Tag: Foody

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For best impact: What to give and who to?

The Christmas gift story begins with the desire to give to people who’ve helped you along the way this year.  For smaller businesses this can be quickly seen to with a few crates of beer or chocolates off the supermarket shelf, but for businesses growing a brand, it’s time to sit down and think about your clients and how they will feel receiving a gift from you.  The warm fuzzy feeling going on around giving has got to fit with your brand.

To make it simple, you shouldn’t pick gifts that conflict with your brand and what it stands for.

To make it simple, you shouldn’t pick gifts that conflict with your brand.  If your brand is all about Health and Well-being, you probably wouldn’t select Chocolates and Wine.  Why ever not?  Because these foods are, sadly, associated with indulgence and excessive eating.

Selecting who to give to… We always recommend including your team members (whether they know about the Christmas gift idea or not, it will still be a surprise that they’re included in receiving it) along with your Top Customers and Top Suppliers.  These 3 stakeholders, or whatever you like to call them, are supremely responsible for keeping your business up & running.  Remember them, at least once a year.

And on this point, it doesn’t have to be at Christmas, some companies are now jogging the gift into January, to keep it separate from the overdose of gifting that comes at Christmas.  That said you don’t want the gift to look as though it’s a last minute idea, or purchased only in the sale, and potentially lose impact.

Really your gift should epitomise your brand.

Are you known to be generous, crazy, funny, fast, innovative? Is your brand smart/sleek/chic and brilliantly mod or a steady/seclusive/mature/luxurious commodity?

Really your gift should epitomise your brand.  For this you need to think about how others see your brand.  Are you known to be generous, crazy, funny, fast, innovative?  Is your brand smart/sleek/chic and brilliantly mod or a steady/seclusive/mature/luxurious commodity?

Then think about your customers, what gift is fitting for them personally (consider – would they actually use this?) and are there any gifts that would get turned away.  Some companies do have strong gifting policies in place, preventing potential bribery in the form of “gifts” in exchange for contracts, even enforcing staff to return gifts or request that they are collected (making for an embarrassing phone call, instead of a pleasant thanks).

This is where the Mince pie pack has proved popular because it’s a fun and non-offensive office sharer, sits by the coffee machine and everyone gets one.  (We firmly believe it beats most of the list below for originality and share-ability!)

Another thing, where we use the term “Top” Customer – this refers to people who have placed bigger orders with you.  The gift should really be proportionate to orders placed.  In the case of Customers or Suppliers, you need to be thinking about the contacts and companies where you want to strengthen the relationship for longevity.  Which companies are core to your business, and which companies do you want to keep your brand front of mind into the future.

Back to the topic of “What to give”…  Anyone can use Google, but we believe the Top favourites list is covered off well with the list below.

Top Christmas Giveaways for Corporate companies

  1. Chocolates
  2. Wine
  3. Hampers
  4. Plants
  5. Notebooks
  6. Calendars
  7. Phone charger
  8. Pens
  9. Mugs
  10. Bobble hats

For more advice on promoting your brand through on-brand gifting (What to gift and What not to gift!), reach out to our team of expert advisers on 020 3011 0211, or via our Contact us page.

Merry Xmassive!

A BlackCore bottle box with the company brand die cut to the side.

A fine Bone china branded mug, packed carefully in bright green tissue in a fully branded presentation box. First impressions count.

Blue Frog Christmas card...delivers a tasty message 'Most Christmas cards ain’t worth a Daim but we've taken Timeout to send a card full of Bounty for you to Chomp on...'

Please forward a link to the person responsible for meeting your Sales targets this month.

We’re recommending that you ask your top clients to tell you what you stand for.

By conducting a simple survey with our clients, we discovered that many of them didn’t know what else we did… (This was finding Number 1)

So we started including an abbreviated list at the foot of our monthly marketing idea-mails, below we’ll talk you through it visually*.

We also discovered that it is Sales Teams that LOVE us! (Finding Number 2)

Is that surprising, when we’re here to help Marketing teams, to stay loved by Sales; Win more and Get Results?  (This then benefits both the Marketing and Sales teams.) In short, we do their job for them.

 

In short, we do the Sales job for them.

