Working from home is not as easy as it seems. Not only are there a host of distractions, but there is your mental and physical health to consider. By not travelling to work every day, it is easy to overlook the physical benefits of getting to there and the social benefits of interacting with colleagues.
So to help you keep productive and sane, here are the Local Pages’ tips for successfully working from home.
The Coronavirus has had a massive impact on local businesses throughout the country and the consequences have been especially felt by SMEs and the self-employed in the areas we serve. As a small family business employing 18 people, we recognise the current challenges faced by many of our loyal customers and wish to support you in whatever way we can.
We don’t know when the current situation will end, but we must all remain positive and be ready to take advantage of the opportunities that will arise once the lockdown is lifted. The truth is, people still want your products and services even if you can’t currently supply them. This means that once the restrictions are over, demand for your products and services will be even higher.
For this reason, we are putting the following initiatives into place to help your business in the short term while generating enquiries for the future:
Extended Payment Terms
Where possible we will offer extended payment terms to help with cash-flow while your business is temporarily on hold.
Deferred Payment Terms
Normally we would expect payment with your order. However, due to the current circumstances and the pressures that some of our customers are experiencing due to cash flow, where possible we will defer payment from the time of booking your order until the Little Blue Book goes to print.
Free Digital Consultation A no-obligation review of your online presence with suggestions regarding how you use your website and social media channels to grow your business in the future.
Call the team on 0117 9321122 to book an appointment.
Increased Promotion of our Little Blue Book
We are increasing the amount of promotional activity aimed at users. We strongly believe that people buy from people they know and trust. That is the reason we publish our Little Blue Book.
For over 40 years, people have trusted the information within it and the businesses it recommends.
Increased Promotion of www.localpages.co.uk
We are increasing our online promotional activity which will greatly benefit our online advertisers especially those with enhanced and premium listings. With the cost of Google and Facebook advertising rocketing at the moment, our online search directory offers an even better return on investment.
The current situation is not going to last forever and it is important that all businesses prepare for when the restrictions are lifted. Local Pages is in a unique position to help. For those that wish to hit the ground running, our online search directory can generate leads at a fraction of the price of Google and Facebook. In the long term, our trusted Little Blue Books are still being updated and delivered to ensure your business details are at your potential customers’ fingertips as and when they are required.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and the kind messages that we have received during the past couple of weeks. As mentioned earlier, we are a family business and we look upon all our customers as members of our extended family, without whom we wouldn’t be able to continue serving your community. Stay safe and if we can be of any further assistance please let me know.
With my best regards
Dan Bernard
Managing Director
Click here for the latest government advice on Coronavirus.
Click here for the latest government advice for employers and businesses
Click here for details of the Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme
Click here for details regarding the Small Business Grant Fund
Get in touch with one of the Local Pages Team today:
0117 932 1122
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At Local Pages we are proud of the fact that we continue to grow our business by helping local businesses generate leads through our Little Blue Books, online search and digital marketing products and services.
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To ensure our Little Blue Book’s continued success, the information contained within it needs to be accurate, continually updated and relevant to the 1000s of users that trust and rely on its content and the local businesses it recommends.
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To help keep the Little Blue Book relevant, we ask all our customers to refer other businesses to us that may benefit from generating more leads.
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By supporting us with referrals you increase the book’s relevance which in turn creates more leads and business opportunities for all.
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To make a referral, please send details to info@localpages.co or call 0117 9231122
Nestled in the heart of the Thornbury high street Just 12 miles North of the Bristol City Centre, is Hawkins of Thornbury. A not so traditional hardware store with roots dating back to the early 1900s, Hawkins of Thornbury has become embedded in the culture of the South Gloucestershire market town. The independently owned shop has served the community for over 100 years, an impressive feat for any business!
But how? We live in a world where it is estimated that over 50% of new businesses don’t survive to see the second year of trading and where corporations are said to be conquering the independence of the high street. How has Hawkins of Thornbury not only endured but thrived through the ever-changing economic climate? What is their secret?
We spoke with Hawkins’ managing director, Christine Stone, to find out.
Originally purchased by Christine’s father in 1974, Christine took over the family business 8 years ago when her father became ill. The business has always played a major role in Christine’s life and her early years are filled with fond memories of growing up alongside the business. Some of her best memories include helping her dad cement the brand’s strong relationship with the locals through contributions to social events like the annual Thornbury Carnival and the ever-popular Victorian Christmas Markets. This exceptional commitment to the local community is part of what Christine feels has led to the success of the business today.
