A great way to encourage a workforce or stimulate your staff is to look at giving employees gifts as a way of a thank you for achieving goals that have been set or as an incentive to work even harder than they are already doing. Staff want to feel appreciated and a business gift of this type for an employee can go a long way. There are many options that can be considered as employee gift ideas and these can fall into many product categories with certain items providing a high perceived value to the recipient.

Quite a few companies look to provide desk top items that not only make a uniform appearance to the office but also neaten up some work spaces, adding a splash of colour and giving employees certain items that otherwise might have become a little old and worn or even products that haven’t been used before. Products such as mousemats and coaster combinations, or pen pots and desk tidies can all carry corporate branding as well as give the employee receiving the gift a lift.

Alternative product ideas to be consider as an employee gift idea would be something that again can be used during a working day, and something that assists the staff and makes it easier to work or gives them a professional edge when seeing clients. Folders or business bags would fit neatly into this category, in other words something that would be well received, more than likely be used and would be noticed and commented on by customers or suppliers.

Christmas is a good time to look at a gift for the employees but nowadays most products cross over into other periods on the calendar. Pen sets, whether they are the brand names (such as Parker) or non branded metal options are really nice gift ideas.

An area that is becoming very popular these days is corporate clothing. This can come under a couple of categories, the first being staff workwear. Whilst not exactly a gift, it does give the staff a boost when everyone is provided with a really well put together workplace uniform, however formal or informal. On the other side, there are some great clothing items, such as jackets, or casual clothing ideas that can act as a great employee gift.

The final area to consider would be awards for either the entire staff when the company hits certain goals, or for indviduals as an employee gift for those who have performed beyond the targets set. This can encourage staff to want to be that person next time, or galvanize a workforce into looking to hit a level they have been set.

Steel City Marketing is a leading UK promotional gifts distributor. Should you be looking for any business gift or employee gift ideas, please call a member of the sales team on 0114 2754150.

There is still a good degree of spend in the promotional gifts industry on higher value items, despite the current economic situation. Talking to clients, they are aware of how important retaining the client base is and in certain industries an expensive or luxury corporate gift is still high on the list of tools to use to do this. For a company looking at the spend levels and wondering if they can afford something beyond what they have traditionally spent, it is worth considering that for a great many people, perceived value allows quite a few products to fall into a more luxury high end bracket.

The perceived value or an item will be increased by the use or need of a product for the recipient, so this is something that should be focused on. A great example of this type of item would be good quality golf umbrellas. It is certainly an item that would be purchased were it not given and for the better quality items, branded well, these will almost certainly be used and be a cherished gift, high perceived value and will therefore fall into the luxury gift end of the spectrum.

Bags and Luggage are another great idea, with weekender bags, trolley bags, going right up to some brand names such as antler luggage, case logic business bags and even the cream of the crop, Mulberry products, which are certainly best to leave unbranded!  These are not necessarily products that are all heavily involved in the promotional gifts market, but call one of the Steel City Marketing team as we have good trade rates with several high end brands.

There are many other areas of business gifts and merchandise that should be considered when looking at something more luxurious. There is the ability to spend big on pens with Waterman, Cross and Lamy all having high price tags and higher retail prices in comparison. Watches are becoming a popular gift with some quality models (although not brand named). Golf luggage from some of the famous brands also have a good perceived value and a good choice of silver plated gifts and awards all make for a great choice of something with that little bit extra for the recipient.

Steel City Marketing have a highly experienced business gifts sales team and would be happy to discuss any ideas or products further, providing pricing, visuals and alternatives should you require.  Please call 0114 2754150 now.

There is a constant drive to find new and interesting offers in most markets these days and business and promotional gifts is no different. Marketing budgets are being cut with most other overheads coming under great scrutiny. Never has it been more important to ensure all businesses work hard to retain and increase their client base.  With this in mind we have been looking at a plan to put forward regular offers across a broad range of product categories to ensure that if there is a call to aggressively market your business, you have the opportunity to do this with best selling ranges and new product ideas.

Recycled promotional gifts are a fast growing area. There has been a big demand for a good solid base of products that are made from recycled materials, organically produced or sourced ethically. As this has become established, more and more alternatives have come on stream with these attributes.

During February and March, we are not only showcasing some of these items with regular postings, but have also negotiated some great deals to try and stimulate ways of promoting your brand, service or simply a recycling initiative:

Jute bags, also known as bags for life are becoming a regularly used household item. People are trying to move away from the plastic bag options which are harmful to the environment and don’t have long-term usability. Eco bags are being used to carry branding more and more and the item carries a positive message to all that see it. That is why the first of our offers that one certain lines, you will receive 10% extra free on your order.

One of the best selling product areas in the business gifts industry is that of promotional pens and we have looked at putting together an offer on one of the best selling recycled options, which is the Realta ballpen. Not only do we consider this a good value for money unit price, but also there is an offer of a free screen, saving £35 on your order.

