Business Plus Baby

January 23, 2018

5 Ways You Can Use Brochures in Your Business

Print brochures are a versatile printed material that has many different uses for businesses that know how to use them effectively. Not all marketing is online; offline marketing still has its place for smart companies.

Here are five ways that companies can use brochures to promote their business successfully.

1. Product Brochure for a Trade Expo

When you’re preparing marketing materials for an upcoming expo, you don’t want to use cheap brochure printing because it will likely be low-quality. Brochure printing complete with coated art paper and a glossy finish needn’t be pricey, but it’s certainly less expensive than magazine printing because print magazines have a greater number of pages. Even when thicker card stock and fancy finishes are used with some brochures, a magazine with full-colour photos and quality paper stock will still cost more than an attractive brochure.

Being able to hand out quality print brochures to expo attendees to take home with them reminds them of the company long after they’ve left the event. When wanting to look up large pictures of products before ordering a batch or to check on the product specifications, this type of information can be provided within the pages.

2. To Educate the Reader

Companies that have products which are difficult to explain in a catchy tweet have plenty of space in a brochure to break down the features of the product and how it might best be used. Business products tend to be more complicated than consumer-oriented ones and business-focused brochures can take advantage of the longer attention span to educate the reader.

Depending on the type of product being promoted, it may be possible to make it a fun demonstration in print using exceptional photography and interesting use of colour. When taking the reader through a step-by-step process on how to use the new product to produce something useful or exciting, then this gets the point across really well because it taps into the emotional core while educating too.

3. Limited Edition

Sometimes companies want to produce something unique that different to what they’ve done before. A custom design from a notable artist or a one-off product based on customer feedback that will never be part of the main range but will likely have niche appeal is a solid goal. Whatever the purpose, it’s not practical to insert a product that’s produced in limited quantities inside the regular product brochure. This is where a special limited-edition brochure is ideal to showcase the uniqueness, the special effort that’s gone into it, and why it has the customer’s name written all over it.

By separating out the limited-edition item, it also makes it easier to charge a premium price for this one-time opportunity. The pricing can stand completely separate to the normal pricing expectations of the standard range of products because it’s not been marketed in the same way.

4. Making It Easier for Salespeople

For companies where customers visit a showroom or their head office to place an order, a brochure can be an effective way to make it clearer what the ordering options are.

A courier could lay out different package sizes on one page and show charts with weights and destinations on another. Customers can easily flick through the pages to select their package size, scan down a destination list to find the right destination code, and then confirm their pricing.

For clothing companies where clothing stores need to understand the garment sizes and colour availability when ordering for the next season, salespeople can visit their shop and run through their choices using a brochure containing the full details on colours, sizes and product ordering options. Being able to travel with the brochure and some sample garments in the boot makes it easier to demonstrate product available and take the correct order from the customer.

5. Custom Promotional Mailing

When segmenting your customers into different demographics or groups based on past purchase history and other factors, it’s possible to target affluent or regular buyers with a custom offering that will appeal to their sensibilities. After all, everyone likes to feel special and an offer that’s mailed out to them with a professional covering letter and a small brochure describing what’s on offer is likely to be well received.

There are many ways to use professional brochures in your business. Whether it’s to celebrate limited-edition items, promote through the mail using cost-effective methods, prepare a product brochure for a trade expo or something else entirely, brochures are powerful marketing tools.

When used effectively, a printed brochure can help salespeople complete a sale with a prospect who was wavering. For people who are less comfortable using the internet to access product information or who like to order by mail, providing a brochure is an excellent way to secure their flow of steady orders that might never have happened if this option wasn’t available. Really, the possibilities are endless.

Image credit: vixrealitum

January 21, 2018January 19, 2018

A List of Top Trends in the Packaging Industry for 2018

Trends come and go, and we all know this. But some trends remain and continue on to become actual icons of industry. There are numerous trends in the packaging industry, and having a good idea of what these trends are can contribute greatly to your company and brand’s growth. So, what’s in store for 2018? Here’s a list of the top trends in the packaging industry for this year.

Trend #1: Packaging will have an important role to play when it comes to the reduction of global product and food waste

There’s one trend amongst all the packaging market trends that continues to be a major force in the packaging industry, and a lot of companies and brands have already begun to follow it: sustainability in packaging. And since more brands are jumping on the bandwagon, it’s obvious that there will be some new innovations in packaging which will have a tremendous impact on the reduction of waste in the world. There are now innovations in the recycling of many different products, such as electronic parts and components, and many countries are leading the way in enforcing more sustainable packaging for consumers.

