Why are Promotional Pens so effective?
There are some things that just work. And as a promotional item, pens definitely just work.
So in marketing terms for a promotional gift what does that mean?
- Universal appeal.
- Useful or
- Desirable
- (or both)
- Working at different budgets or price points
- Different styles catering for different tastes basically doing the same thing.
The Promotional Gifts Company has one of the largest ranges of promotional pens on the web and a quick glance through our various sections; from ballpoint pens to markers, will demonstrate what a variety of styles and prices there are for what in the normal course of the working day you wouldn't give a second glance to.
Of course, it is the branding of your corporate logo or promotional message which counts on any business gift and the branding on a pen will act as a subliminal message promoting your brand or company every time someone (and it could be one person or many in an office) picks it up and uses it.
Pens will also work on different levels; for instance you can "flood" an office by distributing a lot of cost effective ballpoints for everyday use and they'll rotate around different desks, departments and even floors as they are used, picked up, put down, lost, stolen (unintentionally of course), all the while gently promoting your company. Or they can be an executive gift (after all right at the top end of the pen family sits prestigious writing instruments costing many thousands of pounds) and these corporate incentives are prized and cherished conveying real value to the recipient and saying a lot about your company and how much you value the person you gave it to.
So, think about what you are trying to achieve with your marketing campaign, have a look at The Promotional Gifts Comapny's huge range of pens and knock your self out. Remember, we have years of experience in supplying promotional pens and writing instruments and are always delighted to offer advice and guidance on the most appropriate promotional pen to choose - call today on 0845 430 2902.
Promotional Clothing
Did you know that The Promotional Gifts Company offers a comprehensive range of promotional clothing from T-shirts to Polo shirts, and from fleeces to body-warmers, not to mention promo baseball caps, track suits, and even promotional aprons! Basically, there is something to suit any taste and marketing budget. And if there is something you're looking for that you can't find in our standard range - then ask our experienced sales staff and they'll find it for you.
At first glance there is a bewildering array of options; styles, colours and, of course, sizes. The trick is not to get phased by this. And remember, we have almost 20 years experience in supplying promotional clothing so we can advise you on the best choices to meet your marketing and promotional goals.
Choice of sizes can be daunting. After all who knows all the sizes of 100+ staff or all the people attending a corporate event. Well, don't worry, there are tried and tested standard combinations of sizes to cover the average collection of people (and if your group has a slightly different size bias then this can be adjusted to suit).
The other great thing is that minimum quantities can be split over different sizes and colours; which means you can have a minimum quantity of 25pcs of a particular style of promotional jacket (or whatever) and have different colours and different sizes to make up that 25. This flexible approach means you can have a really cost effective solution to your promotional clothing requirements.
For more information, call our sales team on 0845 430 2902.
Greenwash – don’t get spashed.
While sales of ethical products increased by 40 per cent overall in the UK in 2006 and have continued apace ever since, Fairtrade Foundation executive director Harriet Lamb commented the movement still has a long way to go in giving thousands more producers in developing countries the chance to gain recognition, a better future and the opportunity to compete in an increasingly competitive global market." (Independent, 22 February 2007)
It has been claimed that in the years to come, corporate social responsibility (CSR) will be the most far-reaching and important development in business. However, the biggest challenge is to formalise your CSR initiatives – even if you were already doing a lot towards it – and then to communicate it to your customers. And with the government spending cuts and recession still at large, just how important is this issue to businesses and consumers?
Companies formalising their CSR policy is comparable to the situation regarding ISO9000 – the quality standards – some 15 to 20 years ago. It will be like pulling teeth at first but all professional companies will eventually have a recognised CSR policy and it will become a pre-requisite for doing business in developed economies, despite attention being a little diverted by current economic pressures.
However, it is going to be a long, hard slog for companies who import products, as the key “buy-in” needs to be from the Far East suppliers, not the UK companies in the middle. I predict that there will be a lot of lip service, sound bites and half measures from companies as this develops.
When it comes to the issue of ethical sourcing, the question is clear because the parameters are understood and unequivocal. Companies can and should get up to speed as soon as possible. But when it comes to so-called ecologically-sound products, the issues are so complex, debatable and often at odds with other issues. For instance, it would be difficult to argue that a promotional item could ever be regarded as a necessity, so it does not need to be produced at all. Any debate, therefore, as to whether a promotional product is ecological or not is surely redundant.