“The best thing about our business, is it is real, it is human,” says Christine.
Yes, you can probably find anything you could ever need in Hawkins of Thornbury, but this is only part of the equation. Hawkins of Thornbury is a business based on people, the people of the local community that the shop serves. The commitment to the locals is reflected as soon as you enter Hawkins. We visited on what seemed to be a relatively quiet weekday afternoon in Thornbury, but once through the shop doors, you are immediately greeted with a feeling of excitement. The shop is looming with enthusiasm as a dozen or more locals shop and socialise. They mingle amongst each other and also with the staff. A staff that has a combined tenure of over 70 years, with the shop’s most experienced veteran Irene, working on her 35th year of employment with the store. Looking around, everyone has a smile on their face, it is something genuine that is often lost in this digital age, real human connection.
The humanity of the business isn’t Hawkins only advantage over the corporate giants that that are threatening the existence of high streets across the nation. Hawkins has shown the ability to adapt as the economic landscape changes. The business knows that to survive, the customers’ needs have to be at the forefront of every business decision and adaptability is the key to ensuring this happens. “We are a locally owned independent business so whatever comes along we can adapt, and that is a real benefit,” said Christine.
And adapt they do! Hawkins is currently looking to the future and investing in the next generations of loyal customers through encouraging repair, reuse, and recycling schemes. Christine understands that the environment is at the forefront of everyone’s minds and she believes Hawkins can play their part in creating a commitment to the environment as they aim to source more sustainable products for not only their business but for their customers as well. The shop has already made major leaps in this direction by sourcing eco-friendly combustible carrier bags and reducing single-use plastic items where possible.
The independently owned retailer began advertising in our Local Pages directory at the start of it all, 40 years ago and the business continues to advertise today in our latest edition of The Little Blue Book, Thornbury. Of course, we cannot contribute all the outlet’s success to our publication, but we would like to think our long-standing partnership has been a contributing factor along the way. Here is to the next forty years of strong independent local businesses!
#chooselocal #40yearsoflocal #localpages
We all live incredibly busy lives, often at 100mph without even registering what we’re doing and without being in the moment. We have jobs, there may be children to take to school and take to activities or parties, we might go to the gym, try and have a social life and then spend quality time with our loved ones.
There are a few simple things that you can take on board to start to slow down and maybe have time to think about self care – you might be like me and looking after number 1 goes to the bottom of the ‘to-do list’ every single day.
Switching off
If you run your own business, chances are you have your emails synced with your mobile phone meaning that you are ALWAYS connected to work. You may have a ‘9-5 job’ where you have the same situation. Try not to reply to work emails out of office hours (i.e. after 6pm). We need to be able to switch off from work mode in the evenings and weekends allowing my already busy minds to unwind.
Slowing down
After a break from work or you’re normal routine, it’s obviously going to be busy catching up with emails and client work. For some, a list is the ultimate organisation tool – ploughing through to tick everything off is extremely satisfying! However, we need to remind ourselves that not everything needs to be done right this instant. Something’s can wait until tomorrow, next week or even next month.
Saying no
This leads on from slowing down. Some weeks our diaries are packed with work appointments, life appointments and social gatherings. Stop and think about what you are saying yes to and start to say no to every invite or meeting. We’re not going to miss out. Busy people often find it difficult to just sit and relax some times, doing nothing. Work on this, if only for 15 minutes day but it again allows you start to unwind and relax.
None of these points are new and groundbreaking, but essentially we want to keep that chilled holiday mode going for as long as possible!!
I think sometimes we also just need to take a step back and look at how BUSY we’ve become.
“Print marketing is dead…”
If you work in the print advertising industry you are likely to hear this dismissive phrase nearly every day. Whilst it is easy to see why certain businesses come to this conclusion, our recent successes and growing client base of 3,000+ suggests it is anything but!
We first met Nick, who owns Allied Electrical Services Ltd, in April 2017. The meeting was regarding placing an advert in the Chipping Sodbury and Yate region with Local Pages. Whilst Nick was certainly not adverse to print advertising, there was an element of scepticism about its effectiveness in the modern market place.
Nick remembers, “I was certainly sceptical at first. Like any small business, we keep a close eye on our outgoings and marketing and were already spending a large proportion of our carefully managed budget in online advertising”.
