Are you compliant?

As I sit at home writing this article, looking at the foot or so of snow in my back garden, I wondered how what is being cited as the coldest winter in 100 years could be linked to global warming. 

With a little Googling, I have found out that if it wasn't for global warming, these cold snaps would actually happen more often. In the 40's & 50's, it was a regular occurance. The reason we are so damn surprised when the weather turns is because it is now so unusual. And that is the problem.

The environment is everyone's responsibility and as a business, we take it very seriously. As a printing company that has undergone the extensive commitment to achieving the environmental standard ISO 14001 and as the only printing company working with the charity Tree Appeal (www.treeappeal.com ) we are doing all we can to lower our impact on the environment.

Closer to home, I recently commissioned the services of Airmaster UK (www.airmasteruk.com). Ian Fisher, the Maintenance Manager at Airmaster, attends my BNI networking group. Ian is a great character, very passionate about what he does and full of mind-boggling facts and figures about the environmental impact that poorly maintained air conditioning can have.

I shamefully failed to have the air conditioning system in our new office serviced for well over a year, despite the fact that it was wracking up a massive electricity bill and doing pretty much nothing in return. Anyway, having pulled my finger out, I got the guys from Airmaster in who have sorted out my problem. We now have a warm office, an efficient system and we are, importantly, compliant with current regulations.

So, are you compliant with F Gas Regulations? 

Did you know that if you operate refrigeration, air conditioning or heat pump equipment in your business you are now legally required to maintain records covering the maintenance of equipment and any refrigerants added to or reclaimed from your systems?

Poorly maintained units run the risk of refrigerant leakage during winter due to higher than usual running pressures. Ian explained to me that with the size of my air conditioning units, a slow undetected leak could result in the same environmental impact as driving a car 28,065 miles!!!

If you want to know how that calculation was worked out or what your environmental impact is, why not speak to Ian at Airmaster yourself? 

Ian has offered a special rate for those people coming through printing.com where you will go straight onto their lowest contract rate of £32/hr & 55p/m (instead of £38.50 & 60p) for any site attendances and 10% off your first maintenance bill if you choose to accept a contract with Airmaster. Just contact Ian at ian@airmaster.uk.com and quote 'printing.com'.

Hopefully I've given you one idea on how you can make an environmental difference in your business - other than using printing.com - and with that, I shall leave you with my favourite video so far to come out of this excess of snow....


Snowboarding on the streets of Sheffield!


Sarah

Inspiring Development in Others....

It's always difficult to know if what one has to say is in the least bit interesting to other people. 

What does seem to be certain though is that when it comes to running a business, the opportunity to tap into others' experiences is hugely important for motivation and direction.

I was recently asked to sit on the panel at an E3 dinner event (www.wearee3.com) held at The Sheffield College (www.sparksrestaurant.co.uk). The topic of conversation and debate was focused on the future for entrepreneurs, in light of the government's new initiatives and The Sheffield College being chosen as one of only three places in the UK by Dragon Peter Jones to set up his National Enterprise Academy.

I've never sat on a panel before and I've done little public speaking (albeit it's an area I wish to develop in) so it was with some trepidation that I agreed to participate!

Thanks go to Jill White of E3 for succinctly capturing some of the key messages that came from each of the three panel members, which I'd like to share with you:

Sarah Simpkins, printing.com (Managing Director of a flagship printing.com store & Territory Franchisee, overseeing eight franchisees):

1. Passion and Personality – she has her own personal brand, is comfortable with it and loves what she does.
2. Taking Action – feeling the fear and doing it anyway. The relocation of the business, although huge, was the right one... and it worked and paid off  financially.
3. Creating Multi Income Streams – the franchise route and the printing.com bolt on package offer routes to passive income. I’m sure she’d be happy to talk to anyone interested in looking at this as an add on to an existing business.

Michael Ord, Frooly (serial entrepreneur and founder of Frooly (www.frooly.com) which allows retailers and service providers the opportunity to set up their own online shop or website without the normal associated costs):

1. Spotting Opportunities – being driven and keeping going whatever. Persistance pays and he is persistant!
2. A 'Can Do' mentality – the business has taken much longer to develop, the revenue stage has continued to be delayed, monies have kept on running out but he continues to find ways to keep on keeping on!
3. Finding and keeping the right support network around him – mentors have played a huge part in his business career (he currently has two), he employs good staff, seeks out like-minded people and of course he’s an active E3 member!