No answers especially on the eco-friendly side of the claim, and of course we should do what we can where we can, but be careful about "greenwash" claims from suppliers - otherwise if your promotion comes unstuck due to false or misleading claims, it could be you left holding the paintbrush.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Even in the midst of the recession, one thing is certain, Christmas is still going to come. In fact this is the second Christmas to be effected by the economic downturn, and if last year is anything to go by (business wise), then Santa might as well crawl back under the duvet. But here at the Promotional Gifts Company we don't think it will be anything like that, oh no! Last year in marketing and promotions budgets were cut, on hold, or companies were just holding their breath and not doing anything. Throughout 2009 we have seen a different mindset. Sure, it's certainly not like it was (perhaps it never will be again), but at least companies and marketing departments now realise that it's still essential to market yourself and stay in contact with customers, prospects and staff. The show must go on, and so this Yuletide we will see the usual mad rush, last minute scramble for Christmas promotional items and business gifts - but we love it. At The Promotional Gifts Company we are geared up and waiting to help you with enquiries, product choice dilemas, branding requirements, and, of course, super fast turnaround times.
So what should you consider when choosing your Christmas corporate gifts;
Customers are more than just names on a database … they are individuals too. So, when they receive a promotional gift, they will respond as people receiving a token of appreciation from another person. A personal connection is made, building goodwill and loyalty. It's an old cliché, but it really is the thought that counts – even more so at Christmas.
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.
PROMOTIONAL GIFTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
The World Wide Web is not just a business tool or another form of media. The Internet is fast becoming the most influencial and all emcompassing part of our lives.
It's difficult to believe that just a few years ago many companies believed that the internet was irrelevent to them and a website was a luxury and unnecessary to their business - you won't find many companies with that attitude now.
Today, pretty much every business and organisation has some sort of a web presence. In a lot of cases it is the most important part of any businesses marketing strategy.
From Email marketing through to SEM (Search Engine Management) and SEO (Search Engine Optimsation), Adwords, and affiliate marketing, the development of internet marketing has been nothing short of astounding.
Now, Web 2.0 has seen the meteoric rise of social media; such as blogs, twitter, facebook and linkedin. Where we;re headed next, nobody knows.
Many people suggest that essentially everything is moving online. So, is offline, more traditional marketing techniques now becoming irrelevant? Probably not. Success stories over the past decade or so have shown that it is a combination of different methods and media that really drives growth; i.e. multi chanel marketing. And whilst it may be that the internet will prove to be the glue that holds all these disparate chanels together, it probably won't replace them, instead becoming the "keystone" in a 360 degree strategic marketing plan.
Traditional marketing such as direct mail, advertising, sponsorship, and sales promotion will still have a pivotal role in the marketing mix.
Sales promotion, and in particular promotional gifts, will still have a key role to play in any marketing initiative or campaign. Advertising products, business gifts and executive incentives still have a tangible and cost effective "human" link to the customer that digital cannot hope to match. The key will be for marketers to dovetail the strengths of a physical product with the overall aims of the campaign and ensure the message is complimentary to and reinforces the overall campaign values and goals.
PLANNING FOR PROMOTIONAL GIFTS
We all realise by now that the recession will cause untold challenges for us both as individuals but also for business. Previous recessions have proved that there are opportunities for strong businesses out there and those businesses that do survive will emerge stronger.
So what can you do to maximise opportunities and prepare for the recovery?
PLAN - Produce three versions of a detailed short term plan; pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic so that you can be prepared for all possible scenarios.
CASH - Cash is King at any time, and even more so in the current economic climate. Tighten credit control procedures, invoice early and chase even earlier. Have realistic cashflow forecasts.
OPPORTUNITIES - Chances are your competitors will be struggling; poach their customers by aggressive sales and marketing. You can even look for aquisitions at knock down prices.
EXISTING CUSTOMERS - Make sure you don't neglect your existing customers. Cranfield School of Management use an interesting fruit analogy; "Squeeze The Lemon". If your customer base is the lemon, then you need to squeeze them for all their worth.
NEW CUSTOMERS - Even though it may seem like business is in short supply out there, now is a great time to convert your competitors' customers. Companies are looking to cut costs or may be disaffected with a struggling supplier - there are deals to be done out there!