 

*What we offer to ensure you Win more…

Bespoke Promotional

Branded Presentation of Goods for Promotion Sample Presentation, Product Launches

Packaging that works Magic for your Brand

PR and product launch. A selection of the new Nars range was presented in this luxury presentation pack and distributed to the magazine writers for editorial.

PR and product launch. A selection of the new Nars range was presented in this luxury presentation pack and distributed to the magazine writers for editorial.

 

New Client Welcome Packs so Sales teams can step out with confidence, making a great first impression

 

Onboarding packs, on-brand, perfect PR for HR

 

 

Unique sample presentation for the ultimate promotion of your brand

Send samples of your product straight to the Decision maker

 

Original and Creative promotional items never seen before

Products to talk about – say “Hello” and “Thank You” and generally Shout about you

 

Winning client confidence with outstanding quote presentation

Products that Win Projects

 

Disruptive Marketing Communications

Innovative & unforgettable Helping our clients to get their point across, through innovative direct mail, an effective way to communicate your all-important Unique selling propositions

Time-critical and Time sensitive Promotions

 

We oversee fulfilment in-house ensuring that Mail reaches destination on the date designed

Physical Mail-Merge – We oversee fulfilment in-house

See how we could turn your properties into London's most popular attractions... Effective direct mail, a capacity envelope enclosing advertising vouchers for Rightmove.

See how we could turn your properties into London’s most popular attractions… Effective direct mail, a capacity envelope enclosing advertising vouchers for Rightmove.

 

We work with you to ensure that your message is carried through

Get your message to the End User / Consumer

Ideas that Work & Win

 

 

Unique Product Packaging

Designed with the brand in mind we produce product packaging, for industrial, retail and OEM

Bringing your whole idea together in one box

Out-of-the-box Product Packaging ideas that Promise Off-the-shelf Sales

Regal Tags, Durable Tagging Solutions, Product packaging in full colour process, litho-laminated e-flute corrugated, supplied flat to the Production line, easy to make up

Regal Tags, Durable Tagging Solutions, Product packaging in full colour process, litho-laminated e-flute corrugated, supplied flat to the Production line, easy to make up

 

Not-so-standard Presentation Packaging

As unique as your brand

A retail pack for two bottles of Yalumba Wine, printed on 1 sided Kraft pack in black and 3 spot metalics, with an all over gloss varnish.

A retail pack for two bottles of Yalumba Wine, printed on 1 sided Kraft pack in black and 3 spot metallics, with an all over gloss varnish.

 

Not just shelf-packaging!  But purpose built and designed to slide into the sock drawer

A clear view plastic sleeve to view the product, this retail packaging for three pairs of socks was inspired by the “sock drawer” with a pull tab at the front.

A clear view plastic sleeve to view the product, this retail packaging for three pairs of socks was inspired by the “sock drawer” with a pull tab at the front.

 

Point of Sale & Display, Bespoke solutions

Make a big hit with Counter top displays and display cubes in a range of sizes, along with coin collecting boxes and leaflet dispensers

Keep Your Brand out there

We offer to make a bespoke size of collection box, nothing run-of-the-mill...this way you can think about where it's going and the people you want to attract...

We offer to make a bespoke size of collection box, nothing run-of-the-mill…this way you can think about where it’s going and the people you want to attract…

 

Stay in control of your products – Keep things tidy when they are on display at your Distributors

 

Leaflet Dispensers

Please take one

Leaflet dispensers, available in a range of popular sizes, from our standard forms or we can create custom backboards and pocket capacities to suit your campaign.

Leaflet dispensers, available in a range of popular sizes, from our standard forms or we can create custom backboards and pocket capacities to suit your campaign.

 

Product Packaging that becomes Display Packaging – Branding all the way

Selling Radiators and Heated Towel rails, Chatsworth Heating needed a box to send out leaflets to the Showrooms of distributors, which could double-up as a dispenser

Selling Radiators and Heated Towel rails, Chatsworth Heating needed a box to send out leaflets to the Showrooms of distributors, which could double-up as a dispenser

 

Table-Talkers!