Sophie Maxwell, AW Education (www.aweducation.co.uk - a company set up to strengthen and support the curriculum, helping teenagers to foster independence and motivating reluctant learners through engaging, practical sessions aiding in both personal and social development): 

1. Vision, Vison and more Vision – she knows what she wants and will do whatever it takes to get there. Education system look out! 
2. Drive and Determination – utilising her own experiences and creating opportunities for others from them. Nothing is wasted, hostel living created her enterprising spirit and a spell in hospital has led to a brand new project opportunity for her. 
3. Listening and Learning – again skills she acquired along the way. If you listen, you hear opportunities. You can then respond back with solutions. Problem seeker, problem solver creates great opportunities for all.

As well as being inspired by the stories of those around me, I also discovered that I do have a story which is interesting and inspiring to others. The feedback I've had has been fantastic and has done wonders for my confidence in terms of having something to offer entrepreneurs-to-be and those already running businesses. 

Now I'm on the lookout for the next opportunity to pass on my experiences!

Catch you all soon,
Sarah



 

We love to design... a logo revamp and shiny new brochure for StairSteady

I first saw Ruth Amos of StairSteady (www.stairsteady.net) present at an E3 Event a couple of years ago and was blown away by her. 

Coupled with her fascinating story of how she'd got into business, having invented her product at 16 as part of a GCSE project, she also has an impressive demeanor - intelligent, driven and a true ambassador for entrepreneurialism. Having won the prestigious 'Young Engineer for Great Britain' award for her invention, her abilities speak for themselves.

Without getting too gushy, I was therefore extremely chuffed to be approached by Ruth to design her brochure. 

Testament to the power of Twitter, Ruth had been encouraged to contact me by some of my Twitter followers, who are also clients and friends.

Ruth was very focused about what she wanted from her brochure, what it needed to do for the company, who it was targeted at and what values it needed to communicate. This worked well alongside her willingness to take our advice and input and we were able to run with the project.

Oliver began with a simple re-vamp of the existing logo, which we were concerned looked dated and therefore not representative of her innovative product:

Next, I took Ruth's supplied text and spent some time re-working it into compelling copy which focused on the company's core values and USP's. We were able to pull out key phrases which would create 'buy-in' from Ruth's market, and focus on these throughout the design. Ruth supplied us with some great images to work with and Oliver put these to good use to create a visual story of the product:

"I found working with printing.com to be a stress free and very pleasant experience. All the staff were helpful and went out of their way to make sure that we ended up with something that we are very proud of. It has given us a leaflet that embodies the company at this time and a logo that has given our brand a whole new feel. We are so happy with the work they have done and will be using them again as they went above and beyond what was expected of them." Ruth Amos, StairSteady Ltd

You can probably tell that this is yet another project that we've really enjoyed being involved in and we're looking forward to watching Ruth's business prosper.

Finally, if you're interested in networking with my colleagues and I, there will be an E3 Event at Sheffield College on 2nd November - 'Future Faces: The Future for Entrepreneurs'.

And guess what.... I'm one of the panel members sharing my stories, theories and opinions so please come along to support me and you may even meet some great new contacts into the bargain! You can book at: www.wearee3.com

See you there!

Sarah

Are you making a lasting impression?

I am often asked about what kinds of marketing activities go on in my business and what works best. 

I'm a big believer in doing the whole mix - direct mail, telemarketing, email marketing, PR, social media, networking - to win new business but what we are also very good at is retaining clients.

Whilst this is clearly something that will be affected by standard of service and price (both of which I'd say we're damn good on!) I also believe that finding ways of being in front of your clients on a monthly and yearly basis is extremely important.

Don't underestimate the power of marketing tools which last throughout the year. I'm talking about pens, calendars, notepads, pen pots, rulers, trolley coins, cloth bags and so on.

Here's a few stats from recent research carried out by the Promotional Products Association International (P.P.A.I.):

• Out of 800 business travellers researched, 71% had received a promotional product in the last 12 months
• Out of these 800, 33% had the product on them!
• 76% could recall the name of the advertiser on the product
• 52% conducted business with the advertiser after receiving the product
• Of those who hadn't ordered, half said they expected to and half said they had a more favourable impression of the advertiser

So, why do these items work? Very simply because the frequency of exposure is inordinately higher than, for example, a magazine advert.