Promotional Gifts are a great way of reaching out to new and existing customers. They are a tangible and cost effective way of carrying your brand or promotional message; from personal business gifts to umbrellas, and from desk clocks to pens.
Blogging 101
It seems that web marketing has now got to the point where in order to market your website you need to write a blog post at least every week. It further seems that said blog needn’t actually make sense as long as it contains the right balance of well written content sprinkled with appropriate keywords. For example this website sells promotional gifts and if I were writing a business gift blog (which I am) then I’d be sure to use such keywords as “business giftware” throughout the text. I have seen many examples of very badly written blogs around the internet, they are almost incomprehensible in a spelling and grammatical context. But it seems that as long as they have and appropriate number of keywords in them (such as “promotional products” in my case) then search engines don’t really seem to mind. It takes a long time to write a good blog, but if Google doesn’t really mind if your blog is a bit ropey then I may opt for the easy option of faster less comprehensive blogs with the necessary keywords such as “Corporate Gifts” for this website.
The dangers of being too Leftfield
As a promotional product purchaser you might be relatively new in your current company or industry. As such, a background in simplifying the something complex world of business giftware buying may be useful.
Practices of promotional giftware buying evolve over time (as almost everything does). In the past particularly there was a blunt practice which was simply to present corporate gifts to almost everyone that has to do with the organisation in question, from employees to customers and even affiliates!
When thinking about your business giftware needs make sure that you stick to your budget and use it as effectively as possible to show appreciation for the hard work of your employees and/or key clientele.
There are many products in the marketplace today and with such a large choice it is sometimes easier to go with a simple product like a business card holder. The classic products remain immune to trends and if you are relatively new to promotional giftware buying then it’s probably sensible to cut your teeth on a safer product.
To be too leftfield can have the opposite effect on the recipient to that which is required!
Tempus Fugit
Tempus Fugit
Time waits for no man! And with modern life becoming more and more hectic, the phrase cash rich time poor is a modern summation of life as we know it in the 21st century of the developed economies (or at least it was until the credit crunch). More time, less stress is perhaps now more appropriate and on the wish list of every working adult.
What has all of this to do with promotional gifts and business gifts? Well, nothing much to be honest, except that clocks, watches and timepieces are among the most popular enduring and timeless (sorry!) promo items. The Promotional Gifts Co boasts one of the largest collections promotional items on the largest collection of promotional items on the internet all which can be branded with your logo or message.
Our comprehensive range of desk clocks features exciting modern retro styles as well as clocks with classic styling. If you’re looking for timepieces with even more functionality, there are a host of weather stations with thermometers and hygrometers, and some with even more features such as world time converters, currency converters, time, date, and even photo frames. Wall clocks of all sizes, shapes, and design are available too, all can be printed with your logo.
And then there’s slightly more unusual items like: parking timers, stop watches and, of course, a huge range of watches in various styles from modern to classical and from sport watches to gift sets. Whatever your promotional requirement, find time (sorry, again) to call the Promotional Gifts Co. on 0845 430 2902.
Whether the weather is good, whether the weather is bad
Whether the weather is good, whether the weather is bad
On the back of yet another disappointing and unsettled summer in the UK and across Europe. Be prepared and (as we said in the Boy Scouts) is the watch-ward especially in the country.
Outdoor garments and accessories are always well received as promotional items whether sent direct to recipient or given out at corporate events. It’s a huge branch of the promotional product tree affording great opportunities for companies to make a positive impression on their customers or staff. And they cover a all types of weather; from umbrellas for when it’s wet; to sunvisors for when the sun finally does makes an appearance.
The Promotional Gifts Company has a massive collection of outdoor apparel and accessories unrivalled anywhere on the web. We have 7 main categories of umbrella each with a bewildering array of colours. There are baseball caps, sunvisors, hats, fleece sets-enough to make your head spin. And when it comes to clothing we have everything from shirts to shorts and from rugby shirts to body warmers- and more besides. And if that isn’t enough we have a whole array of outdoor accessories from sunglasses, to games, and from hammocks to bikes. Of course we can also advise on and supply uniforms and work wear. All of these options can be branded and with your logo or promotional message-give us a call today on 0845 430