Raising awareness of forth coming events & offers

Retail display cubes as seen in Carphone Warehouse. The easiest form of visual merchandising, available in a range of sizes from 60x60mm to 240x240mm.

Retail display cubes as seen in Carphone Warehouse. The easiest form of visual merchandising, available in a range of sizes from 60x60mm to 240x240mm.

 

Retail Presentation Materials for Instore & Online

Easy off the stock options or branded for the Ultimate Customer Experience

 

Packaging to enhance the Unboxing Experience

 

Custom-made Stationery Products

We are the manufacturers of the Polysmart collection, the Overboard range and the Alusmart system.

With a range of regular and unique styles available for personalisation to improve your presentation, including ring binders, document wallets, portfolios and bespoke solutions to enable your business efficiency.

 

Document wallets – Sign Up takeaways

 

Branded Presentation Folders & Files

 

Ring Binders

Going Global?  Take your brand with you

 

Document Wallets

Training tomorrow’s World with your Corporate Image

Polysmart Wallets, produced in hard wearing long life PVC, with simple clip lock closure. The ideal product for schools, colleges, or outdoor use.

Polysmart Wallets, produced in hard wearing long life PVC, with simple clip lock closure. The ideal product for schools, colleges, or outdoor use.

 

Bringing everything together for you & your client – We call it a Win-Win situation

A Polysmart Project closure file, with tabbed dividers, and a large document pocket for associated project plans and paperwork.

A Polysmart Project closure file, with tabbed dividers, and a large document pocket for associated project plans and paperwork.

 

To discuss your brand needs, call us on 020 3011 0211

 

 

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The Sweetie Cubes that tickle taste buds

You can’t beat sweet-treats for a branded giveaway, and the Sweetie Cube is no exception.

A quirky invention for maximising your marketing, these Sweetie Cubes appeal to kids & adults alike.  The box relaxes to become like a tray when the lid is taken off, with all over space for branding.

 

The box becomes a tray when the lid is taken off

Boxes supplied made up and sweet wrappers can be brand-matched.

 

Reach out and discuss your brand-building giveaways

Phone 020 3011 0211

Email business@boxcouk.com

 

 

Was this your scariest October ever?

The #HARIBOShareTheScare Halloween box was a Spooktacular PR drop designed to showcase the frightfully good HARIBO range during the countdown to this hugely popular occasion.

With its creak and boo, it certainly delivered a hair raising smile this Halloween.

Spooktastic, delicious, yummy sweets!

The HARIBOO box designed by HARIBO looked just like a trick or treat door. But, it was the inside that held all of the surprises this Halloween – with its ghostly creak and a delayed boo.  

Just as you would imagine, the recipients reacted with a sweep of social content.

We’re all ready for our ‘Trick or Treat’ callers this Halloween thanks to Haribo – “We’ve got some Yummy little treats to hand out” – wrote Christine – Mummy of 3 Diaries; “Spooktastic delicious yummy sweets!” wrote ET (Eileen Teo from home), “My fave kind of PR packages!” wrote Con Con @Nagginsnnotions, “Thank you Haribo UK for our amazing #HARIBOShareTheScare box Bring on the Trick or treating!” – best Magazine on Facebook.

Just see what Grace at “Eats Amazing” performed with the pack

#HARIBOShareTheScare on Twitter

The Brick Castle got it!

#HARIBOShareTheScare on Facebook

#HARIBOShareTheScare on Instagram

Have you got a product or service that you need to Share on Social?  Don’t stay scared, step over and Contact us

An advent calendar, could it be crumpets or toasties? PR activity is enriched with creative presentation to inspire bloggers and journalists to comment and promote your products.

Could it be Crumpets or Toasties?

From our family to yours… the Advent Calendar was made for Warburtons to dish out to PR teams.

Designed to take sliced white, wholemeal, pancakes and crumpets, within 5 compartments, the pack was baked to keep Warburtons front of mind through the busiest season of all.

Each pre-cut flap had room for a marketing message and within it lay the bread product, fresh from the bakery, and sealed to keep it fresh in delivery.

 

PR activity is enriched with creative presentation to inspire bloggers and journalists to comment and promote your products.

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The Ultimate Office Sharer, and a gifting solution for Small-to-Medium-size Enterprizes!