Every time your prospect or client uses the item, they are exposed to your brand, logo and message. Each impression lowers the cost per impression for the advertiser, making these products some of the most cost-effective marketing methods available.

I'm always pleased when I turn up at a networking event to see someone using a printing.com pen to make notes in their printing.com pad or when I visit a client and they have our calendar on their desk. I'm willing to bet that they won't forget us in a hurry!

So, if you need advice on how to become more memorable to your clients and prospects, give us a shout here in Sheffield. It's what we're great at.

Sarah

printing.com product range

We love to design... Shaping up for maximum impact

As many of you will know, we're a creative lot at printing.com Sheffield. And if there's a more interesting way to use a piece of print, we'll use it.

We're never content with producing just an A5 leaflet or a basic business card. We like to zap it with more personality and impact using unusual shapes or finishes. The beauty of this is that it makes you stand out from the crowd, creates a talking point and - crucially - make people remember you.

A fantastic case in point is a project we've recently completed for the fabulous and talented photographer, Katy Thomson of Serendipity Photography.

Katy specialises in wedding, portrait and event photography, and very good she is at it too! She also has Shutterbugs, where Katy will capture the precious moments of your child's life, from bump onwards! 

Check out Katy's website because she really does come highly recommended from anyone who has used her services: www.serendipityphotography.co.uk 

So, take a look at the work we've designed and printed for Katy. We've gone for a cut-out matt laminated flyer with glossy highlights (StarMarque). The shape lends itself to Katy's fab idea for a polaroid design and the glossy highlights not only create a very beautiful design feature, but they also grab the eye, almost jumping off the page!

 

 And finally, check out the amazing feedback that Katy gave us:

We are always on the lookout for interesting and creative projects to get involved in and as you can see, the final results not only look pretty but they generate interest in your business. A job well done!

If you'd like to arrange a free marketing consultation with me to discuss how we can make your marketing materials more effective, simply drop me an email at sarah.simpkins@printing.com.
 

I look forward to meeting with you soon!

Sarah

We love to design... "There's no such thing as a free lunch"

"There's no such thing as a free lunch" so the saying goes. According to Wikipedia, this well-known saying means that "things that appear to be free are always paid for in some way".

Well, when it comes to free design, never was a truer word spoken. 

However, you've got to consider: "If design is free or cheap, something's gotta give?!"

We regularly speak to people who are doing their 'design' in Word, are getting their mate's brothers great-aunt to 'knock it out' or have been offered free design 'in with the print price'....

I understand that budgets are tight at the moment, that it's tempting to cut corners but how will you pay in the long run?

Well in my opinion, through lower (if no) brand awareness, through not being taken seriously by clients and competitors, through lower sales, ultimately through failure to get your business off the ground!

Significant research by The Design Council backs up my opinion, showing that businesses that invest in design show higher and faster growth and are less likely to compete on price than those that do not.

We've recently been working with a lovely chap called Mark Woodward of Green Directions. Mark has a fantastic business - a virtually self-sufficient conference, meeting and training centre based in the Peak District National Park.

Mark is extremely passionate about his business and has a strong ethical approach. When he launched his business, he got a website through BT. They also offered to produce his company logo for free within the package.

When Mark approached us, we asked him whether BT had taken any steps to understand his business, whether any time had been spent getting to the bottom of what he wanted for his business and how he would take it forward and whether it was a professional designer producing the logo. The answer was, of course, 'no'.

So, with no further ado, please enjoy looking through the range of branded designs we produced for Green Directions, from an original and eye-catching logo identity through to double-sided stationery and recycled brochures and leaflets. 

I'm sure you'll agree that investing in design makes all the difference!

 

If you, or you know anyone, who would like a free marketing consultation with me aimed at identifying how you can improve your identity and business materials, please shout up. It's what we're good at! 

Talk soon,

Sarah 

A revamp is as good as a rest...!

Well, actually a rest would be nice but in the absence of that, a revamp can do wonders for your company image!

We are often approached by businesses who have hung on to the same design and same finish for a good number of years, without realising the impact that a dated image can have on their clients' perceptions.

