Corporate Awards

Things to Consider

Being able to buy awards on the Internet has been around for 15+ years. We have been serving our online customers since 2000. In that time, I have learned a thing or two about Internet awards businesses. I've found that there are 3 key things to look for when ordering online from an awards company. They are timing, quality/price, and relationship, and I will discuss each below.

Timing & Order Turn Around

It's universal: The most important thing to our customers is WHEN will they receive their order. After all, what is the use of getting a good deal on high quality awards if they arrive after the awards presentation? Make sure to choose a company who can get you your awards in time for your event. At Trophies2Go, we guarantee a delivery date based on the shipping method chosen during checkout. The customer knows exactly when their awards will arrive. Below are more tips for timing your awards order.

Order Early! The sooner the order is placed, the better, and the less expensive the shipping will be.  For example, we even have a promotion that allows for free shipping if your order is over $100 and you give us an extra week for production. Many of our repeat customers are aware of this promotion and order well in advance – it is a win-win for all involved when ample time is given.

Choose a product that we can get quickly. We don’t carry every product in our warehouse, and many times have to order specific awards from our suppliers.  However, a couple of our suppliers are local, such as JDS industries and Plastic Dress Up, and we can get awards from them within 24 hours.  This makes the production time much faster than for products from our suppliers at the other end of the county.

If you need your awards within 2 or 3 days, be prepared for expensive shipping. Most shops are happy to accommodate rush orders, but overnight or 2^nd day air shipping can be expensive.  At Trophies2Go, we can adjust our production schedule in order to meet tight deadlines, but our shipper is going to be the beneficiary of the extra shipping cost.

If you need your awards right away (24 hours) and cost is a factor, try a local trophy company first.  This may seem contrary to an Internet company making money, but we are in the business of pleasing our customers. Sometimes it’s not worth it to pay $15 for an award and $50 for overnight shipping. Instead look to a local business to accommodate your needs quickly. Even if they charge a small rush fee, you are still ahead of the game.

Quality & Price

For many people, price is the main reason to buy online.  However, it’s important to consider quality as well.  If you buy a cheap trophy and it breaks right away, it’s not worth the money.

At Trophies2Go, we believe offering quality products at an affordable price is important,  But, there’s another component to a finished award that is equally, or perhaps even more important – engraving. I think engraving is the most important part of the finished award, but it often gets overlooked by the customer.

Choose high quality engraving.  Some Internet retailers use plastic labels for the engraving of medals and trophies. They may also use other methods for engraving acrylic and may surface laser etch their crystal awards. All of these styles provide a faster and cheaper method for marking the awards, but detract from the quality.

At Trophies2Go, we use premium quality brass and aluminum for our trophy plates and engrave them using a process called “diamond drag”. We laser engrave our acrylic awards. We also laser engrave and sandblast our crystal awards for clean lines and flawless etching. This attention to detail and quality engraving materials makes all the difference in the finish of our award.

Use a company that has a good engraver.  There is an artistic component to the layout of the engraving. Not all companies have ultra-experienced engravers and this can be reflected in the quality of the finished product. If you are concerned about how the messaging looks on your award, ask for a proof before the engraving is started. This can save an unpleasant surprise when you open your shipment.

Relationship

Jeff with the ARA trophy.

Sometimes the Internet feels very impersonal.  It’s hard to have a relationship with a business where you don’t talk with or see the person helping you.  You have to make a leap of faith that if you order a product, it will actually come to you!  Here are some things to consider when choosing to do business with an Internet awards company.

How long have they been in business?  If the company has been around for awhile, it’s probably safe to order from them.  Check around their site for customer testimonials or product ratings for even more proof that they’re legit.

Use Customer Service.  Give the business a call and see how you’re treated.  They should have excellent customer service and a friendly voice on the end of the line.  That’s what we strive for at Trophies2Go.

Are they flexible?  If you’re looking for something special and can’t find it on the website, call or email.  The company should be able to offer suggestions of products to fit your needs or give you another resource if not.

Ask around to see who friends and family recommend. Family and friends are usually willing to share their experiences with you, good and bad.  Use Facebook or Twitter to do this as well.  It’s a safe bet you’ll have a good experience if someone you trust did too.

To summarize, there are a lot of factors that go into choosing an awards company to order from.  If you are looking for a new awards company, give us a try.  We will do our best to provide great products at an excellent value in time for your event. That’s why we are the National Leader of Meaningful Recognition!

Jeff Anderson, President

Are your employees invested in your company’s success? Do they believe that what they do makes a difference?

Are your employees engaged?

I read in a Gallup Poll (Oct. 2011) that 71% of American workers are “not engaged” or “actively disengaged” in their work.  That’s a huge number. These workers are not actively invested in their company’s success.  They’re just putting in the time, punching the clock. Even more surprising is that those most likely to be less engaged are workers with at least some college education or workers who are middle-aged (30-64 years of age.)  These are people who have been educated for a specific career and are most likely in the middle of their working careers.  And they are least engaged.