Enter the 12-pack Mince Pie Promo… NEW PDF DOWNLOAD WITH ORDER INFO

To join our already popular 24-pack, you can now choose which size best suits your clientele.

Along with this change, we also have new dates for 2018 which bring delivery sooner (now 3rd week of November), giving you longer to deliver your Christmas gifts to your top clients and friends.

 

Why choose the 12-pack?

  • Less is more, some of your best clients may now be operating within a smaller team
  • Smaller budget, which you can spread further to impact on more clients
  • Watch Accounts grow by rewarding customers who have spent less with you, but have the potential to spend a lot more
  • Enables sending 1 pack per breakout area
  • Keep the weight down – Some of your clients will thank you!

 

Why choose the 24-pack?

  • Ultimate thud-factor
  • Super generous
  • Great for bigger teams / site offices / clubs
  • Bigger area to brand

 

 

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Christmas comes even earlier this year, as we introduce the box of 12 Mince pies, branded

 

Our popular Mince Pies are back, and this time there’s the option to order in boxes of 12, for those brands targeting a smaller section of clients.

Branded as before, with your company details, these branded boxes of Mince Pies are the Ultimate Office Sharer, and a sure recipe for getting your name talked about by happy and satisfied clients.

Put a mark in the sand, or snow(!), and secure yours now for Christmas 2018.

 

Ordering now, will mean:

✔ You receive reminders later in the year re. artwork, delivery and payment

✔ Your gift list for Christmas 2018 is sorted

✔ Happy customers – the best form of gaining repeat business

 

 

All you have to do is email our Sales team to ensure you don’t miss out on your very own branded mince pie boxes, “the Ultimate Office Sharer” for your clients this Christmas business@boxcouk.com

 

 

Recycling Coffee cups… The facts in brief

We had thought it was untaxable; a Coffee culture that swept the UK, replacing Pubs and, becoming our new, and favourite, social venue.  Now, with a growing 2.5 billion empty plastic-coated coffee cups, getting into rubbish tips, it prompts a recommendation that the government step on them.

 

Watch the coffee culture in the UK here

 

5th Jan, 2018 – MPs on the Environmental Audit Committee have recommended the Government to introduce the “latte levy” of 25p per disposable coffee cup purchased, to cover improvements to the UK’s reprocessing facilities and “binfastructure” according to Mary Creagh, chair of the Environmental Audit Committee.

 

The proviso is that if the number of single-use (non-recyclable) cups doesn’t decrease sufficiently, then there could be a ban on non-recyclable coffee cups by 2023.

 

In his November budget, the Chancellor Philip Hammond supported charges on single-use plastics (which includes non-recyclable coffee cups) and from 2017 at Cardiff University, researchers concluded that charging 25p for every coffee cup would help cut the number used by up to 300million a year.

The boss of Suez Recycling however, calls for a wider, joined up reform, to shift the responsibility back to the Coffee-cup producers, saying the Latte Levy won’t be enough.  David Palmer-Jones says that disposable coffee cups only represent a small fraction of the national annual tonnage of card and plastics waste.

Days before the report, on 2nd Jan, Pret A Manger announced that they would start offering a 50p discount on hot drinks if customers bring their own cup (it has been 25p).  The same day, Starbucks said it would start a three-month trial of a 5p paper cup charge in up to 25 London shops, starting from February.  (Incidentally, only in November 2016, Starbucks withdraw their discount for customers bringing their own cup.)

 

It turns out that there is only 2 or 3 recycling plants in the UK that have the equipment to recycle coffee cups (the other 5 can’t) and that recycling coffee cups is complicated by the double-wall and mix of plastic and cardboard. In practice, although they carry logos that show they can be recycled, the vast majority of coffee cups do not end up being recycled.

 

In reality, less than 1% of coffee cups are currently being recycled.

 

7th Jan, 2018 Can we ask, what’s the rest of Europe doing?

14th Jan, 2018  Enter Frugalcup – the coffee cup that can be easily recycled anywhere and promises to hit Starbucks stores very soon.

 

What can we expect next?