Below is our latest case study of a really simple revamp with a BIG impact, making use of StarMarque (or Spot UV for those in the know).

We are receiving so much feedback from clients who tell us that using StarMarque helps them to stand out against their competitors and creates a talking point at networking meetings. With so much 'noise' out there, it's important to find a way to break through it and that's what StarMarque does!

Check out the 'before' (flimsy card, metallic finish with dated foiling lettering)...

With some very simple tweaks, but keeping the layout the same on the client's instructions, we have produced a smart, professional and eye-catching design which brings the image right up-to-date...

The final bill for 2000 StarMarque Business Cards, full colour both sides with design? £165. Bargain!

If we can do the same for you or any of your associates and colleagues, I'd love to hear from you! 

Don't forget that until the end of June our StarMarque Business Cards are on offer (StarMarque Business Card Offer) so there's no better a time to get your image 'bang on trend'!

Sarah

If printing.com did websites....

... they'd be low cost, hassle-free, avoid jargon and be easy to update.

Which is why, over the past couple of years we've developed technology which allows us to deliver just that!

I know what you're thinking. A printing company producing websites? What good'll come of it?

Well, bear in mind that whilst we're extremely skilled at producing fabulous design and print, what we do 'behind the scenes' to ensure we deliver to such a high standard is driven by a superb, state-of-the-art, proprietory IT system and it is through this expertise that we've developed a unique piece of software which allows us to incorporate Update Centre, a handy piece of online technology (no downloading neccesary) which allows you to easily manage content and images so that your site stays up-to-date.

Through Update Centre, you get the flexibility of a content-managed website without the normal costs involved. Everyone's a winner!

So, with all of this in mind, check out our most recent site produced for Paul Hawtin of Derwent Capital Markets Ltd. For those of you who follow this blog, you'll remember the very sexy range of marketing materials that we produced in January for Paul ("We love to design.... A 'Capital' Achievement". This website represents the next stage on in this project.

 We were naturally chuffed to receive the following feedback from our client Paul: 

“Once again printing.com have nailed it! We wanted to build a new website to allow prospect clients to find out detailed information about us over the internet.  It was important that the site incorporated our new company design and marketing look which printing.com did perfectly. The process was very simple and hassle free, they did all the design and coding for us and we can now access the site directly through their Update Centre to update the website as and when we want. A job very well done. Thank you!”

 

So, take a proper look and it goes without saying that we'd appreciate any feedback, comments or suggestions you might have:

www.derwentcapitalmarkets.com

If you are looking for a low-cost web presence, why not contact us for a free consultation. If we believe our system is suitable to deliver to your brief, then we'll provide a competitive quote and all going to plan, we can have your site up-and-running within a couple of weeks.

For the full story, check out www.websitesbyprinting.com

I hope you've found this all useful and that we can speak to you soon about how to grow your business online.

Sarah

How to increase the effectiveness of your DIY design

Don't get me wrong, I would strongly recommend that a business employ a professional graphic designer when it comes to creating effective, sales-generating literature, marketing materials and stationery.

The difference between professional and amateur design is enormous and the results are also telling. Turnover growth is more likely for businesses that increase their investment in design (Courtesy of The Design Council www.designcouncil.org.uk) and a DIY jobby doesn't neccesarily cut the mustard.

That said, I'm also well aware that for many budgets are tight, especially if you are a start-up. With this in mind, I thought it might be useful to provide some simple tips on how to produce well-crafted DIY design, drawing from some of the key mistakes I see.

1) Don't rush headlong into your project! Do some planning first. What are you actually trying to tell people? What will your key message be? What salient information needs to be included? What can be missed off? Who will you send your information to? How will you distribute it? All of these things affect what you will actually be designing. Oh, and don't forget that all-important 'call to action'... TELL people how to contact you to take you up on your offer!

2) Keep it simple! Just because you're paying for an A5 Leaflet, doesn't mean you have to use every bit of space. Your message will be lost in all the clutter and the overall impression is unprofessional. Identify your key message and your unique selling points and then use space to draw the eye to these. Also, to create a well-crafted layout, each element on the page should have a connection or alignment with other items in the design. It is this association across a design that professionals have down to a 't' but for a beginners introduction, try 'The Non-Designer's Design Book' by Robin Williams (The Non-Designer's Design Book).

