Argon Promotional Products and Promotional Gifts. » Corporate Gifts

It is worthwhile looking at some corporate gift options that are available on the website which you can hand over to your customers and employees who are sure to receive them with great enthusiasm and appreciation.

The first one deserving mention is the flash drive which has made the storage of data such an easy task, besides lending the convenience of portability and any time access.  These devices give you the benefit of taking a back up and are available in many colours and with varying storage capacities.  Their utility and features have made them very popular with the corporate world and are worthy gifts to be handed over.  When these types of products are distributed as corporate gifts with the company logo imprinted on them, your brand receives excellent top of mind recall every time the flash drive is used.

These types of products can be very creatively used during seminars and exhibitions. They can be distributed as giveaways to visitors at the stall and can be loaded with useful company information on products and services which visitors would definitely look at and thereby approach you for business.  These flash drives can also contain testimonials and the various projects that your company has undertaken successfully to serve as additional proofs reflecting the capabilities of your company.

Another useful product is the promotional computer gift set.  These sets, while being reasonably priced contain very useful items attractively packed.  They are ideal gifts that you can give to some of your customers who are tech savvy or to specific people in a company who are from the IT department.  They have all the right equipment and accessories that the IT guys need and they will thank you for making their jobs easier, by gifting them something which they can access quickly at one place.  It is imperative to know your customers and their tastes very well to hand over gifts of this type and can do a lot for your brand image as well as for the person handling the account.  It conveys the impression that you care about your customers and give a lot of thought to even a supposedly mundane activity like gift distribution.  These corporate gifts get noticed by many people within your customer’s office and all of them will have a very positive opinion about your company.  The best thing about these gifts is that they can also be bought in smaller quantities as per your need and you can spend your budget wisely.

It is worthwhile to pause and look at off beat options like the ones described above and select the ones you feel will be accepted gladly by the customer.  They serve as a good diversion in comparison to the other gifts and you are able to establish relationships with other equally important departments within your customer’s company.

It is quite disturbing that many big companies do not realize the importance of corporate gifts in their business.  While this occurrence has been only noticed recently, it is still disheartening to note that in the past, companies relied on gifts as their tools for promoting their business.  Although the use of gifts as promotional items has been abused at times, other companies are relying more and more on it because of the benefits it bring particularly in the promotion of products and services.

There are many reasons why companies provide gifts.  First and the most obvious reason is, that these are tools for promoting their company. Giving out gifts wherein the company logo and contact information are imprinted on it will boost the image of the company, thereby improving its business.  This is an advantage that most marketing executives fail to realize.  They only look at the expenses involved in purchasing these types of products.

Also, most corporations do not consider the giving of promotional items as something worth spending money.  They’d rather put money on advertising in television or radio instead. However, what these companies fail to realize is that good quality gifts can last for a significant amount of time.

Another thing that corporate gifts do is that they motivate the staff. Giving gifts to personnel often result to more motivated and highly appreciated employees.  These in turn results to a more energized staff who will likely contribute to better business operations.  Keeping them focused through provision of corporate gifts as well as monetary benefits will ensure that your productivity is excellent.

Also, corporate gifts that are given to staff members also serve a promotional purpose especially if they are items that are portable.  Examples of these items are laptop bags and business card holders, as well as pens.  To maximize the promotional capabilities of your gift items, you can imprint your company logo as well as your contact information.

Indeed, looking for the right items to serve as your corporate gifts can be a very tasking challenge.  Giving away a plastic stand that read “World’s Best Team” may not always have a positive effect.  The bottom line is that it is very important to pick the right product.  Spending a good amount of money on these can pay off in the long run, especially in terms of the benefits it brings to your business.

There is little doubt of the phenomenal success social networking sites are witnessing as the digital age continues to grow and grow. However, what impact does this have on companies and brands that are becoming entwined in the movement, through their own choice or through their target markets’ lead? This article entry outlines some of the key pros and cons that companies face in relation to social networking.

Lets start optimistically and look at the advantages that beckon:

An all time favourite marketing tool has to be Word Of Mouth (WOM). It is the most powerful marketing initiative that a company could ever hope for. To have consumers talking about your brand, comparing notes, and actually unconsciously building brand awareness for your company!

Therefore in this instance social networking sites that allow consumers to discuss your brand to people all over the world, has to be a good thing! Getting the word out about your brand is one of the hardest things to do effectively, and if your customers are willing to discuss your brand, then this is a clear advantage over your competitors.

Consumers like to feel that they have the upper hand in any commercial relationship. Social Networking sites allow consumers to talk freely with others about their consumer experiences. They therefore feel less inhibited and are more likely to be honest about their feeling towards particular brands.

An added advantage that WOM brings to any marketing strategy is that it increases brand equity and trust. Consumers are more likely to believe another consumer when they comment that the product/ service is excellent, than if the company itself purports these claims. So if people are talking favourably about your company online, it’s a great boost to your equity status!

Social Networking sites work 24/7 so are available to consumers at a time when it is convenient to them. A lot of advertising messages are ignored or discarded because people are not in the right frame of mind to listen. This problem is resolved through social networking sites as people are more receptive to messages and more willing to digest information.