Some people are expecting it to go like the 5p carrier bag charge, with customers being penalised for not remembering to bring their own cup with them.  Other ideas include Coffee companies charging more for single-use takeaway cups (who would have thought of it?!) to cover increased recycling taxes.  So far it’s just a recommendation, so you can lobby your local MP, perhaps take he/she out for a coffee…

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Could your presentation packaging have been easier to come by?

We’re helping to deliver Special Customer experiences; why not reach out for help in 2018.  If there was something that could have made life easier in 2017, what was it?  Storage, manufacture, delivery, style…

For over 30 years we have worked along with our clients to produce an extensive range of successful promotional campaigns, and creative presentation products, that help our clients to build enduring brand loyalty and lifelong customers.  Our customer focused, and friendly approach has become trusted by leading global brands and agencies, and we look forward to working with you and your colleagues again in 2018.

Recap on the highlights of 2017:

 

 

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In this world of international travel, and multichannel marketing, decision makers are being targeted from every direction…

 

Nobody is far from a marketing message, a promotional email, or even an advertising text. The internet of things has become the resource for knowledge, searching new contacts and suppliers. LinkedIn has brought the commercial world closer together.

So…How do you differentiate yourself?

How do you keep your brand and products recognised?

How do you fly above your competition?

How can you win more customers like your current top customer?

 

The sales journey has changed, internet research has meant shorter buying cycles; customers approach with a broad knowledge of the products and the competitors before any conversation begins.  So you’ve got to stand out, you need to place your company alongside the big brands.

 

Welcome to BoxcoUK where we believe in creative presentation.

With creative promotions and presentation you will inspire both your customers and your sales team, it’s a passport to improved customer relationships, and better customer experiences that convert into positive social media traffic. Take a walk through the pages of our brochure and find ideas and products that will enable you to land more business next year.

 

We look forward to working with like-minded teams and companies that believe in the success of bespoke promotions and presentation.

 

REQUEST A BROCHURE

 

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First and foremost, what is “onboarding”?

The action or process of integrating a new employee into an organisation

We frequently see great examples of onboarding, desks laid out in a welcome-fashion.  On LinkedIn (home of head-hunters!) there are often updates with images, like those shown below,  typically getting a high number of likes and comments.

Just Eat onboarding pack

Just Eat onboarding pack

 

Here at BoxcoUK, where perfect presentation is really our thing, we regularly get asked for on-brand, onboarding sets, packed-perfect (and all’s well, when you have a staff onboarding budget and in-take of 80+ per year – but it doesn’t work out quite the same, when you’re averaging less than one new member a month).  None-the-less it’s important to get it right, if you want to secure a loyal employee.

 

Paddy & Scott's onboarding desk set up

Paddy & Scott’s onboarding desk set up

With this in mind, we’ve come up with an easy way of doing onboarding, that still looks great, alongside some content-ideas to help engage staff from the point they agree to join your team.

Obviously, you’re going to have your own ideas about what important elements are needed to make up the perfect onboarding pack, but we hope this helps.

 

In the run up – 4 Ways to engage

 

Thinking about the time between when the person agreed to come to you, and their start date (LinkedIn Talent Solutions calls this Pre-boarding).  If this is a few months, you may want to think about engaging your client in a regular way during this time.  Even an email would help.  How much you put into this is down to you – think about the potential value of that staff member to your organisation, the value of securing them for the long-term, and whether you want to save them having second thoughts during that period and staying with their current employer or, worse case, looking elsewhere.

 

  1. Your company strategy, culture, overview, brochure

Have they got this information from earlier interviews, or could these be part of your engagement programme, sent to the candidate in a structured way.

 

  1. Were there any perks you discussed in the initial stages that you could elaborate on

Staff lunches, cars, company traditions, differing opening hours… e.g. early close Friday.

 

  1. Explain what a typical day will be like

Add some humour, nothing to put them off but here’s your chance to mention when they might be expected to help out, which day the cleaner comes and when to avoid tripping over the hoover.

 

  1. Overcoming the fear of first day – How will they get to work (do you need to send information about their car)

Do you need to let them know about where they should park, where staff are expected to hang their coats, put their bag, all the hum-drum things that are going to turn that first scary moment into an easier ride and a more enjoyable experience for both the new staff member and their colleagues.