The term Employee Engagement is getting a lot of play right now. But it’s really not all that new.  If you want to know if your employees are ‘engaged’, ask them if they like what they do.  Ask them what their strengths are and if they feel they are using those strengths.  If they really don’t know or have never given it much thought, help them figure it out. When a person is able to work to their strengths, they will be less stressed and more productive in their job.  Better yet, help them develop new strengths if that is something they’d like to do. This leads to greater employee engagement.   A bigger challenge could be what they need to feel more invested.

Communicate with your employees.  That’s not new, is it?  Open communications is the only way each of you will know what’s going on.  An owner or manager needs to share the company mission and what role employees play in it. They need to give them feedback on their individual and team performance.  Employees need to ask for clarification on their roles, ask for support, communicate what they need to be effective in their job and provide feedback to management.  The employee is the person in the day-to-day operations and knows best how processes are working and which products are selling.  The manager needs to listen to this feedback and use this information to make process and product decisions.  And the company needs to provide an easy way for employees to communicate with each other, sharing the information needed so they can work together toward the company mission.

Once employees have the right job or task or career, and once open communication exists and is used effectively, make sure that correct measurements, or key performance indicators are in place. Accountability is a key factor in motivation for any employee.  It’s very critical that the measurements reflect the employee’s responsibilities and that they are reported accurately.

And if you want even more engagement and investment from your employees, make sure to use that open communication and those measurements in combination to recognize every employee for their contribution. Whether it’s quantifiable, such as a sales quota achievement, or more subjective, like the unsung hero, show employees how they have contributed to the organizations success. Show them in front of others, informally and formally.  The timing is perfect right now to do this.  The end of the year is a perfect time to recognize those employees who have performed well in 2012.  They’ll start 2013 more engaged and ready to go!

Spend some time evaluating if your employees are engaged and involved.  Do they like what they are doing?  Are they using their strengths? Does open communication exist in your organization?  Be real about this.  Ask for honest feedback to see if others feel the same way you do. Are you measuring your employees on key factors that contribute to the success of your company?  Are you rewarding them when they perform well in these measurements? Use the answers to these questions to set a plan in place now.  Employee Engagement - not as hard as you think.

Blessings, Anne

We see that many companies and community organizations are beginning to use beautiful clocks as a way to recognize their employees and volunteers.  And we have responded by adding a variety of options to our websites.  We offer brass, glass, crystal and rosewood clocks, in desk, mantle and wall styles. We have weather station clocks and book clocks. Clocks are not just for retirement gifts.

One of the best appreciation gifts you can offer an employee is a beautiful clock. They can be so much more than a time piece.  They are elegant tokens of enduring appreciation. Personally, I love the clocks that have visible gears and cogs so you can actually see them working, like skeleton clocks.

I love being able to see the inner-workings of these clocks!

Clocks offer a great way to display your corporate logo along with a sentiment of thanks to an important client or recognition of an employee’s dedication and service. A clock award will remain on their desk, shelf or mantle and will be looked at, perhaps more than any other award.

Volunteers give the gift of time to their communities because they care and they want to make a difference.  Jessica’s blog last week discussed the importance of recognizing volunteers, thanking them for what they do and the time they give.

We have some great local examples of how volunteers are recognized.  I know because sometimes I’m lucky enough to help with the awards used in their celebrations.  The SAMMI Awards celebrate and promote community involvement in the City of Sammamish. The Issaquah Community Awards is hosted by the Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce and recognizes community volunteers in Issaquah. Why not thank the volunteers in your world for their gift of time with a ‘gift of time’.

A clock with a photo frame can be a unique wedding gift. Have the wedding date and the couple’s names engraved, then add a treasured photograph from their engagement or wedding day.

Whoever you’re recognizing and whatever the occasion, consider giving a beautiful clock to make a lasting impression.

Blessings, Anne

Volunteers are people who are willing to work for free, with only the payment of knowing that they’re making a difference in the world.  Whether it’s a school, business, government or another community group, many organizations can’t afford to hire the staff they need to get the job done.  They rely on trained volunteers to fill the gaps in workload.

Volunteers may work for free, but that doesn't mean they don't deserve recognition just like any other employee.

What Motivates Volunteers?

As a former coordinator of over 300 volunteers, and having been a volunteer for various groups for over the past 20 years, I have a lot of experience of what makes volunteers tick.

Volunteers do the work they do because they want to make a difference.  They have a vested interest in the work of the organization in order for it to be worthy of their time and effort.  For example, Anne and I have been volunteering as Girl Scout leaders together for the past 6 years.  We believe what we’re doing is helping grow confident, independent women full of courage and compassion.  Since both of our daughters are in the group, we have a vested interest in the outcome of our work.  In my former life, I coordinated volunteers who lived on lakes and took water quality samples to track lake health over time.  These citizen volunteers had a vested interest in the results of their work as it directly affected their home value, health and quality of life.  I find that most volunteers find value in giving their time and often receive more than they give.  However, that doesn’t mean that they should be ignored and go unrecognized for their time and effort.  Just like any paid employee, volunteers need recognition for a job well done.

How Do You Recognize Volunteers?

