There are thousands of business gift ideas that work well and do all the talking they need to do on their own. For most promotional items packaging is not needed, it adds frills where no frills are required and would usually be thrown away immediately anyway.

However, packaging does add value to a certain type of product and this can be a very noticeable addition to an already well-received gift.

Certain products immediately spring to mind – such as wine gift sets where packaging not only provides protection, but also as something to keep the individual items together. Confectionery often comes well packaged, showing off the product, or increasing the mouth-watering anticipation of what is inside!

Most Executive Pens have always been supplied in gift boxing. A Parker, Waterman or Cross pen would be the same pen without, but the packaging adds even more perceived value to an already very expensive business gift.  Pens such as the Waterman Hemisphere come in leather look hinged boxes with the Waterman motif foil blocked to the top. Parker Jotter ballpens come in simple two-part Parker branded boxes, still adding value.

Some promotional pens don’t come boxed or individually packaged as standard but have options for an additional cost. Prodir have 2 packaging types for their pen range and certain executive pens can be supplied with a decent box or just a simple gift tube.

The USB Flashdrive is a product range that has really benefited from how packaging can affect the perceived value of the product. Although prices have traditionally fallen and this is now more of a commodity item now than a high end gift, packaging is not standard until you go into the high memory drives for example. A bulk supplied flashdrive is a well received gift, there is no doubt, but paying a little extra and receiving a magnetic clip close box or even one of the gift tins, really takes away the general business gift feel and can make a lower memory drive feel more like the executive business gift it used to be.

Packaging is sometimes forgotten when looking at Promotional Gifts, but it is an area that with a little thought and the use of the knowledge of the SCM sales team, can make all the difference to your next business gift purchase.

There are times when you just think; I have to tell as many people about this as possible. The opportunity to give away – for free – Nintendo Wii’s has to rank up there with the most important blog entries ever!

OK, so is this for real? Well yes it is. Steel City Marketing have tapped into a fantastic offer that is subject to spend on a range of products, but should an order meet these criteria then a Wii can be yours absolutely free.

The offer does not cover our entire range, but on a selected amount of business gift ideas. Should the order value (before screens, set ups, carriage & VAT) exceed £6,500 on just one of these items, or £12,500 on a combination of products, a Wii is guaranteed as part of the order.

So, lets cut to the chase and explain which items from our promotional products range feature alongside this great offer.

Promotional Pens
3301 – Linear ballpen – which is a sleek metal ballpen that comes gift tubed.
3307 – Spiral ballpen – 3 colours available in this chrome trimmed ballpen.
3310 – Radius ballpen – Chunky feel available in 4 colour options.

General Business Gifts
203 -   I-Con Calculator – available in modern colours, with an Ipod look and feel.
4503 – Trafford A4 folder – Great value conference folder. Internal pockets, pad and pen and gilt corners.
8102 – Serenity Clock – A beautifully designed executive gift.

There are around 30 products in total on the Steel City Marketing website (and hundreds more that we can easily source from the same range) that this offer applies to. It is well worth discussing these with your sales contact at Steel City in order to find out the combinations available which may well have already been on your shopping list and which allow you to personally benefit from the outstanding offer that is creating a real buzz around the business gifts industry.

(*Restrictions may apply – please ask one of the sales team).

What am I talking about in the title – put simply… “buying Knowledge once and selling it a thousand times”.  During a meeting this week, the business gift industry in general was discussed and to put it bluntly – there are people who appear to be trying to mix up a decent, well organized industry up for self gain.  I am told that this is something that one person in the industry believes. It would appear that a “guru” in the US lives by that very statement – “buy knowledge once, sell it a thousand times” and someone is trying to apply it over here.  At the time it made me feel very uneasy and still does as I write today’s posting.
I am not opposed to the theory, the idea and I would almost agree that this is a very shrewd and clever idea that a business can use and become very successful at. However, I do not believe that every company could use it and apply it to their business or industry and I certainly feel that it must be used carefully, thoughtfully and with a full assessment of all the potential repercussions.
The knowledge I am referring to is empowering people who do not sell business gifts and promotional items as their core business to do so. This may seem like something very innocent and straightforward. I have no problem with companies diversifying and making more money, competition is good and keeps us all on our toes and thinking of news ideas. What concerns me is the scattering with which this selling of knowledge happens, no thought, just mass distribution of the sourcing tools for selling business gifts.
Promotional Gift selling is not a deeply guarded secret – but it cannot be done half cocked. It needs experience and a huge knowledge base to win respect and good reputation. It is price led and being established in the industry gains price advantages. You must have a very well oiled back office set up. We are dealing with client’s logos and branding guidelines – it is extremely vital that these are “looked after”. We are having items printed, engraved, embroidered, blocked. Proofing, deadline making, problem solving all happen every day. This is a “full time job” for every member of an entire company, not something that a member of staff can dip into for a couple of hours and make a decent profit – the problems this would cause would be frightening.
I am worried about this? No. Do I have concerns? Yes. At Steel City Marketing, we have worked at gaining knowledge and experience, we have great price points and work hard at achieving these. This is unfortunately one person’s ideal and one person’s ultimate gain or agenda. Will it work remains to be seen.