 

Whether you send it ahead, or you put it on their desk (or both)…  Why not “Invite them to join your family” – build a pack that appeals to their family situation, spouse, kids (whether you’ve taken an interest to find out will speak volumes) and gain a long-term commitment to your company.  Clearly, for this, you’ve got to have a family to join, so you’ll need to think about setting this up with your existing staff ahead of pushing it out through HR.

 

 

Gifts to include in your onboarding pack

These are ideas that we’ve seen used in great onboarding packs.  Pick the winners for you:
Notebook
Pen
Power pack
USB
Chocolate Bar/Choc Orange
Keyring
Slider Puzzle
Stress Product
Sweets/Mints
Mug
Something personalised with their own name (spelt correctly of course!)

 

 

“Onboarding in a Box”

The complete guide to Onboarding – Click below & print off

Read this article by LinkedIn Talent Solutions

 

 

 

Look great, for less

OUR SUGGESTION is a pack of 12 Luxury gift boxes (Black, White, Silver or Red), with a magnetic closure and coloured grosgrain ribbon.  Pick a ribbon colour that works well with your brand, and possibly tissue paper, to hold the gifts, with added elegance.

CONTENTS Fill with gifts from the list above.  No limits here.

GIFT TAG OR GREETINGS CARD You can add a gift tag made from a business card or compliment slip, or a greetings card, for a personal and welcoming touch.

 

 

Tel 020 3011 0211

Email your details with a best time to call, business@boxcouk.com

Stay in touch Follow BoxcoUK company page on LinkedIn

 

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Who said work and play don’t mix?

Built for fixings, with a sweet delivery, the Pick ‘N’ Fix display box for Fixfast to launch their new range, got specifiers sucking…

Fixfast design and manufacture specialist fasteners and components for walls and roofs with Maximum reliability and Minimum fuss.

The fixings sample pack with a play on Pick ‘N’ Mix was designed to launch Fixfast’s innovative design of coloured fixings, sending a mix of coloured fixings and chews, for instantaneous impact with designers and architects specifing Fixfast.

Sample screws were inserted across the front of the sample pack, and with a thread across the back of the pack you could easily try them out, whilst sharing the sweets that lay in two compartments in the centre of the pack.  Built as a lasting reference point as a display box, with the option to close the pack and store on a shelf.

Mike Napthine, Marketing Manager at Fixfast UK says

The Pick ‘N’ Fix box made a big impact with our clients and prospective architects when it was first delivered and still gets mentioned from time to time!  BoxcoUK are easy to deal with, and  I have no hesitation in recommending them.

Elspeth Devine, Production Team Manager at BoxcoUK says

With a fun and memorable delivery,  the sample box became a display box for Showrooms, ultimately extending the life of the marketing campaign.  Also memorable is the dizzy feeling that came from inserting 5000 coloured fixings into the front panel!

Do you miss the simple fun in life that came with Pick ‘N Mix?

Agree your customers may feel this way too?  For bespoke promotional marketing and training products that help you Win more…

Call BoxcoUK on 020 3011 0211 or visit our Gallery for ideas.

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UK Truck Tour Sweet box for Festool with brand matching wrappers

The all-over branded sweet box was used when Festool needed a giveaway for prospectives attending their UK Truck Tour.  Marketing Executive, Naomi Collett comments that the pack was different from sweet bags they already used, and had a premium feel – perfectly aligned to their passion for power and quality.

Festool’s passion for power tools has been in existence for more than 90 years, and today they share this fascination with users and fans.

The high-quality brand of Festool power tools embraces new generation technology to make life easier for professional tradespeople – helping to achieve perfect results faster.

 

Naomi Collett, Marketing at Festool says

The sweet box was used primarily as a giveaway to people attending our UK Truck Tour.  We already had standard sweet bags, so we liked that it was a little different, and had a premium feel.  BoxcoUK was great to deal with, a hassle-free process, with clear communications.

 

Ronnie Devine, Customer Experience Manager at BoxcoUK says

We selected the green and black sweet wrappers to suit Festool’s brand colours, a detail that we feel strengthened their brand identity, whilst delivering a box with maximum space for branding.

