​When re-opening, many small businesses won't have the luxury of a helpful employee at their entrance to remind customers of the social distancing regulations.
For shops like Sainsbury's and Tesco, it has become common place, but in the absence of "business bouncers", how do independent shop owners plant the social distancing seed to their customers? Should we all start investing in social distancing wallpaper?
 
No need to poster the walls like an old music venue (although that might look very, very cool). Instead, consider the trajectory of your customers and clients- from entrance to first point of contact and any notable areas of direction in between.
 
First and foremost, touch base at the point of "Come on in!" and again at “How can I help?”. 
 
If you are a small shop, cafe or salon, a sign outside your storefront can let customers know you’re back in action as well as taking action. A bit of peace of mind for all.
 
For a larger storefront or street-facing entrance such as a pharmacy or restaurant, a larger pull-up banner may be the visual way forward. With great size comes great responsibility so you'll have to account for the higher foot traffic and likely higher sensitivity needed.
 
Next, consider any other directions frequently asked for:
“Where can I find the restroom?”
“Do you have hand sanitiser available?”
“Contactless?”
“Do you have outdoor seating?”
 
Lastly, consider any potential gathering place or waiting area such as a service counter, kiosk, washroom, kitchen entrance, employee break or smoking area.
 
Not sure what you need? Give us a shout! We'll point you (and your customers) in the right direction.

 

We've been so busy keeping everyone connected and up and running during lockdown, that we want to be sure we don't lose sight of the big post-lockdown picture.
Everyone deserves a worry-free return to work, and a well-thought-out layout will make for a smooth transition back to into the swing of things.

Here are a few of the items we'll be using around the AP&C office:
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​Supplying individual hygiene boxes to each employee returning to the workplace is a great means of ensuring teams can easily comply with government guidelines. 

​Let your customers know you’re open for business while touching on social distancing guidelines. 
​Two-sided, these signs are perfect for outdoor visibility.

​Choose from our standard designs covering up-to-date guidelines or have our studio team create designs tailored to your branding and company message.
We'll help you decide the best layout for your workplace.

​Don't hesitate to contact us.
We're all in this together.

​We thought we would quickly touch base to give you an update on the goings on here at AP&C. Although we’ve been open for business, it has certainly been anything but usual adapting to the changes that come with social distancing.
 
In recent weeks we have been fortunate to have the opportunity to support the jobs being done by our valued essential workers. Our print machines have been working hard to ensure the essential businesses we work with have the signage and printed materials they need.

• We have successfully donated the signage necessary for operation of the NHS primary care response hub in Newbury.

 

• We have produced Ventilator User Manuals for an industry leading medical company, with 3000 copies produced to date- the largest of our projects completed during this lockdown period.

 
In the Studio:
 
The studio has been full steam ahead, continuing to support our ongoing client projects and campaigns as well as planning ahead for new ones. This includes visual support of virtual meetings, small business social media communications and even a bit of re-branding for clients who want to make the most of this time of transition. The Creative Team have had our backs from home!
 
In the Marketing Lounge:
 
Staying adaptable and proactive is our focus! The team have one eye ahead, and one eye on comms to be sure our clients and their customers are kept up to date. The Marketing Team have been busy looking ahead to stay on top the of fast-changing industry trends.
 

It's Tuesday and you're working from home (yay!).
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.

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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