Mulberry Square Managing Director Craig Johnstone signing the Barrow Signpost contract with Judith Rodgers

Mulberry Square Marketing Services have just secured a website design contract with Barrow upon Soar Community Association to revamp the the functionality and design of their Barrow Signpost village directory website to improve the way that it displays community group information and events to the public. Since it’s initial introduction and launch in 2006, Barrow Signpost has proved to be a much valued and used resource that offers up to date information and contact details for those wishing to get involved in the many diverse and vibrant groups and activities in this rural Leicestershire village.

Barrow Community Association and Mulberry Square have a long standing working relationship stemming back from when the company started out in the village with Barrow Voice, a quarterly newsletter being the longest standing. Managing Director, Craig Johnstone is thrilled to have been commissioned to gain this work, “It will be a pleasure to work with John Nurse and Judith Rodgers to realise this project. The quality of their preparation and their understanding of what is involved is a huge benefit to to the village of Barrow upon Soar. We hope to be able to present the new website and demonstrate the content management system to the large team of administrators in April.”

Mullberry Square are one of the midlands leading print management businesses and are please to be able to produce a printed wallet folder and flyer to support and advertise the website incorporating the new design.

It’s become such a talking point that one of the keynote speakers at Pira International’s recent Global Print Markets event made it the crux of his speech.

According to Dr Ronnie Davis, vice-president and chief economist at Printing Industries of America, printing companies need to work on either expanding out their offering and working on a more diverse range of products and services (such as print and brand management) or they need to become better at what they do to the point of being able to offer better service to clients as a result of such expertise. (see http://www.printweek.com/bulletin/printweekdailybulletin/article/1097618/print-companies-urged-become-diversified-specialists/)

The diversification route seems to be popular with litho print becoming just one of many strings to the bow of many print companies. As a marketing services provider, Mulberry Square is a good example of how this can be successfully achieved. By expanding out from just print into areas such as design, branding, eCommerce, marketing support and print management, the client relationship becomes more involved over a wider area of interaction and the printing company becomes more of a marketing partner than just someone to buy cards and letterheads from.

However, the specialist approach is where many print companies see the future. A niche approach gives the print company greater efficiencies, specialist knowledge and expertise which can be hard to find elsewhere. As a result of this, specialist print suppliers can and should give better customer service (and in most cases better value for money) through offering high-level advice and support that general printers may be unable to give.

Both directions have merit (and benefits to clients) and it’s up to the respective print companies to show their clients how they can more effectively and efficiently support their business.

The British Printing Industries Federation has recognised these two distinct directions and has reacted by offering more advice, support and training for these two key strategic approaches.

So, Dr Davis’ urge to become “better, not bigger” has already become a key facet of the wider printing industry’s business philosophy.

An exciting new position has become available for an personal assistant to the Managing Director. Please submit CVs in pdf format to jobs@mulberrysquare.co.uk.

• Organisation and prioritisation skills to assist the Managing Director.
• Maintaining client relationships where required and acting as a filter for communication and correspondance.
• Drafting initial replies to emails and writing first drafts of letter correspondence for subsequent sign off.
• Monitoring the Managing Director’s email account, prioritising actions, responses, and ensuring that all information is absorbed and where applicable, that the information or request is forwarded to the relevant person in a timely fashion
• Daily review of the Managing Director’s diary and ensuring planning for the smooth operation of meetings, appointments, telephone calls and project meetings.
• Regular liaison with the Managing Director to flag up any immediate issues or key emails that require prioritisation.
• Supporting the Managing Director in meetings by taking comprehensive notes and formulating action points.
• Tracking and submission of expenses.
• Coordination of meeting schedules to ensure correct provision of meeting papers, PowerPoint presentations and other meeting resources as required
• Arrangement of meetings with clients and suppliers.
• Assisting the Business Manager with work overflow when required.
• Provision of secretarial support to fellow team members (minute-taking; proof-reading; document production) as and when required.
• Provision of rail and flight information and booking of travel tickets.
• Ensuring that all travel and accommodation bookings are in line with policy and that full records are kept.

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
• Experience of working in an office environment preferably in a similar role.
• Able to competently use MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint (or similar).
• Self confident and able to work on own in initiative.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Builds constructive working relationships with colleagues internally and externally.
• Good negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Flexible can do approach to work.
• Experience of working within creative or printing industries advantageous.

This compared with 20% who said they had increased their planned spend.

