Summer Eventing

Use our business checklist to help you plan
a splendid summer event.

Planning a business summer event can feel daunting. But events are a great way to raise the profile of your business in your local area, to make connections, and to boost sales. Follow our simple checklist below to make sure you’ve got everything in place to ensure your event is a resounding success.

1. Make it memorable

Advertise your event with the most memorable form of marketing – print. These postcards have a summery feel and have a glossy biodegradable laminate on the front.

2. Always be mindful

Help your guests to feel safe with the right social distancing devices. Branded masks, sanitising stations, printed messages and signs are all part of our Covid-19 range.

3. Look
credible

Make sure you look the business at your event with low cost durable signage, indoors and out. Get custom sized panels cut to shape or choose from a range of sizes.

4. Feel eventful

Make your business event look and feel like a true celebration with colourful, fluttering flags. Arrange them together in groups of three, four or five for maximum impact.

5. Think spacial

Help social distancing by dividing areas with café barriers. Print markers like ‘Entrance’ or ‘This Way’ to help with navigation. Remember to brand them with your logo too.

6. Be relaxed

Ensure your guests have somewhere comfortable to sit so they’ll hang around for longer. Personalised deckchairs will bring a summer vibe to your event and they look cool.

7. Be bookable

Ask us to create a simple website or landing page to help promote your product or summer event. You could then direct guests to register for tickets or sign up to a webinar to collect details and attract bookings.

Add guides, pictures and videos to generate anticipation, or provide useful relevant content.

You could even use the platform to post content related to the event or add messages, reviews and a follow-up call-to-action.

6 things you should know about direct mail

6 things you should know about direct mail.

1. It’s collectable

86% of people like keeping catalogues and referring to them. This doesn’t just apply to hoarding Harolds. Catalogues and booklets are a fantastic way to display a range of products like jewellery, beauty, food, clothes, gifts and homewear. Deliver them to residential addresses where they’ll be kept on the coffee table ready to be browsed when the time is right.

2. It’s persistent.

45% of mail stays in the home for over 4 weeks. Whether that’s because Karen is not so hot on her recycling, or she just really liked the font, it’s not clear. But it makes sense that a beautifully designed, eye-catching piece of mail will likely end up displayed on a fridge or up on a mantlepiece for a month or so, no matter who’s it’s from.

3. It increases credibility.

70% of people said mail, rather than email, makes them feel valued and gives them a better impression of the company that sent it. Putting together a nice piece of direct mail takes time and effort. If you’re taking that much care over your mail, people will assume you’re serious about looking after your customers too.

4. It’s engaging.

Mail will be read and re-read over 4 times on average. Make sure your message is on point. The chances are it will be read more than once. You have a captive audience at home. Distractions are welcome. Especially when you’re out of loo roll again and you’re waiting for Janice to return from the supermarket.

5. It’s a trigger.

41% of UK adults searched for more information about a company online as a result of receiving mail in the last 12 months. Unless you’re spending a fortune on Google adverts, it’s unlikely that many customers will come across your website by accident. Use direct mail to help drive traffic to your website and capture new leads with a simple leaflet drop.

6. It’s effective.

25% of UK adults bought something, made a payment or sent a donation as a result of receiving mail. That’s 1 in 4 people taking direct action after getting a piece of direct mail. If that was your mailing. What would that mean for your business?

Direct mail can take many forms. From booklets, newspapers, postcards to leaflets and branded envelopes, the choice can be overwhelming. But we can help. Talk to your local printing.com studio about how to best use direct mail as part of your next marketing campaign today.

 

Sources: Touchpoints 2019: SuperHub Database – ©IPA 2019 | Kantar TNS 2017, Mail in Uncertain Times | JICMAIL Item Data Q2 ’17 to Q3 ’19 and Q4 ‘19 | Royal Mail MarketReach, Neuro Insight, 2018 | DMA 2019

Become Famous Locally – back to business

BACK TO BUSINESS

Buying habits have changed. People are behaving differently. Folk are making different choices on who they do business with. This means new opportunities on your doorstep. The pandemic has made communities come together. People are staying nearby. Supporting their town – and each other – by placing their business locally.

‘Support local’ is the new mantra. And now it’s up to you. Deliver what they need. Serve them well, repay new-found loyalty. To bring in new customers and keep them coming back for more. We’re calling on all neighbourhood businesses.

From shopkeepers to makers, professional services and the trade. Now is the time to stand up tall and be counted. Take action, demand attention, shine a light on your brand. Be the talk of the town and become famous locally.

TOP IDEAS FOR SPRING

2 x 2m GAZEBO

Weather-proof your outdoor spaces. Available in 4 sizes with a choice of wall and flag accessories.