Trend #2: Brands available online will improve and enhance their packaging so as to give consumers a better online shopping experience

Online shopping has become the norm for many countries and cultures, and because of this, online companies experience a lot more competition from other brands. This is one major reason why online brands will focus more on better packaging for their products to attract customers. A lot more attention will be paid to how products look online, and how products in their packaging look once they are delivered to the customer.

Trend #3: Minimalism is in

Information overload in packaging is all too real; too often, consumers are overloaded and barraged with information about a particular product, and this leaves them confused – and as a result, the product remains on the shelf. More brands and companies are seeing the benefits of minimalism and simplicity in their product packaging, and there’s nothing companies would like to avoid more than leaving their customers confused rather than enlightened. Also, if there’s too much information on the packaging of the product, consumers tend to question its authenticity, its provenance, and even its effectiveness. There will be a better balance between what customers need to know and what customers may think is too much information.

Trend #4: Brands will be more conscious of contemporary or modern packaging to attract younger customers

It has been shown that younger customers are more attracted to a shop’s periphery rather than its centre, particularly for supermarkets. Brands are therefore aiming to attract younger customers with transparent packaging, easily recyclable packaging, and even packaging in unique and modern shapes.

Image: AlbanyColley

January 19, 2018

Reasons to Keep Your Business’ Finances In Check

When you first head into business and start running your own startup, you may believe that finances are pretty simple. You spend a certain amount investing in your business, you make a profit from selling your products and services, and you reinvest. Simple, right? Well, you’d actually be surprised how many ins and outs you’ll find yourself dealing with as time goes on. Perhaps you offer goods on finance or invoice. Maybe you forgot to put your tax and national insurance contributions aside, as you’re so used to having an employer do this on your behalf. Believe it or not, there are various ways that being lax with your business’ finances can negatively affect you without necessarily dragging your company into debt. So, it’s time to get organised! Here are just a couple of reasons that you might want to be a little more organised with your business’ finances!

HMRC Visits

When most business owners hear the letters “HMRC”, they simply think of sorting their taxes out at the end of the tax year. However, nowadays, HMRC can visit your business on both an announced basis and an unannounced basis. They can quite literally just turn up, ask for your records and they can also speak to your staff. If this does happen, you can feel free to ask for proof of identity and the visitors will provide you with a letter explaining that their checks are entirely legal. Generally speaking, this occurrence may put on the guise of being a standard visit, but HMRC doesn’t waste their time visiting businesses out of the blue. If visitors do turn up as part of HMRC Visits, it’s because they believe that something is wrong or doesn’t add up. If you already have your finances and accounts in check, you’re unlikely to receive this visitors in the first place. It is essentially a tax investigation. Thus, it’s good to have all of your proof at hand just in case. Remember that even once the letter has been handed to you, you do have the right to refuse the visitors entry. However, they will want a reason and will try to establish why their entry is being refused if nothing is wrong. It’s better for your image and any further cases that you simply have your affairs in check and can receive visitors as and when they turn up.

Simplifying the End of the Tax Year

The end of the tax year is a stressful time in general for many business owners. Why? Because the self-assessment deadline always seems to approach out of the blue, despite being around the same time every year. If you don’t use an accountant and opt to complete your assessment yourself, you’re going to have to have access to a whole lot of documentation in order to work out all of the figures correctly. This is difficult enough in itself, never mind if you’re rummaging around piles of paperwork trying to find the right statements and pieces of proof of expenditure. Make life easier for yourself by saving all of your financial documents and receipts in monthly folders. Label them clearly so that you can find everything in good time. Also, try to start your returns sooner rather than later. This removes the stress of being rushed. Remember that if you submit your return even a day late, you’ll be subject to all sorts of fees, fines, and penalty charges, plus interest! Being organised with your finances will also mean that you have sufficient cash put aside ready to pay any tax bill or national insurance contributions that you may owe, which will mean that you don’t have to find large sums of money out of the blue to pay for your tax return.

As you can see, a little organisation can take you a long way (and save you a whole lot of stress down the line). So, it’s time to get your professional finances in check! Remember that you don’t have to be entirely alone in this organisation process, which can often be daunting. You may notice that as your business expands, it may be difficult to keep on top of your money matters at the same time as all of your other responsibilities. So consider taking on a receptionist to help with your filing and accountant to crunch the numbers. Just these two additional members of staff can make all of the difference. Even if you only take them on as freelance workers or on a part-time basis.