“I was aware of the Local Pages, but as I live outside the Chipping Sodbury and Yate delivery area for the edition I was unaware of how well known the book was in the locality”.
Allied Electrical are based in Pucklechurch and provide a friendly and experienced electrical service from replacing a plug socket to a full home rewire.
Nick decided to take out a 6th of a page “Loud & Proud” advert in the Chipping Sodbury & Yate, Little Blue Book edition for 2017/18 which is delivered to approximately 18,000 address across the locality. To ensure that the advertising was worthwhile Nick placed his own trackable phone number into the advert to monitor the calls from the book and provide him with an end of year ROI.
Local Pages has produced some fantastic results for us and have renewed my advertising for a second year”.
Fast forward a year we are now compiling the new Little Blue Book for Chipping Sodbury and Yate 2018/19. Speaking to Nick upon the renewal of his advert, he provided us with this fantastic feedback.
“It was my first year with Local Pages and as a business owner who tracks carefully where our enquiries come from, I was sceptical on whether I would receive a response from print advertising. In fact, Local Pages has produced some fantastic results for us and have renewed my advertising for a second year”.
If you are a business owner it is easy to get sucked into thinking that all of your advertising spend should be allocated towards digital mediums. We certainly champion digital marketing and have a team that provides great value, local, digital marketing solutions. However, print advertising is still a valuable tool (especially to the trades) and finding an advertising vehicle that works is essential to this.
Local Pages’ Little Blue Books have been in production for nearly 40 years. We are trusted and well known in the regions we cover. We work closely with our clients and utilise trackable phone numbers and online statistics to ensure that your advert is providing you with a positive ROI.
You can view more about the ROI we have provided for different industries, the demographics of our users and find out more about Local Pages by viewing our media pack.
Interested in placing an advert? Contact us now to discuss an advert placement.
Our Top 5 Marketing Trends for 2018
With 2018 fast approaching we have been exploring New Marketing trends to look out for in 2018.
Here we discuss the 5 trends we believe will be the most influential next year. Let us know your thoughts…
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality is a fascinating way of enhancing a version of reality, created by overlaying digital information onto an image. It allows consumers to not simply imagine but actually see potential purchases & designs in ‘real life’, aiding quicker and slicker purchasing.
Brands are quickly jumping on board. IKEA has rolled out an App called Place, which allows customers to preview furniture in their homes before they buy, increasing conversion and customer satisfaction.
This year the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X have also launched with new augmented reality experiences, which will inevitably encourage social media channels to follow suit with new ways of integrating AR onto their platforms.
There is a wide selection of Augmented Reality tools readily available to help businesses achieve 3 main goals:
With Brands finding it difficult to stand out from the crowd, Augmented Reality is being recognised as a powerful tool within the Marketing world.
Here, at Local Pages we can offer iSmart Photo Augmented reality, technology which allows videos and slideshows to appear through your printed adverts. If this is something you would be interested in finding out more about, don’t hesitate click here to get in contact with us today.
Chatbots
Chatbots are providing customer interface which is instant and can be accessed 24/7, and they are quickly proving to be a successful marketing tool.
The instantaneity of the Chatbots has proven to be popular in a world where customers want issues solved quickly and all answers supplied immediately. These instant messengers save both time and money.
Chatbots also enable businesses the opportunity to customise their own ‘Brand Voice’ and send personalised messages directly to their users/clients, for a truly personable approach, rather than it feeling as though you are conversing with a robot.
In addition, business profitability can also be targeted, with Chatbots providing the opportunity for swift, easy transactions. 47% of consumers have already expressed they would buy directly from a Chatbot (HubSpot, 2017), with 26-36 year olds willing to spend up to £481.15 with a business via a Chatbot interaction (ubisend, 2017).
Between 2016 and 2021 Chatbot marketing is expected to grow at a compound rate of 35.2% (Marketsandmarkets, 2017), so expect to see a lot more Chatbots popping onto your screens!
If you are interested in finding out more about Chatbot Marketing for your Website click here to get in contact with us today.
Videos
The way in which we consume video is changing. Video is quickly becoming the number one fastest growing Ad format in the world and has been doubling Year on Year. By 2020 it has been estimated video will make up 80% of all online consumer internet traffic, becoming the closest medium you get to a face to face conversation with your target audience (smartinsights.com)
As with Augmented Reality, Video Ad platforms are helping Brands stand out from the crowd, and allowing for a longer and conceivably more emotionally driven connection with their audience.