In fact, the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising survey suggested that confidence among marketing executives fell to its lowest level since the recession began. Pessimism was at its highest for two years. Fears around public spending costs, rising unemployment and political uncertainty all contribute to whether we’re confident about spending, both on a business and personal level.

Now marketing folk are generally upbeat and optimistic – we can always make things better. We’re creative and enthusiastic by nature. We’re also opportunist and so it was no surprise that the same survey revealed that TV, press and radio advertising, and the budget for PR and events, actually increased, albeit only slightly.

Generally though, there was little to cheer about although the debate about cutting a marketing budget in recession is not new. If the time is right to launch a product or service, then surely you shouldn’t delay. Economic downturn creates competitive pricing. As not all companies survive recession, there’s an opportunity for the others in a particular sector to win market share from competitors.

So cheaper advertising and the chance to launch new products can push spending up rather than down. But, not surprisingly, online marketing has enjoyed the biggest boost during the recession. The web is comparatively inexpensive. More importantly it’s easy to measure success with the number of site hits, social network activity, enquiries and firm orders via e-commerce sites.

Being noticed amongst the many thousands of marketing communications and messages that are seen and transmitted each day seems daunting, but if you have a clear vision of how you want your customers to see you, there are great opportunities. Well crafted content that appeals to the search engines; punchy, direct and relevant words in an online advertising campaign or an e-shot, all contribute to success.

Add to this the power of social media and you have a successful route to market.

Media relations is a key element of PR activity and the marketing mix, and it needs to be as creative as any other activity.

Success is not just a case of preparing the release and distributing it; it’s about knowing how to do it best to get results. Just like great design, high-impact advertising campaigns or a well-organised product launch event, it needs thought, care and resources.

Our aim is not simply to send out press releases for clients and see their name in print, but to get coverage in a way that promotes the brand, enhances reputation and creates sales interest.

So, to be successful, media relations needs a ‘hook’; information that actually interests news editors and reporters. This is not necessarily the same subject that the writer/sender thinks is great news. You’ll get more coverage if you avoid boring the recipient.

Well-written, interesting news releases, media kits, background information, case studies, fact sheets, FAQs, biographies, discussion documents, white papers and photography are all important.

Printed publications are great but they have a limited life expectancy. Consider also using newswire services – they are the megaphone of your media campaign. They provide added coverage and exposure, reaching a more of the media, their audiences and, most importantly, your customers. The better your megaphone, the more chance there is of being found on the internet.

If you want to communicate clearly and effectively do it in the manner the recipient prefers. Media contact services will advise you on how to best reach busy journalists, whether it’s email, telephone, text, or podcast. There are so many ways these days, so don’t presume they’ll spot your release if you send it through the post.

There are also services that keep the media in touch with the PR provider, allowing journalists to reach out for information, interviews and comment. Often journalists will send out a message saying they need specific information about a subject area or are looking for an opportunity to interview someone about that subject.

Match your products and services to a publication’s features list. These are published in advance, often on an annual basis. That doesn’t mean though that you can’t approach editors with ideas in the meantime and don’t miss the chance to provide a by-lined article about particular areas of expertise. The more you get to know journalists the more you’ll understand what ‘does it’ for them.

Consider entering for awards, either industry based, professional or community. And when you enter don’t be shy about shouting it from the rooftops. Awards attract attention and build awareness.

The Mulberry Square team photographed by the Buttermarket in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire

I recently chatted with local reporter Tom Pegden to discuss the state of play in the local business economy as news of a high profile media success had made its way along the grapevine to Leicester Mercury towers – the launch of Leicester based luxury hand made leather satchel brand, Zatchels!

Zatchels, the brainchild of local businessmen Dean Clarke and Brian Brady of Charter Street manufacturer Leicester Remedial and Sewing Ltd was launched to the world with its satchels, hand made here in Leicester, on their beautifully designed e-commerce website on 20th April 2011.

This is one of the most comprehensive product/brand launches we’ve ever undertaken for a client and we’re delighted about the reaction so far. The satchel is the ‘must have’ style accessory for 2011 and Zatchels has launched a truly iconic British collection of leather satchel style bags that have caused a major stir since it was discretely introduced to fashion observers and stylists during this spring’s London Fashion Week. It was essentially a UK launch but already Zatchels are getting interest and media coverage from overseas, so we’re delighted for our client.

