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A gift horse does get looked in the mouth these days!

Published on 29 May 2023

Do you know that saying, "don't look a gift horse in the mouth?". Did you know that this proverb dates back 1,500 years! Perhaps we should consider whether this proverb is still respected in today's society?

Is a gift horse looked in the mouth these days?

A few years ago, a supermarket came under fire from the media because the gifts they gave away to customers were triple wrapped in plastic. Not exactly ecological! Another story concerns a customer who went to buy a new car. After his purchase, he was sent a box containing a personalized pen and notebook. The box was probably not worth more than 50 cents and the pen was already broken after a week of using it. How are you supposed to trust a brand that manufactures cars if they can't even make a quality pen?

"A gift is a sign of esteem, not contempt."

- Christophe Burm-

As a company, if you are going to hand out promotional gifts to your clients or prospects, it is important to think carefully about the purpose of your gift. Because as you will have realized by now, a gift horse does get looked in the mouth these days.

Consumers and business gifts

Consumers are becoming more and more critical, even for the things they get for free. Therefore, it is important to consider the technical elements and purpose of a business gift. Thus, you need to make sure that the business gifts you buy and give away are in line with your corporate image, values and standards. "The cheaper the better" is therefore no longer "the way to go" for companies looking to purchase corporate gifts. But what should you pay attention to in order not to miss the mark?

Important focal points for corporate gifts:

Quality: 72% of people feel that the quality of the delivered gift is equal to the company's reputation. This is according to research conducted by the PPAI. So, you should make sure that your business gift is of good quality. This way, that quality will also be linked to your company.
Quantity: before ordering several promotional products, it is best to think carefully about the purpose and quantity of products you need. Is it for all your customers or just a select group? Make sure you don't order too much, this will cause you to throw away certain gifts. And try to match the choice of promotional product to your purpose.
Product safety and certification: be sure to check out product safety and certifications before ordering. Remember that the promotional gifts reflect your corporate reputation. This means that by making the right choice, you can also improve your corporate reputation. For example, when ordering personalized condoms, it is important that they are ISO 13485-certified because they are medical products. This is the case for PrintSimple! If you work with a European partner, you can rest assured that the products comply with the applicable laws and regulations. If you import goods yourself from outside Europe into the European Union, please know that you are legally considered the manufacturer and bear all liability and obligations (e.g. packaging, manuals, certifications, insurance, etc.) for the imported products!
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): CSR stands for how companies integrate social, environmental and economic aspects into their values, culture, decisions, strategy and operations. Make sure your corporate gifts are in line with your company image, values and standards. We cannot emphasize this enough. It is important to consider: resource conservation, biodegradability, reusability and recyclability when choosing your promotional product. In short, the sustainability of the product. For example, if your company values the environment, your gift should at least be sustainable and recyclable. For inspiration, check out the impact collection on our website.
Return on investment (ROI): at first you might think that the ROI of cheap promotional products is much better than for expensive gifts. This is because the price is much lower and thus the ROI is often achieved faster. But if we take a few concrete examples, the reality turns out to be different. A quality water bottle that lasts for years gives your brand much longer publicity than a plastic cup that disappears in the trash after being used once. So it would be unfair to calculate ROI solely on the basis of the purchase price and visibility at first use. You have to consider the entire product lifecycle. And this is naturally longer with quality products.

But what if I don't have a budget to consider all these factors?

That is completely understandable. But you can make a very big step even with small price differences. For example, with a few cents extra per ballpoint pen, you can go for a model that is more qualitatively built (grip, clicker, clip, etc.) and whose ink refill is of higher quality, reducing the chance of a leaky ballpoint pen and often making the refill last longer. As you can see, your ballpoint pen does not necessarily have to be made of recyclable materials such as wood or bamboo to make more sustainable choices.

Time to take your marketing to a new level

You're on your way to becoming an expert in corporate gifts and promotional products. You already know the importance of considering your company's "social responsibility" and more. Want to learn more about the power of promotional products or doubt whether a promotional product is really worth its investment? If so, don't hesitate to click the links.

And if you're still not quite sure which products to choose specifically, just let us know, we'll be happy to help you out!

By the way, for every order you place with us, at least 1 tree will be planted! Because every little bit helps, and that way everyone contributes! Buy your personalized business gifts now!