FRIDAY FUNNY - spelling FAIL

I wanted to highlight this one to you to show that if you think you're awesome, you're probably not.

I like to think the tattoo artist knew exactly what he was doing!

What a pillock!

FRIDAY FUNNY - spelling FAIL

Bit of fun before the weekend...

Well, I won't be buying any bagels from here! Eww!

It's not just about spelling and grammar mistakes... you've got to consider where your advert will be displayed...

That's just dangerous! 

The Death of Print? Errr...no actually!

With huge advances in online technology and mounting pressure for businesses to become green, it’s true that printing on paper has dramatically decreased in recent years.

So, will the slump continue and eventually make printing obsolete? Errr…no actually.

A recent survey of over 450 UK print buyers from various sectors revealed that over 90% of respondents felt that print and e-communication complement each other rather than being viewed as rivals.

Surprisingly, 62% of respondents felt that print was more effective than email marketing.

The layering effect of all promotional activity is essential to spreading the word. So instead just of sending out an email to your contacts, why not top this up with a flyer or direct mail letter to reinforce your message?

TOP TIPS - What does your business card say about you?

CLICK HERE FOR A GREAT CLIP ABOUT BUSINESS CARDS FROM AMERICAN PSYCHO

"there's even a watermark..!"

“Here’s my card?”   How many times have you heard that phrase?

Given all the business meetings and networking opportunities out there, it’s not surprising that the majority of professionals have a business card. Even in the digital and technological age that we live in, we still rely on a little bit of card to represent our business.

The look, feel, and message on a card help people understand your business and can decide how they view you and more importantly, if they will remember you.

So, here are my top 5 tips on producing quality, informational and memorable business cards.

Tip #1 - correct information!

It may sound obvious but I have seen business cards with biro scrawled over old email addresses or telephone numbers and the new information written in tiny incomprehensible writing. Worse still, I find that the information on the card is incorrect. Business cards are so cheap these days, there’s no excuse for not having up-to-date information.

Tip #2 - double up

When someone gives me their card, I have a quick read

of the information on the front then I turn it over for more. I’ve seen other people do it, it’s just a habit. Use this space to make a lasting impression. Use an impact image or list the services you offer, if you have enough to shout about why not have a four page business card? Use the space wisely but don’t just leave it blank – it’s disappointing to turn over and find a boring white vacant space.

Tip #3 - make them stand out

Your business card will probably be added to a pile of others so make sure it stands out from the crowd. Incorporate colours into your design or have rounded corners or jagged sides. Better still, make it usable - I once received a business card that was a USB memory stick – genius!

Tip #4 - to laminate or not to laminate, that is the question

Personally I prefer laminate, it gives a more quality feel and makes them more durable. There are two options for lamination – glossy and matt. Matt gives a smooth, silky feel but be aware that if your design uses a large block of dark colour, scratching and marking can be seen over time. Gloss looks very swish but can be a bit tacky on a smaller space. However, if you have a high impact image, jazz it up with a layer of gloss.

It’s worth bearing in mind that if a lower quality laminate is used, it can peel off if the corners get bent. I suggest keeping them in a metal or plastic case to protect them and ensure they are smart when you hand them over.

Tip #5 -continuing the theme

Your business card is the starting point for your branding. If you end up working with your new contact, you are sure to write or send an email to them so don’t disappoint, ensure the visual branding continues through all of your stationery, both on and offline.

To ensure continuity throughout your branding, not only can we offer a one-stop printing service for quality letterheads, comp slips, business cards, folders and document corners, we can also provide a digital stationery pack that includes the design of

your signature for emails and letters as well as fax

notes and invoices for you to send via email.

FRIDAY FUNNY - Spelling FAIL

Right, it's Friday and that means I get to spend 15minutes looking for funny spelling mistakes on Google images with a cup of tea and a biscuit.  What...? It is work!

A couple of good ones today...

I love pop tarts but I think I'll give the poop tarts a miss.


And my favourite of the day...

I want an exciting car!

Okay, that's it for this week, back to work!

Intimidating print?!

Most of us are all too familiar with the yellow and black parking penalty notices that are stuck on our car windscreens. It means we've been busted! There goes £50-75 when we only needed to pop to the shop for a pint of milk! Doh!

But, how would you feel if a yellow and black "penalty charge notice" came through your door with the morning post?

Well, this happened to me and I'll tell you, I wasn't best pleased! My mind raced as I went over my recent car journeys to think where I was caught speeding or parked in a cheeky space. 

I opened the "penalty notice" to find an even more intimidating note...

Huh???!

By this time, I'm extra worried. What could I have possibly done that could incurr a £35 fine every month? 

So, with my heart pounding a little (!) I opened the leaflet to discover that....

I was wasting £35 a month because I don't have a water softener installed in my hot water system. 


Really? Is that it?


Now, call me crazy but by this point, I wasn't in the mood to read about the limescale deposits in my hot water system or how much extra soap I use because of the hard water, I was just relieved that I didn't have to pay a fine.

I can see what this company were trying to acheive... shock tactics can, when used in the right way, instantly capture the audiences attention but in this case, I was just peeved that I'd had an early morning shock!

I wonder what the level of response was for this campaign? I won't be having a water softener installed any time soon but I am writing a blog post about it so maybe their message worked after all!

Eco-friendly dog bags made from stone?!



Last year, we were contacted by a London based marketing agency who were working closely with a very well known dog food brand.

With the biggest dog show of the year fast approaching, they needed an eco-friendly bag with a chunky quality feel. Our paper bags are durable but when challenged with 5kg of dog food, we weren’t sure how they would perform. The laminated bags are fully-recyclable but due to the chemicals involved in the printing, they aren’t the most eco-friendly option.

So, we were challenged to find an alternative.

We had vaguly heard about a new paper made from stone but now was our chance to find out for ourselves.

Here comes the science bit…

Stone or rock paper is a revolutionary, treeless, mineral based paper.

It is produced using 80% calcium carbonate and 20% high density polypropylene (the same plastic that’s used in milk bottles and plastic bags) which ensures water and tear resistant properties. 

The calcium carbonate is collected as a waste material at existing limestone quarries and is ground up into a fine white chalk powder. A small quantity of non-toxic resin is then added and together these materials are converted into a printable substrate.

Stone paper leaves bags feeling soft and silky smooth to touch.

Because your dog bags are worth it…

FRIDAY FUNNY - spelling FAIL

Surely everyone knows how to spell MISSISSIPPI

M-I-DOUBLE S-I-DOUBLE S-I-DOUBLE P-I

Apparently not... FAIL!

FRIDAY FUNNY - Spelling FAIL

"So fun, they won't even know their learning"

Maybe the proof reader of the advert should go back to school...?!

There - there is a spelling FAIL!
Their - it was their mistake!
They're - they're not too clever!

Check your work BEFORE going to print... PLEASE!!

VAT on printed products - what are the rules?

Before George Osborne announced the 2011 budget, there were rumours that VAT would be added on leaflets but fortunately this is not the case this time around.

Many printers scoot around the VAT issue on printed products - some will charge it on everything they print, others don't charge it at all - so let's clarify the rules...

• Marketing material including leaflets, menus, brochures and posters are all zero rated
• If the leaflet will be used as a ticket or if it includes a discount voucher or form, it will be charged at the standard rate of VAT
• Only paper weights are zero rated, not card so if you're ordering anything over 200gsm you will be charged VAT

So the bad news is you will pay VAT on your stationery, such as business cards, letterheads, comp slips and pads but you can market and advertise your business without the VAT so let's get selling!