Since the Zatchels.com website went live three weeks ago it has had more than 6,600 visitors/hits, with orders coming in from the UK, USA, Australia and France as well as from UK based retailers who want to offer Zatchels satchels to their customers on the high street.

The new website features 71 different bags, with high quality creative studio shot photographs taken by Mulberry Square account manager and Leicester Photographer Ian Bursill, who has gained world wide acclaim for his photojournalistic style of photography.

We were involved right from the early stages and worked with our client to develop a logo and identity for the brand that was really strong and represented all of the key values and strengths of the product; and this in turn led to the introduction of the branding to the product itself with the stitching in of the distinctive woven label which coupled with its fantastic designs, materials and finishes sets Zatchels leather satchels apart from competitors in their market.

As well as designing the Zatchels brand identity and website, we have also been involved in leading and managing the launch campaign which benefitted massively from PR and media relations being added to the usual marketing mix. This involved product placements with magazines and newspapers such as Bliss, Heat and the Daily Express, gifting to members of the band McFly coupled with a social media campaign using Twitter, Facebook and blogging.

To visit the Zatchels website click here
To enter the Zatchels Facebook competition click here
To find Zatchels on Twitter click here

Our marketing services business based on Loughborough Road in Mountsorrel, Leicestershire faced a tough time in the height of the recession in the later part of 2009 but has really bucked the trend over the past 18 months with a full order book keeping our six fantastic staff very busy indeed.

We will build on our historic turnover of £300,000-£320,000 p.a. this year as we have really focused and tried to get across our message that we cover all aspects of the marketing mix and therefore can really make a difference to our clients, some of which have been using our marketing services knowledge and experience for the past 18 years.

To view our portfolio click here

As a result of our networking efforts we have been working on the launch of another new brand for a £20 million turnover Leicester business, with the launch of this planned for later this month. Rather than being fashion with the emphasis on consumer marketing this new brand will be very much B2B and will feature another eCommerce website designed and built on the Magento platform.

We seriously have seen an upturn in the local economy, especially from manufacturers who have ridden out the recession and are now investing to take advantage of a better economic climate to come.

Are we aiming to win more big clients? You bet we are!

Mulberry Square feature on the thisisbusiness East Midlands website

Read Tom Pegden’s article at www.thisisbusiness-eastmidlands.co.uk/news/Marketing…/article.html

View the Leicester Mercury version here Mulberry Square feature in the Leicester Mercury 060511

Screen grab of the Zatchels online boutique

We can safely say the launch of the new Zatchels brand – a range of contemporary and stylish satchels – has been a resounding success.

A successful media campaign (albeit almost under the cover of darkness to keep the launch a secret!) plus the launch of the Magento e-commerce website at www.zatchels.com means that the fashion world now has a new star.

The reaction to the Zatchels range has been incredible; everyone who’s seen the products and viewed the website seems impressed. We’re pleased, our client is pleased, the journalists were warm in their praise of the products, and the consumers seem equally impressed.

It would seem then that we’ve bucked the economic trend. With retail sales down, consumers struggling with bills, and the whole world seemingly on a bit of downer at the moment, we could have been forgiven for thinking the timing was all wrong.

The fact is though that fashion does buck trends. In 2008 leading fashion pundits were forecasting that the recession, which had still to really bite deeply back then, would take its toll. By 2010, the retail sector was suffering but it didn’t collapse. Even if some brands did suffer it basically came down to a question of image.

The fashion industry can sometimes be seen as decadent and self indulgent so what sets Zatchels apart from the crowd?

Well, it seems everyone’s agreed that satchels are the ‘must have’ accessory of the year, which is all well and good so long as people can afford the ‘must have’. And fashion, accessories and cosmetics spend is also considered therapeutic; when all else fails buy yourself a new dress or a new lipstick.

Where the Zatchels range really is a winner is in sensible pricing, affordable quality and the fine craftsmanship that lies behind this very British brand.

And apparently being British – especially in the world of fashion accessories – can be cool.

We must be able to measure everything we do. Just because a press release generates £5,000 of editorial space (based on equivalent advertising costs) it doesn’t mean that it’s worked. It must generate interest that leads to sales.

Press releases. How do we make them interesting, informative, persuasive? Why write a press release when there’s nothing new or news-worthy to say? It’s necessary sometimes to explain to a client that launching a new website or changing the colour of the company uniform or appointing a manager isn’t worth a release to the media. Having spent thousands on their website, uniforms and managers, they’re inclined to be upset by such negativity. But the golden rule must be ‘if it’s not news, don’t try and pass it off as such’.