 

3) Your logo isn't important. Get over it! Ok. That's a bit literal. Your logo is important for brand recognition but the reality is that putting your logo massive at the top of the page is for your own vanity rather than being useful to the overall message and effectiveness of the piece. What is important is an attention-grabbing headline. Your logo will be just fine at the bottom of the page, at a sensible size.

4) Don't be a cheap-skate by nicking images off Google! If anything is going to ruin the quality of your design, it's low quality, pixelated imagery. There are plenty of low-cost, stock photography sites out there and there are also plenty of free graphics resources you can use to pep up your design so there's no excuse for an amateur finish. You'll also avoid being in breach of copyright as often images taken straight off the internet belong to someone else*.

5) Using every font under the sun doesn't show you're diverse! Choose no more than two complementary fonts for the whole design (in addition to your logo) and stick to them. Using lots of typefaces looks amateur and cluttered. If you need to draw attention to certain points, make use of bold versions or increase the font size. Oh, and Comic Sans does not make you look like 'a friendly company'... (www.bancomicsans.com)

6) "Paint the whole world with a Rainbow"... just not on your literature!** Again, choose a palette of complementary colours (and not too many of them) and stick to them, preferably every time you produce a design so that each piece becomes recognisable as being from your company. Oh, and making each sentence/letter a different colour smacks of a well known 80's kid's show....

7) Invest in professional design! To see a great example of how design can be improved with professional input, take a look at one of my previous articles - We love to design... How we helped improve a DIY design.

I hope these insights prove useful to your business and if you think we can help you to improve your marketing, you know where to find us. Happy designing!

Sarah


* Yes, for the purposes of my own amusement, I am indeed nicking images off Google. This isn't design for print though....

** For anyone who's spotted that printing.com does indeed use rainbow colours on their literature, I'd argue that we're accomplished enough in design to use these in the right way. So there.

WINNERS! Annual Design Awards 2010

For anyone who knows me, you'll know that the creative side of my business is all-important to our overall offering. In fact, it frustrates me when people refer to us as 'printers' because we're so much more than that (yes, I know we're called printing.com!!!)

Anyway, just to prove the point I am extremely proud to announce that the team in Sheffield has once again dominated the franchise's Annual Design Awards.

 Fighting off stiff competition from over 300 design agencies across the country, not only did yours truly win a runner up position in the 'Handout' category but Oliver Booth, our Senior Designer, swept up by winning two out of five categories AND the Overall Winner prize for his range of beautifully-produced designs.

Now that's what I call an achievement!

Our clients are thrilled to know that their designs are award-winning, as you'll see from their responses below, and I'd love to hear what you think of the successful pieces.

'Calendars & Christmas' category - Winner - Oliver Booth with University of Sheffield History Society Naked Calendar

"It really was an utter pleasure working with the Sheffield team at printing.com. Never before have I worked with a company that is so efficient and professional yet incredibly personable - I would not hesitate to recommend or work with them again. The design itself was mirrored directly on the brief I had provided and went far above and beyond my expectations. Sarah, Ollie and the team took the time to listen to our design ideas which is perfectly evident in the finished product. The calendar is modern, classy and edgy and crucially it reflects our personality as a History Society. I want to thank all at Sheffield's printing.com for producing a top-class calendar which will raise vital funds for some very worthy local charities."

Lottie Tobin, University of Sheffield History Society. Credit and thanks goes to Steve Pugh of Friends & Family Photography (www.friendsandfamilyphotography.co.uk) for his photography and for recommending us to Lottie in the first place!

If you'd like to purchase a Calendar, let me know and I'll pass on Lottie's details. It's all for a good cause.

 

  

 

'Identity' category - Winner - Oliver Booth with Relocation Angels

"Relocation Angels are immensely delighted with the Sheffield team at printing.com.We found the team totally committed to our project. Their approachable and individualistic service was second to none, providing attention to detail, on-going guidance and an excellent standard of quality throughout the entire process. The design teams’ efforts in creating our company logo and image were outstanding and Relocation Angels can now launch their new business with great confidence. The team at Relocation Angels would not hesitate in recommending the services at printing.com."