Relationship Marketing has become a huge buzz word in the industry. More and more companies are trying to build closer alliances with their target market and enter into ‘commercial friendships’. Social networking sites allow this transition, as interaction and the breakdown of barriers are possible.

Now, for all those pessimists out there, here are the cons!

We have heard about WOM and how good words can increase brand equity. But what about the other side of the coin? What if a group of consumers do not agree with your company or have had a bad experience. With a bit of fire in their bellies they can really damage your reputation.

As the consumer gains power in the relationship, the company looses power. This can be disastrous for a company, as they are unable to control the marketing of their own product, and have to be more cunning to continue to hold authority.

Lastly, with more interaction taking place online through various mediums, it becomes very hard for a company to monitor their target markets’ perception of the brand, and identify all comments that are floating around the internet. In essence they loose a big part of their corporate power.

So what do you think of the relationship between the impending domination of social networking sites and corporate organisations. Is it a good marketing tool, or is it something that should be avoided at all costs?

Sales driven businesses constantly motivate their sales force with grand incentive schemes, like offering holidays or cash bonuses to their star reps.

However, sales-increasing incentive schemes are not just limited to corporate enterprises. Whatever your business size; employees who regularly deal with your customers could be your sales team in disguise. You just have to motivate them, and using a corporate gift is the ideal way.  

A customer about to make a purchase has already bought into your brand. Selling more to that customer is much easier and cheaper than trying to sell from scratch to a cold prospect.

All you need to do is offer your staff an incentive so that they make the effort to sell more for you. Offering well-chosen corporate gifts is a great way to motivate people. There is a multitude available to suit everyone and every budget.   

Here a just a few ideas where motivating staff with corporate gifts could really enhance your sales:

Beauty industry: A client books a manicure. Maybe they’d like a pedicure too, or a facial? A therapist motivated by incentives could easily sell more treatments to someone who hadn’t considered completely pampering themselves.  

Restaurant: Diners order their meal but haven’t asked for any side dishes. An enthused waiter would subtly suggest adding to their dining experience with some carefully chosen additions.

Retail: A shopper asks to try on a pair of jeans. A sales assistant, encouraged by the thought of a classy gift from their employer, may suggest a belt to complement them, and perhaps even matching shoes and a bag.  

Motivate your staff, make them feel appreciated, and watch your sales escalate all at the same time by using corporate gifts as incentives.

There are some intelligent ways that your business can capitalise on its advertising, and choosing to give out corporate gifts that are collectable or part of a series is one of them. We all enjoy receiving gifts but when they are worth keeping and are obviously of premium quality, they will be a gift that lasts in our minds and in our office space, too.

Colourful model cars are a traditional item for collectors, and a timeless way to send out something with a nod to the past but that will sit proudly in an office cabinet displaying your logo and name to all who pass as something worth keeping. You could opt for a die-cast yellow Porsche for those special customers and follow it up with a red Lotus Elise the next time – create the demand and potential customers will crowd around your conference stand. And it needn’t be flashy cars; maybe you are a taxi company and want to impress customers with a branded model black taxi, where your logo will sit in two places and will be associated with something classic yet relevant to your business today.

Classic desktop items are another item that your clients will want to keep in a sea of other promotional items. Opt for a stylish letter opener for an item that is of premium quality and as a corporate gift that speaks volumes about your company (and is worth holding on to). Choose a smart executive design in brushed silver and when it is sent and received in its presentation box it will be a gift to remember every day when the postman calls; and why not follow it up the next time with a metal bookmark in the same style, with a satin finish? Your customers will begin to recognise your style and come to expect only the best from your promotional presents to them.

So picking corporate gifts that your clients will want to keep not only shows you to be a company that values their client but one that is savvy enough to know that something worth sending will be something your customers will want to keep, which means maximum brand exposure due to your premium gifts. 

Visit www.argonpromo.co.uk to choose a corporate gift that will be treasured by your clients, or call our expert team on 0870 300 1426 for specialist advice.

The word corporate usually conjurors up a huge concern, but you don’t have to a very large company to benefit from using corporate gifts. Even the smallest business should consider this invaluable type of promotion. It’s all about getting your company out there in this highly competitive world of business.

Research your retail markets thoroughly, get to know potential customers likes and dislikes inside out. The world of business can be cutthroat, so you need your business to shine amongst the stiff competition.

When choosing your corporate gifts you should research what type of product would best suit your company’s needs. For instance if your company specialises in manufacturing sports wear, an ideal choice would be a customised company T-shirt, or personalised printed towel with your all important name and logo on.

The next step is to find a promotional gift company, who supplies high quality promotional merchandise at a reasonable cost to you. Make sure they are flexible to your requirements, for example a large company will order thousands of T shirts, whilst a small business will only need a limited supply. Do they cater for both? There are numerous companies on the internet, so choose a reputable and reliable one. Ask for an estimated time for completion date of your order. If they are a good company, they should be able to supply you with an order of high quality corporate gifts quickly. If you require all of the above please visit www.argonpromo.co.uk.