If you are looking at creating a company Video we can help you design, plan and produce one here at Local Pages.
Social Media is also a great platform, allowing businesses a quick and easy way to upload videos and reach a wider audience. We offer social media management packages to support your social media needs, and ensure you are offering up to date and relevant content to get the most out of your social media advertising.
Click here to get in contact with us today about your Video and Social Media needs.
Geofencing
Marketers have already been seeing the benefits of Geofencing technology, which allows the collection of information from consumer mobile devices. The technology allows marketers to learn a lot about their audience and in turn allows for businesses and services to target customers in ‘real time’ i.e. sending a promotional message to the customer when they are within a 1 mile radius, or have been searching their website.
This form of targeted hyper-local marketing will increasingly grow more popular and influential, especially for smaller, local businesses who want to engage with only the most relevant local shoppers who are most likely to spend.
According to plotprojects.com, the click-through rate of Geofencing notifications on Androids is 13.6%, which by far exceeds that of generic push notifications, which are only 2%. This indicates sending relevant notifications at the most opportune time encourages increased interaction.
We truly believe in the power of local marketing and have seen this first hand. As experts in the local marketing business, we have proven that our specialised local marketing generates more leads creating higher conversion rates. Click here to find out more about all our products & services.
Personalised Content
We are expecting to see a growth in personalised content within digital Marketing in 2018. Businesses have already begun to see the benefits of personal call to action marketing. StubHub, an online ticket exchange owned by eBay, reported a 42% improvement when users were given a personalized call to action (accountexnetwork.com).
Personalised content is also best used when different content is targeted to different types or groups of visitors based on their behaviour or other factors. Consumers have different intentions when visiting brands online, and having the ability to appeal to a wider range of people by tailoring digital content to personally appeal strengthens engagement with customers and can have a direct impact on website traffic and ongoing engagement.
As it happens, using Personalised Content doesn’t just mean customers are more likely to engage and buy your products they are also willing to pay more for them too! Consumers truly value a great personalised experience. If that means paying a little more, so be it. A survey from the content marketing institute suggests that 77% of customers will recommend, or pay more for a brand that provides a personalised experience. The better and more personal the experience, the greater the customer’s willingness to spend money on it. If the experience feels exclusive enough, customer will be willing to pay exclusive prices (digitalmarketingmagazine.co.uk).
To find out how we can help you with Personalised content for your business website click here to talk to one of our team members today.
In summary, Marketing is becoming ever more complicated, strategic, personable, engaged, technologically advanced and altogether essential to businesses both large and small.
With over 200 years of industry experience we are experts in marketing, generating millions of new leads for our customers over the past 38 years. We can offer you advice on all your Marketing needs, so do not hesitate to contact us today for a friendly consultation with one of our team.
We recommend having a peek on https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics . It makes for a really interesting read, highlighting how powerful & effective Marketing tools can be!
Do you need some extra help around the office or at home, our #LPLITTLEHELPERS are here to help!
4 of our team will be volunteering a DAY of their time in 2018 to offer their services to you, so you have 4 chances to win a #LPLITTLEHELPER for the day!
Each of our #LPLITTLEHELPERS have a different skill set to offer so pick your favourite and be in the chance to win!
HOW TO ENTER
FACEBOOK:
How to win a #LPLITTLEHELPER for the day:
TWITTER:
How to win a #LPLITTLEHELPER for the day:
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Source: BBC News
At Local Pages we understand the importance of a strong on and offline presence for your business and after 38 years know that many business owners will want to continue to advertise in a printed format, so here are 5 reasons why you would want your business to be included in our Little Blue Books;
Click price list to see what we offer.
We also offer print, design and website services, so whether it’s business cards, flyers or a new company website – we can help.
Please give us a call on 01179 231122 or email info@localpages.co.uk
If you just want to add your business for free, please click here
THE FIVE FONT GROUPS
There are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of fonts/typefaces to choose from, so it is a daunting prospect to narrow down your choices! How do you choose? A lot of it will be based on your own personal choice of course, but sometimes we need to take into consideration the message that a font may convey by the way it looks.
Firstly, I will take you through the basic different classifications of font styles: SERIF, SANS SERIF, SLAB SERIF and SCRIPT. These are illustrated on the photo above.
1. SERIF
A serif is a small line attached to the end of a stroke in a letter. Serif fonts are widely used for body text because they are considered easier to read than sans-serif fonts in print.