Julie and Victoria, Relocation Angels - 01226 761 211, info@relocation-angels.co.uk, www.relocation-angels.co.uk

 

  

  

 

 

'Handout' category - Runner Up - Sarah Simpkins with Frock 'n' Roll Showcard

"I was extremely pleased with the whole process... from the design stage through to the simple invoicing and fast delivery. The price was very reasonable considering the quality of the finished material. The showcards look high-end, glossy, vibrant and modern, whilst incorporating all of the necessary information, and without being overpowering. The design was exactly what I had in mind, it is simple yet effective. The print quality is brilliant. The showcards suit my business perfectly and convey the style of the website"

Amy Slavin, Director, Frock 'n' Roll www.frocknroll.co.uk. Credit goes to Paul Hamblin for his photography and Tim Mather at Chocolate Grape for his web development.

 

 

So, there you go - I hope you like what you see and if you think your marketing could do with a make-over, you know where to come! You never know, the designs we produce for your company could become an award winner! ;)

Sarah

Making it BiG in Sheffield

One of the things we pride ourselves on is helping local start-up businesses get off to the best start with their marketing materials and Valentines Day provided the ideal opportunity to prove why we are so great at this!

BiG - Make it Your Business, Sheffield's Local Enterprise Growth Initiative (www.thebigwebsite.org.uk) approached us to produce the marketing and exhibition materials for their clients who would be exhibiting at their BiG Valentine Market.

With a large number of clients and a short deadline, the race was on for the team at printing.com to deliver fabulous, professional promotional materials in time for the event. 

In just a week and a half we handled, designed and printed 83 separate jobs and I don't mind saying that the project was one of the biggest challenges we've faced. But we delivered, on budget and on time, and we're extremely proud of that!

I think one of the things that stands out about us compared to many of our competitors is our proactive, marketing-driven approach. Many of the companies we looked after are fresh to the world of business and marketing and we were happy to sit with them, provide marketing and content advice and guide them through the whole process with fantastic results.

It can be a scary thing starting out in business. You're not born with an innate knowledge of how to do things and having some great suppliers around you who take pride in your business, who care about your success, can be a godsend. I know out of experience.

And one of the things that reminds you why you went into business in the first place is when you get feedback like we have received from many of the businesses we worked with on this project. 

I have a fabulous team with a great work ethic... all tied together with results. Check out for yourself!

"We would like to thank you for all the hard work and time you put into creating our  Logo, you manage to 'encapsulate' Rose Guardian in the design, our image has been changed for the better and for this we are very grateful.

The banner will be used in future with pride, I know you produce many of these to loads of clients, but its the first time that our Logo has been enlarged and put on display looking so fantastic." Jan & Laura, Rose Guardian (rose.guardian@ymail.com)

"My fondest memory of printing.com was when I walked in stressed from Uni and Ashley offered me a cup of tea. That made me feel welcome and helped me calm down. I don't think I could have done this event without the enthusiasm and hard work of all the team from printing.com. 

On the day of the exhibition my stand clearly stood out, and several people commented on the leaflets, the bannerstand and the colourscheme. It helped portray the professional image of my business to the right people and I was approached by several organisations for various purposes, including the organisers for Raqs Brittania, who want me to be a sponsor for the biggest bellydance show in Europe, which will take place in Sheffield City Hall, on 25th - 27th of June, featuring Sophie Mei, from Britain's Got Talent Show. How good is that!!!!!" Chanda Shehper Rehman, Beauty by Chanda (shehperrehman@hotmail.com)

 

"Joe and Sarah from printing.com have that winning combination of being approachable and professional and yet they are very creative people. We were delighted with the quality of the banner stand and glossy postcards which they designed and printed for our company Blushing Blooms.  We will definitely use printing.com again and will recommend them to all our business contacts." Jackie & Pat, Blushing Blooms (sales@blushingblooms.com)

"Thanks to you all for your hard work and time. I'm very, very happy with my business cards and banner, both are fantastic. People are raving about the new cards and love the image of the shop on the back. The banner gets put outside the shop every morning and is doing it's job to the full. Just like you and your team. A1, thanks again, excellent work by you all. A team of stars!" Enid Walker, Unique 2 U (unique2u@live.co.uk)

It was fantastic seeing the end result of everyone's hard work and I'd like to thank everyone for the kind comments and feedback we have received.

So, if you're a start-up business or you know a start-up business who doesn't feel the same way about their design & print provider as our clients do about us, maybe it's time for a change!

Speak soon!

Sarah