ways (dependant on your goals and targets along with your particular market) from top spenders to key decision makers, or from most profitable customers to lapsed customers. Good data, of course, is essential, and put good use a series of highly targeted campaigns to defined customer groups will always be better than a blanket campaign to your whole database.
The Corporate Gifts Company
specialise in high – end business gifts and executive incentives ideal for targeted promotions. Engraving individual names onto a corporate gift such as a desk item adds little cost will have a huge impact. So, the next campaign you plan, try to segment into customer groups with different messages and choose your corporate gifts accordingly.
Make your promotion special
Tags: Branding, business gift, Business Gifts, corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, Cost Effective, engraving, executive incentives, gifts company, promotion, promotional campaigns, promotions
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Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
Fashion and fads in the recession.
There are some things that are recession proof such as food – we’ve all got to eat, of course. But for the majority of industries and businesses, the recession will have some adverse effects (some more than others). Right at the sharp end of these effects, however, are things that are subject to fashion, fads and crazes. In a recession, this year’s model is likely to fast become fodder for the scrap heap as quickly as you can say, “Quantitive Easing”.
Think of all the momentum built up behind eco–friendly and ethically sourced products; whilst we all still share the ideals that made this 2008’s hot topic, it’s rather slipped down the pecking order of our concerns as more immediate financial concerns and more pressing. And what about organic food – are huge growth area and a retail star in recent years? According to recent data, sales have taken a battering.
Imagine, then, how real fashion or fad items have fared now consumers are tightening their belts; fashion accessories, high tech gadgets, etc.
Sales promotion, too, has been hit hard. What holds up in recessionary times in sales promotion (as well as other markets) is tried and tested products, especially those with a classic style and high perceived value. Not only does it say; safe, it also feeds the desire and for a little bit luxury (much needed in hard times).
The Corporate Gifts Company specialise in premium incentives, particulary silver plated and sterling silver gifts diamond engraved with your corporate logo or promotional message.
Our products are classic with a timeless style; a reliable corporate gift solution with just the right amount of luxury and wow factor.
Tags: corporate gift, corporate gifts, Corporate Gifts Co, fashion, gifts company, little bit, premium incentives, promotion, sales promotion
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