Image: Pixabay

January 18, 2018

Important Tips for Choosing the Right Bank

There are numerous considerations that need to be made when you are looking for the right bank. It is important that you take the time to explore your options so that you can select the right one in particular. The more time you spend researching your banking options, the easier it will be to choose the right place.

In this article you will get some helpful tips for when you are trying to find a bank that will meet your needs. The last thing you want to do is rush into this kind of decision.

Find Out About the Fees Each Bank Charges

When you are gathering information on the various banks in your area, you should find out what kinds of fees each one charges. You will want to make a point of selecting a bank that won’t charge you a lot of unnecessary fees, as so many of them do these days. This is especially important if you don’t want to pay a monthly or yearly fee just to have a checking account. There are quite a few banks that offer free checking accounts, so you will need to keep that in mind.

Overdraft Fees

It’s also a good idea for you to find out what each bank’s policy is on overdraft fees, and how much they charge. You will find that most banks offer overdraft protection, but it can cost quite a bit. Some banks charge more than others for overdraft fees, so this is definitely something that you will need to look into before making a final decision.

Accessibility

You will want to think about just how accessible each bank that you look into is. While most banks do offer online services, there might not be a physical branch near you. If it’s important that you have a brick-and-mortar building that you can visit for your banking needs, you will need to make sure you choose the right one.

Use the Internet to Your Advantage

With the internet it is possible to gather all kinds of information on the best banks in America. Take as much time as you need to look through reviews written by customers of different banks before you choose one in particular. This information can be very valuable when you are trying make the best possible decision on a certain bank.

Technology

The technology that each bank uses is going to be something else to think about. Some banks use state-of-the-art technology while others use equipment that is more outdated. If you want a bank that offers a mobile app, for example, you will need to look for one that is in the tech loop.

Choosing the right bank is important for a number of reasons, so you will need to spend a decent amount of time looking into the options you have while considering your own needs. Each bank is very different in a lot of ways, so you don’t want to make a hasty decision.

Image: Nattanan

January 18, 2018January 16, 2018

Does Your Business Website Need a Makeover? Trends in Web Design for 2018

Is your website beginning to feel a little dated? Have you analysed its performance recently? Is it really contributing to your business as it should be? Would you like some tips to make your website more successful this year?

We asked an expert web design consultancy offering web design in Bristol, Clevedon, Portishead, and Weston-super-Mare what they believe will be the web design trends which will dominate, so without further delay, here are the most significant trends for web design in 2018.

Emphasis on usability

With respect to web design, it seems that the skeleton design will continue to be strong, allowing a website to be loaded in stages, from the simplest to the most complex. This means an improvement in the usability of the website thanks mainly to the fact that the loading speed is reduced significantly. In the first instance, visitors see the structure of the site and little by little the rest of the content is then loaded.

Modular designs (think Pinterest) will also dominate; the website works through modules that act independently, providing a greater capacity to adapt to the dimensions of each device it is viewed on.

Clever use of colour

With regard to colour, it seems that the tendency will be to create own content with respect to illustrations and infographics, with very interactive designs triumphing above all. The use of bright colours, gradients and very geometric shapes using textures of life itself will be popular. Backgrounds will continue the minimalist and clean design (not only on the site, but also in logos and brand names) and personalization of shapes and buttons.

Even bigger images and video

If we talk about images and videos, these will tend to occupy the entire page, as a presentation of the brand. As long as developers are careful with loading times, this should not be a problem.

Differentiating details

Micro-interactions (small actions that cause a change when the user interacts with them) will also be important. For example, different types of hover effects (activated when the user places the mouse on the image and it changes) or parallax (movements in different speeds of web elements that are activated when scrolling) and of course, virtual reality and 360°.

Distinctive Typography

And last but not least, one of the important trends in web design will be typography, the “hand-made” or vintage styles will still be present to achieve greater differentiation and distinction from the usual. However, circular typefaces and Sans Serif will also occupy a large place among the preferred ones. And one of the trends is to combine texts or horizontal and vertical titles to attract the attention of users.

So, if you feel your website could benefit from being updated, why not seek input from a professional web designer and see if some of these dominant website design trends could work for your site.