 

Do you lack power and innovation, to gain sales from your marketing?

For bespoke promotional marketing and training products that help you Win more…
Call BoxcoUK on 020 3011 0211 or visit our Gallery for ideas.

 

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Love them or hate them: Chocolate Sprouts

Yes – we actually can get these – Green wrapped foil chocolate footballs (and they look very realistic) but you’ll soon find everyone loves sprouts when they get into these.

Perfect ingredient for a controversial marketing stunt or a fun giveaway.

Who’s going to kick off a marketing campaign with these?

Contact the team for your greens

You choose a gift to make your customers happy, still the best idea?  Yes.

My alternative choice of heading was going to be “Choose a gift and make your customers happy or let them choose, and let them down.”  This is how I feel right now…

When you give a gift you normally try and think about your audience, and how they will feel about receiving your gift, whether it links, or doesn’t, too big, too small, too over-powering, too happy-clappy, what will it say about your company, all these thoughts are going on in your head, planning a campaign, particularly the end-of year “Thanks for your business” campaign.

However, when Mailchimp gave me the chance to choose my end of year gift, I noted this was really clever.  Mailchimp – by the way – provide an online portal to make email campaigns, and have an incredibly supportive team.  Very clever, but I didn’t give it much more thought, other than thinking of it in relation to our own business here, ‘when we’re big enough to let customer’s choose’ a wishful, fluffy kind of thought, and being me, the chocoholic, I choose a Chocolate Freddie.  The choice, from memory was a range of about 6 Freddie options in small circles (Freddie is their monkey-mascot) – a red Freddie head, a gold Freddie head, a few coloured options and the Chocolate one…

My thought process went something like this – Chocolate, gone in no time, (unlike the socks from last year) no one would be embarrased of me just eating a Freddie-head (rather than wearing the socks round the office for the afternoon, and on occasion later) and it wouldn’t be a useless toy, or synthetic fruit-flavoured like the others appeared to be.

So Chocolate-Freddie it was.

img_20161129_132303

As with previous Mailchimp giveaways, you tend to forget you’ve made any decision over a gift, so when it finally arrives it is a surprise and a laugh.  I said previous didn’t I?

Today, I received my Freddie.  When I saw Mailchimp on the barcode, I knew straight away what it would be.  When I saw how big it was, I called over my colleague to come and share the chocolate… There must be loads of it!  Then we discovered the Non-Chocolate Freddie.  Only after we’d had a good try at snapping off his arms and thinking he looked like an easter egg on steriods, did we decide to start an online chat with Mailchimp and complain about the Freddie-chocolate rip-off.  It wasn’t even a phone-holder (no second use…arghhh!)

Me: Hello – I just received my Chocolate Freddie… looks like chocolate, smells like chocolate… Can I eat it???
JJ: Hi Jeannette! Thanks for reaching out. I would recommend that you DON’T eat it 🙂
Me: Sorely disappointed.  I choose it thinking it would be half the size, and chocolate.
JJ: Jeannette, I want you to know you’re not the first one to think that! I will definitely pass along that feedback, as I am a chocolate lover myself. Would you like some free MailChimp swag as a peace offering?
Me: Yes please.  Anything.  Totally understand if you can’t send it to arrive right this second.
JJ: https://link to swag-order options – hats and t’shirts but no sign of any chocolate Choose any one item on that page, and we’ll send it to you on the house!  Was there anything else I can help you with today, Jeannette?
Me: I’m struggling now… no chocolate still! Nah – thanks
JJ: Sorry, Jeannette! I know how crucial chocolate is–you can submit your feedback here, too, if you want!

So I emailed my feedback… I can’t believe the diddle!  All I wanted was a little nib of chocolate to nobble on, and instead I get this useless non-chocolate piece of plastic.  Asside, we decided that the outer packaging is very good, and very well produced.

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To finish off, and keep our relationship sweet this is how the online chat ended.

JJ: If you need anything else, let me know. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!
Me: Thanks and you

Maybe I am thankless, but I take from this that, fluffy thoughts aside, better to choose a gift to keep your customers sweet than let them choose something useless without meaning to!

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