It's Monday and you're working from home.
That means Nigel won't be distracting you with this week's thrilling instalment of
 "Weekend Tales from My Garden" 
(spoiler alert: he still hasn't figured out how to get rid of those pesky moles).
That means you've got plenty of time to conquer your social media once, and for all.

#1:  Go down the social rabbit-hole!

Go ahead down that distracting road! You know the one.
It's somewhere between the baby otter videos and the Pinterest thread of DIY shelves for the 4-bedroom house you totally don't own (yet..) 
Here is your chance to redeem yourself!
Scroll through the pages of favourite hashtags, similar brands, competitors and influencers, taking note of trends and commonalities.

#2:  Schedule 1 month of posts
 
Set up an excel spreadsheet to map out 30 days of posts to be scheduled. Be sure to account for any holidays and consider labelling certain days of the week with their own themes. Themes like "Monday Motivation" or "Fun Fact Friday" are great for weekly inspiration.
 
#3:  Define your brand guidelines
 
Visual consistency is key to social media! Defining your logo, colour palette and signature font are small details which, when used consistently, make a big impact!
 
#4:  Create a cache of post-worthy images
 
Round up photos of your projects, photos with happy customers, team headshots, and create a few simple social templates into one convenient place. Pick and post as needed!
 
#5:  Blog, blog, blog

Not to be confused with "blah blah blah". No! Blogs are not just for crazy cat ladies. They're a great way to touch base with your audience in a casual and more conversational tone. Make company announcements, tell a few jokes, give a few tips and tricks of the trade...you name it!
If you're interested in your topic, your audience will be too.

Guess what?!  We're giving away 1 whole month of social media management - have our team of digital experts handle all this "social stuff" for you!

Market research, post creation, scheduling, analysis - the whole lot of it!
Use the button below to email with your full name, the name of your business and your company website to enter. Winners will be announced April 21st. 

Remote working comes with the luxury of working from pretty much anywhere with decent wi-fi and the ability to hear yourself think. Working from home, of course, leaves you with one option: home.
You’re most coveted and private of spaces must now allow for sleep, showers, breakfast, lunch, dinner, dogs, children, couch, Netflix, Instagram, partner, the sound of the spring birds who never seemed to annoy you until you’re suddenly subjected to their mid-day mating calls, coffee, tea, biscuits, biscuits at the back of the cupboard you stashed because they didn’t quite taste as good as they looked on the shelf but you can’t bear to part with because, as Tesco had so eloquently put it, “Every little helps”, and oh yes, that’s right, work.
The goal at the end of the road remains the same regardless of our surroundings. Keeping your team proactive and positive amidst a sea of distractions and is important now, more than ever.
Here are a few of the “outside the box” ideas we’re using here at AP&C:

• Get Creative with Team Breaks

Stick daily breaks into the calendar! Arrange a team tea-break or remind your employees and co-workers to go for a walk, have a stretch, kiss their cat, cuddle their doggo and take 10 minutes to turn off.
Recommended dose: 10 min doses, 3x daily for best results.

• Host a virtual Happy Hour!

Let’s face it. There are few things more refreshing than a well-earned drink (alcoholic or otherwise) to round off a long week- especially one that has been spent cooped up at home. So, let’s not pretend we don’t all keep a supply of our favourite tipples at home and end the week with a team Happy Hour!
(Maybe try gently reminding everyone that it is simply a Happy Hour and not the company Christmas party… yes, we’re looking at you, Janet…)

• Reward your employees!

A little thought goes a long way. Consider sending them some simple treats and vouchers to remind them they are valued, respected and appreciated. You’d be hard-pressed to find a person (or customer, for that matter!) who wouldn’t love a surprise work-from-home care package.
Whether it's a practical box, filled with company-branded pens, to-do lists and pads, or a full-loaded survival kit of tea, biscuits, mugs, coasters, notepads and pens - everyone loves a treat! 

BIG News! Quite literally, in fact.

We at Apple Print & Creative are thrilled to announce our recent acquisition of Big Print Limited.

Big Print Limited, a fellow Berkshire-based business, are a long-standing large format printing supplier and long-time friend of AP&C. With a relationship that has spanned 3 decades, the joining of forces was really a no-brainer.

With 35 years of experience in commercial printing and exhibition display, Big Print Limited are known for their flexibility, high quality graphics, fast turnaround times and unparalleled dependability. 

The acquisition supports our commitment to local business while providing a major growth opportunity for both businesses. 

“To become the best large format and exhibition printers we had to acquire the best, and that’s what we get from Big Print.” – Andrew Watts, Managing Director, Apple Print & Creative

Both ourselves and Big Print Limited view this as an important step that will no doubt strengthen our collective future endeavours. Alongside our loyal local customers, the expanded business will now serve small and large organisations across the UK&I, EMEA and the US. 

We encourage you to visit the Big Print Limited website to learn all about the new products and printing capabilities we have to offer. www.bigprint.org.uk 

As we head into 2020, we are energised by this expansion of Apple Print & Creative and the many opportunities that await in extending our reach both locally and internationally.

Focused on the road ahead, our vision is as the year suggests, 20/20.

What’s your vision?

Apple Print and Creative is a full-service marketing agency with over 34 years of experience helping our clients sell their products and services. A team of 25 strong, we cover Account Management, Project Management, Events, Telemarketing, Graphic Design, Planning and Strategy, Development and Technical Build along with a fully staffed Print Engine Room for all our clients’ Events, Banners and Brochures.
 
For more information about our business news and services, don’t hesitate to call us at +44 1365521654 or visit www.appleprint.co.uk
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