The Promotional Gifts Blog

Most “everyday” promotional items are printed; from plastic pens and rulers, to bags and USB flash drives; but for a metal item, engraving is the only way to go. Often customers request a faithful reproduction of their logo in glorious “technicolor”, but this rarely translates to successful business gift. When you choose a silver plated item such as a clock or desk accessory you are looking for something that will communicate how much you value your customer or member of staff; a desirable gift with high perceived value that will have an immediate impact but also something that the customer will want to keep.

It’s important to deliver a real wow factor when the gift box is opened. Engraving will enhance and magnify the perceived value of the gift. Stick a three colour logo in blue, red and yellow on the product, however, and you have made a £25 gift look like a £5 giveaway.

There are two main types of engraving typically used for promotional items; diamond drag engraving and laser engraving. Both look great but have very different effects. Diamond engraving looks expensive and has a reflective sparkle that no other marking method can match; the diamond point literally draws on the surface of the metal and the result is a multi faceted reflection. However, this is also its weakness as fine detail (especially small text) can be difficult to make out. You are also restricted by the width of the diamond point so very intricate work sometimes needs to be simplified. By contrast, laser engraving is superb for fine detail. Its colour (normally grey) and finer resolution mean that text and complicated logos are very sharp. On the downside, in comparison with diamond engraving it can look flat and boring, almost cheapening the overall feel of the product.

On balance, we feel it’s more important to preserve the impact and desirability of the product rather than slavishly following corporate logo guidelines – most of our customers certainly agree. Our in-house engraving staff are experts at translating logos suitable for diamond engraving, although we do offer laser engraving when we feel it is more appropriate.

Even in times of recession, Christmas still comes once a year, and in the run up to Christmas the traditional feel of diamond engraving strikes the right chord when presenting Christmas corporate gifts as recognition and thank yous to customers and staff. A corporate gift is just like any personal gift, therefore it’s’ important that it conveys that you value the recipient.

In the present economic climate, companies are obviously aiming to get the most from their marketing spend and are looking for added value, so personalised promotional gifts are currently extremely popular and provide that extra individual touch important for any Christmas gift. After all, it is the perfect time to remind customers that they are valued and appreciated. A well thought out gift engraved with an individual name or message gives the impression that someone has really thought about and cares for the recipient. Individual engraving is easy to arrange and relatively inexpensive, but it adds that “sense of the special” that many “every-day” promotional items lack. Our customers tell us that the personalized engraved name is the single thing that their customers or staff most value.

Top tips for Promotional Premium gifts this Christmas;

• Spinning Star Paperweight - New this autumn. Great “Christmassy” feel, bright silver finish, super fiddle factor, perfect executive gift, looks brilliant engraved, and it spins!

• Magnetic Puzzle Globe – A real jigsaw puzzle with magnetic pieces on top of a solid sphere. Looks fantasic engraved on the base. One of most popular items – any time of the year.

• Jensen Travel Alarm Clock in Leather Pouch – New this autumn. Clocks are always popular at Christmas, and this beautifully made travel alarm clock looks really great with a diamond engraved logo and with the leather pouch it really hits the spot.