CAFE BARRIERS

Section off seating areas or direct footfall. Use one, or link multiple ones together for a longer barrier.

DECKCHAIRS

Create a comfy outdoor seating area with a collection of deckchairs. Choose between regular or giant!

PARASOLS

Be prepared for both rain and shine. Choose from 3 styles, fully printed in colour with your branding.

FLAGS

Announce to every passer-by that you’re open again for business with a collectoin of colourful flags.

SIGNS

Improve kerb appeal by sprucing up your pavement. Announce you’re open or indicate where to park.

GET THE LOOK BOOK

Browse our 52 page ‘Become Famous Locally’ Look Book for ideas on how to make your business the place to go this spring.

Discover products to help utilise your outdoor spaces, branded workwear and a collection of custom gifts and giveaways to ensure your business stays front of mind.

Christmas Gifting

CHRISTMAS
GIFTING

Our finest collection of
Seasonal Gifts, Cards & Calendars.

Sometimes it’s the little things that make us return. Or decide to do business again. Often, it’s the unexpected gesture that keeps us coming back. The complimentary digestif at the restaurant. A small festive gift in the mail. Or just a simple thank you written in a Christmas card.

How could you say “thank you” to your clients this year? Take a look at our favourite ideas below, or download the full Christmas Gifting guide for inspiration.

 

Our seasonal suggestions

 

Mouse Mats

With many people now working from home more often, beloved oak dining tables and kitchen counters may be seeing more mouse action than they’re used to. Help your customers to protect their surfaces with the gift of a branded mouse mat, which will also double as a reminder of your business services throughout the working week.

from £4.28 ech

Magnets

Colourful, branded magnets that are both useful and decorative are likely to end up stuck on fridges and radiators for months, if not years. Why not create a few complementary designs that make a cute gift set when displayed together? A great gift that will help to raise brand awareness amongst your customers throughout the year.

from £4.33 each

Camping Mugs

2020 was the year of the staycation. With many flights grounded and traditional holiday destinations off limits for most of the year, we turned to camping, glamping, camper vans and caravans for our holiday fixes. These practical camping mugs would make a great festive gift to recapture that outdoorsy spirit and may even come in handy for next year’s getaway.

from £7.91 each

Brand it

A collection of new and unusual ways
to promote your business.

Humans are hard-wired to pay attention to anything we’ve not seen before. But we’re also programmed to trust things we’re familiar with – that’s why branded items work so well in marketing.

Cool stuff gets noticed instantly, and seeing a brand every day develops relationships and creates a bond.
Winning new business needs multiple touch-points. Go ahead and introduce yourself, with innovative and eye-catching ideas from September’s collection of captivating curiosities.

Here are some of our favourites…

Socks

Get your brand travelling in style with unisex personalised socks. From the moment they’re pulled on in the morning, to when they’re taken off at the end of the day, they’ll be reminding the wearer of your wonderful brand.

Magnets

Colourful, branded magnets that are both useful and decorative, are likely to end up stuck on fridges and radiators for month, if not years. A great way to make your brand feel familiar with clients and would-be customers.

Air Fresheners

Smell is our most powerful sense. It instantly connects memories. Associate your brand with a fragrance and make people feel good.

All in this together

Being in business is often about adapting to adversity. Coping with the unexpected. Responding to change.

There will be disruption of course. But when we pull together, we can rise to the challenge. Every business across the country has a role to play. It’s business as unusual. But we need to keep the wheels of commerce in motion and together we’ll get through this. Below are some ideas to help you navigate these unusual times.

SELL MORE PRODUCTS ONLINE

Keep trade routes open to more customers with an eCommerce site. Plus, get one year’s SSL certificate for £1.
Renews at £29 each year anniversary. Deploy your website during April in order to qualify.

Clearly display information

Use large format posters to tell people you’re open for business, have temporarily relocated or changed opening hours. Let customers know how to get in touch. Advertise your phone number, social media and web address.

Navigate every visitor safely

Do you need to change access to your premises? Maybe your team are now working from home. Or you have new check-in rules. Use wayfinding soft signage. Help people understand what to do and where to go.

Be your 
second best

We know gatherings are getting cancelled and postponed. Follow up every lead, enquiry or quote request with a printed pack. If you can’t deliver your message in person, trust a printed presentation folder to get the deal over the line.

BRANd YOUR BOXES

Lots of businesses are moving swiftly to offer home delivery. Generic packaging can be ordered quickly.
Don’t allow your carton to be inconspicuous. Adorn bland boxes with branded stickers.

sEND DIRECT MAIL

With more people working from home, residential leaflet drops make even more sense. Post folded leaflets, without even needing an envelope. 170gsm premium silk paper is one of our best sellers. Choose from a variety of sizes and folds.