Unlike paid employees, volunteers aren't motivated by money.  So what's the best way to acknowledge their efforts?  Below are some ideas of what I’ve done to recognize volunteers and things I’ve received as a volunteer that has been meaningful to me.

Anne volunteering her time as a Girl Scout leader.

Give meaningful gifts.  It doesn’t have to be big or expensive, but volunteers love thoughtful gifts related to the work they do.  For example, I’m a Master Gardener and volunteer my time answering gardening questions.  For recognition, our leader gave each of us a bouquet of dahlias with a small handwritten note; another year she gave us gardening gloves with a seed packet inside.  For girl scouts, one year each leader received an embroidered ‘Girl Scout Leader’ tote bag; another year we received a girl scout mug with themed M&Ms inside.  These small gifts were thoughtful gestures with a personal touch that I loved receiving and made me feel valued by the organization.

Host educational events related to the work they do.  My lake volunteers were often retired and didn’t need more stuff to add to their overflowing homes.  So instead of a gift or award, I offered a yearly recognition event to thank them for their work.  One year I had a local meteorologist  lecture to my volunteers; another year I organized a private tour of the pristine watershed where our drinking water comes from.  Both of these events were related to their volunteer work (water quality) and were well attended by the volunteers.

Feed your volunteers a meal.  Host a luncheon or dinner where you invite all of the volunteers in your organization as a thank you.  Everyone loves a free meal and a chance to visit with others in the organization.

Recognize extraordinary service at a yearly meeting.  If a volunteer has served the organization for a long time, or has gone above or beyond for the group, they deserve special  recognition.  This recognition is most effective in front of a group of peers, either at a special meeting or at a yearly banquet.  An engraved award is an appropriate symbol of this recognition and would be very meaningful.  Just as with any other award presentation, be sure to think about what is said about the volunteer recipient, as this moment can make a big impact.

Recognize volunteers in print.  At my daughter’s elementary school, all volunteers are listed and thanked both in the weekly school bulletin and the monthly PTA newsletter.  Why go to all that effort?  Because volunteers like to be acknowledged for the work they’ve done.  Be sure to include a thank you and list of volunteers in programs, newsletters, web sites, and other publications.

Ask for and value their feedback.  As a volunteer coordinator, each year I would send a survey to my volunteers asking for their feedback of our program.  Volunteers have a lot to give besides just their time.  They feel valued and appreciated when their suggestions are heard.

Even though most volunteers are donating their time as a labor of love, they still need to be recognized for their efforts.  Consider putting some thought into how to appreciate those who give so much without expecting anything in return.

Cheers, Jessica

Presenting Cups as Symbols of Accomplishment

Loving cup trophies are timeless and classic awards. This one is my favorite that we offer.

How did this iconic trophy come to be? It’s hard to accurately pinpoint when loving cups became trophies, and the history around the origin of these awards is unclear. But what is known is rather interesting.

Traditionally, loving cups are used in wedding ceremonies. Made of silver, these types of cups have two handles for passing from person to person. They date back to the 15th century, including the Celtic Quaich, and the French coupe de marriage. In ancient times, these cups were passed around banquets and used for toasts, and they are still used for this purpose at weddings today. Many couples share their first drink together as husband and wife from an engraved loving cup, symbolizing the joining of two families into one.

But how did these glamorized drinking cups morph into the ideal trophy? The answer is unknown. Traditionally a “trophy” was something taken from one’s enemy – a piece of armor, a weapon, or sometimes a body part (ick!) – as a symbol of victory in battle. Cups as trophies don’t show up until the mid-18th century, but how did they raise to become the iconic symbol of achievement?

One theory is that John Wesley (1703-1781), founder of the Methodist church, hosted ‘loving feasts’, where a cup of water was shared with everyone present. His cup had two handles making it easier to pass from person to person, hence the name ‘loving cup’. Maybe he went to a wedding for his inspiration? Who knows! But how did that loving cup become a trophy? The answer is a mystery.

Famous Loving Cups

Since then, a cup as a trophy is the standard of excellence.

Check out Wikipedia for more history of the Stanley Cup.

One of the most famous cup trophies is the NHL’s Stanley Cup; it’s also the oldest professional sports trophy in North America. It was donated in 1892 by then Governor General of Canada, Lord Stanley of Preston. Awarded to the champion of the Stanley Cup Finals, this cup continues to be the highest honor in ice hockey.

Other notable cup trophies include the African Nation’s Cup, the FIFA World Cup, the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the Cricket World Cup, the America’s Cup and the PGA Ryder Cup. It’s interesting to note that most of these awards are team awards, as it seems the original gesture of passing the cup from person to person has evolved into a symbol of team achievement.

Our Cup Trophies

Do you want to honor your team with a loving cup? If so, we have many sizes and prices to choose between. Click here for a large selection of cup trophies. My favorite is the Brenna Loving Cup Trophy, because it is named after my daughter Brenna. It is a pretty shiny metal cup, with a black marble base; a classic and elegant choice.

No matter which cup you choose, know that this type award has a long and mysterious history, steeped in tradition and lore. It’s also one of the most prestigious awards you can give, sure to make any achievement even more meaningful.

Cheers,
Jessica