Journalists are hungry for news; even gossip columnists want new gossip and will only recycle old gossip if it has a new angle. Before deciding on a press release, be sure the information is newsworthy, that you have something of substance to impart. Remember also that the length of the release is not important but there must be a story. Deal with the facts, making sure the information is relevant to your target audience. Use words that can easily be understood.

Another area that can be counter-productive is sponsorship. Some business managers see sponsorship as a great way of giving back to the community and dash off to put their names on the shirts of the local under fives netball team. But, while that keeps the youngsters’ mums and dads happy does it actually increase sales.

Brand exposure means nothing unless it’s directed at your marketplace. Positioning is king. Actually giving money for shirts for the local team could go in the ledger column marked charitable donations for all the good it will do your sales drive. Finding the best sponsorship opportunities requires work and research. Even a board along the pitch perimeter of a rugby or football club begs the question ‘Who’s watching and will they be influenced to buy?’

And finally, organising a big event. The key to success is often not in who’s attending and how it’s organised but in the coverage the event gets. You could have six thousand people take part in underwater break dancing but if it doesn’t grab people’s attention – via the media, buyers and industry observers – then it’s an expensive flop. And if you have also spent money on advertising the event, then surely the return on investment must be measured against the advertising not the event.

Too often the success of an event is judged by the number of sandwiches eaten by people who enjoy eating at big events. If you get it wrong it’s just like booking stand space at an exhibition totally unrelated to your market and then jumping up and down with excitement just because a big crowds thronging the aisles.

Be specific. Who do we want to reach? If the answers is buyers and there are only a handful, then organise an event for those buyers. Control the costs. Select the audience. Sell.

The cost of paper for a print job is usually in the range of 30% – 60% of the total so paper price rises –which for many people take effect this week – are pretty significant. As a marketing business specialising in print management we buy paper from two main sources: our print suppliers and our office supplies.

It’s usually more topical to talk about rising fuel prices rather than paper, mainly because fuel amounts to as much as 35% of overheads for businesses that have to transport goods by road. So if you’re in the paper business at the moment, rising prices would seem to be even more of a major cause for concern.

According to the British Print Industries Federation (BPIF) paper prices have continued to increase since early 2010, against a backdrop of increased demand and a continued tightening of paper supply. The UK print industry is the world’s fifth largest producer of printed products and has a turnover in excess of £14bn. There are more than 10,000 companies employing around 140,000 people.

Several price rises have affected almost all printers sometime over the past 18 months. The overall levels of price hikes have been quite considerable for the majority. The problem for printers is balancing how many of the rises they can absorb and how many they can pass on to customers. Compared with 2009, prices have risen by around 30%.
Now another hike is about to take its toll and a Leicestershire printer told my colleague that, once again, the rise is going to have to be passed on to the customer.

He said that paper mills have explained that rising prices are due to changes in supply and demand conditions around the world. These changing conditions can be caused by a number of factors, including economic, political, meteorological, or geological.
Add to that the rising price of oil and there’s only one direction the price can go. But our printer also said that paper prices were on the rise before oil prices escalated and there was a view that paper prices were lower that they should be.

So one suspects the truth lies somewhere amid global crises, rising oil prices, economic uncertainty, natural disasters, and business opportunity. There’s so much you can blame, it’s probably a good opportunity to add a few pence to the price; probably too good an opportunity to miss.

BPiF prides itself on working with green marketing campaigns, which is always a good thing. However, as we have discovered here, this only works if companies keep their data up to date. In an office of 5 employees, we received a total of 6 identical magazines, one of which had no addressee and two of which were for employees who haven’t worked here for almost a year. The costs involved in BPiF printing and posting all of these extra copies of their magazine must be pretty significant if you assume that other offices around the country have the same problem with extra copies.

A quick phone call from us was all it took to tell BPiF of their error, but wouldn’t it make more sense both in terms of customer engagement and clean data for BPiF to make more effort to ensure their data is correct? Although I’ve talked about BPiF here as an illustration, I can only imagine that many many companies have the same issues!

Here at Mulberry Square, our marketing consultancy services place absolute priority on commissioning a data audit for new clients. This ensures that their data is clean, up to date and therefore any marketing strategy that we subsequently implement is as cost effective and efficient as possible.