Desktop promotional items are always a fast moving product range and still feature on a high volume of orders. With the wheelie bin pencil sharpener, made from recycled material, there is a simple everyday product that will carry your branding as well as a subtle reminder to act more responsibly to waste produced. Therefore, with every order for these, you will receive the same quantity of free recycled newspaper pencils, which although plain, could be single colour branded for a very slight additional spend on your order.

We believe each of these offers stand-alone well, but as a set to choose from cover all aspects of the recycled promotional gifts range. Please contact a member of the Steel City Marketing sales team (on 0114 2754150) who will be more than happy to discuss these or any other items you are interested in.

Recycled & Eco Promotional Gifts are continuing to gain a high level of interest and exposure. For the many campaigns and initiatives that we hear about outlining our impact on the climate and the environment, it only makes sense to use ways of advertising that don’t then have a negative impact. Over the next week, each of the blog entries will focus on one of the great offers we have put together in the Eco product area. The first one will be the Jute bags.

It is estimated that in the UK we use 13 billion plastic bags per year. That is over 200 per person, man, woman and child. This is obviously too many and only a few get recycled.
Many councils are now looking to promote the use of reusable bags, Jute being one of several options available. Supermarkets and large retail outlets are also using the trend to reduce the number of plastic carrier bags they purchase and give out and have made a concerted effort to encourage the reusing of bags.

There are many different sizes, shapes and styles making this a very versatile product. Bags can be used not only for the supermarket or high street shopping trips but additional everyday use such as trips to the gym and a day trip. Jute bags can be used to gather, collect and then transport items to the recycling facility.  The Basic Jute bag has flat handles for carrying and comes in the traditional biscuit colour. The Everyday Jute shopper is the next bag up in the range and this comes with a cotton webbing over a rope handle, which not only improves the look of the product but also the comfort when carrying. Larger bags are also available which then open up the flexibility for a number of uses and these are the Large Jute Bag and the Multipurpose Jute bag. Both have larger capacities made possible by the reinforced base and wider gusset.

The branding area on a Jute bag is fantastic and this can be to one or 2 sides allowing maximum exposure of the logo and a reinforcement of the brand you are promoting. Reusable is the buzzword and anything reusable that carries your advert will be something that works for you for a long time to come.

With an offer of 10% extra free on a selected range of Jute Bags over February and March 2009, please contact a member of the Steel City Marketing sales team on 0114 2754150 to get a fantastic promotional item working for you.

With the Christmas promotional gifts rush now a memory our thoughts turn very quickly to the exhibition and conference season. This traditionally takes place during the first few months of the year and from January clients are busy making plans for such an event.

The right choice of promotional merchandise to use at your forthcoming event is obviously of major importance. Equally as important when making this decision is which of the many promotional bags to select.  Should this be something that is thought about in detail, you can be sure that the bag you decide to go with will be used for a considerable length of time.

During any event, there is usually a host of marketing literature, the latest product catalogues or price lists and these are usually accompanied by the promotional giveaways that you hope will continue to reinforce your brand long after the exhibition has finished.  You are therefore looking for a bag that your visitor will want to carry around with them, put others stand’s giveaways inside. Should this be achieved, then you have a whole set of walking billboards to advertise who you are, where you are and what you do.

The choice of bags available for use as a promotional item is extensive and there is something to fit any budget or corporate image that you are looking to pass on.

Polythene carrier bags: remain very popular, due to the advantage of being able to look at high volume with a relatively low spend. They have great advertising space. There are variations to choose from with rope, flexiloop or plastic clip close handles as well as retail style duffle or bags with a reinforced base.

Paper bags: an extremely popular choice due to the environmental approach. Most use FSC certified paper. Numerous size options available and there are the budget Kraft paper which provide a cheaper solution to the luxury gloss or matt laminated rope handled carriers which give the boutique feel.
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Conference bags: usually a shoulder / satchel type bag produced in nylon or polyester. Most have internal pockets but with a more limited spend, the premium rucksack remains a best selling item. It is robust and can be used for a considerable amount of time, working well for your brand / company.

Bags for Life: The most significant growth area over the last year or so. Choice has been on the increase and materials and designs are coming on stream all the time. Cotton shoppers remain a best selling item due to possibility of printing in low volumes. For the larger quantity requirements, Jute Bags are becoming extremely popular, mainly due to the large supermarkets and food chains selling these as an alternative to plastic bags. There is good choice of sizes and styles, and this is an item that if branded correctly can give lengthy advertising to your organization for years to come.

We believe the extra time given when choosing your promotional bag can pay dividends in the future. Please contact a member of the Steel City Marketing sales team (0114 2754150) who would be more than happy to discuss ideas in more detail with the aim of ensuring you have the right items for your client base and budget restrictions.

For Steel City Marketing the biggest selling item in terms of volume is Polythene Carrier Bags. In nearly 30 years we have sold literally millions…

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