2. SANS SERIF
Derived from the French word “sans”, meaning “without” – a sans-serif font does not have the small projecting features called serifs at the end of strokes and less line width variations. Most web pages employ sans-serif type as they are considered to be legible on computer screens. It is also used as a device for emphasis, due to thicker line strokes.
3. SLAB SERIF
A type of serif typeface is characterised by thick, block-like serifs. Originally intended as attention-grabbing designs for posters, they have very thick serifs. They make clearer reading on lower quality paper.
4. SCRIPT
A typeface with a flowing flourish. Script typefaces are based upon the varied and often fluid stroke created by handwriting. Many emulate the styles of hand-drawn signs from different historical periods. As phototypesetting and then computers have made printing text at a range of sizes far easier than in the metal type period, it has become increasingly common for businesses to use type for logos and signs rather than hand-drawn lettering.
5. DECORATIVE
The most diverse of all the groups. Anything goes with flourishes and decoration. Rarely used for lengthy blocks of text, decorative typefaces are popular for signage, headlines and similar situations where a strong typographic statement is desired. They can reflect an aspect of culture – such as tattoos or graffiti – or evoke a particular state of mind, time period or theme. Many – such as psychedelic or grunge designs – are time-sensitive and fall out of fashion. Some decorative typefaces use unorthodox letter shapes and proportions to achieve distinctive and dramatic results.
Now we will look at fonts in more detail. Say you were designing a wedding invite, we immediately think of something flowery. Here is an example:
The use of the script font is appropriate for this type of design. It lends itself to the beauty of the day. It’s delicate and enchanting. Also note that a serif font is used in the smaller text as this is also very traditional in its look and is readable as smaller text. If we used the script font all over, it would become too fussy. Just use it as an emphasis on key words.
Fonts used on a poster for a heavy metal band would look very different typeface-wise. On the poster below a decorative font has been used in the main heading and this is the sort of typeface we associate with heavy metal – it’s heavy in form, it’s quite in-your-face, intimidating perhaps, grungy and gothic. Again, the principle of not overusing this font is carried through – a sans serif font.
Another thing to consider is that your work (e.g. flyer or brochure etc) should keep to 2 or 3 typefaces at the most. Keep the typefaces exactly the same and perhaps use different weights of the same font to keep it clean, or change it a lot in terms of two completely contrasting fonts.
We want them to co-exist beautifully. Try to avoid using two or three fonts from say the “sans serif” category like Helvetica and Franklin Gothic. This can be distracting for the reader – are they the same or not? Stick to different weights of that font to create contrast and a cleaner look. Ultimately, it’s up to you which fonts you decide to use, but using the principles outlined above can improve the image and message you are trying to convey.
COLOURS
There are countless possibilities out there on the colour spectrum. We all have our favourite colours that we use on the walls of our house, or the clothes we wear, or the decorative objects we buy for our homes. These things are automatically going to influence our choices. It’s very subjective – what feeling a colour evokes in one person might have the opposite affect on another someone else. This is important to keep in mind if you are looking for a colour palette for your brand.
Colours a non-verbal communication system, but that doesn’t mean they don’t say anything! Below is a basic outline of some individual colours. There are obviously countless varying shades of each of these colours which in itself convey different meanings, but this will hopefully give you an idea of what different colours might be associated with in Western culture.
For a flyer that is advertising the services of a landscape gardener, you would expect to see greens – the colour of nature and other calming colours. However, cultural differences can mean colours convey different meanings in contrasting countries. Red in China is lucky. Red in the West can mean danger or passion. Red is a very emotionally intense colour, and along with orange and yellow it is a warm colour which can convey positivity.
Colours like blue, purple and green are cool colours. Blue is often associated with trust, calm and credible. There are for example a number of banks whose brand is blue – this is probably not a coincidence! The colour purple can be associated with luxury and wealth – you might have seen a luxury spa using the colour purple?
THE POWER OF FONTS AND COLOURS
Fonts and colours are more powerful than what we might initially think, and they are likely to have an (unconscious?) affect on how consumers choose which brands they will shop from or which bank they will go to. Therefore, it is vital that you consider who your audience is and who you will be trying to reach with your message. That way, your fonts and colours will be a conscious choice that is aimed at your audience rather than based on what you personally like.
I hope you found this blog post useful. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject so please comment below!
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