2020

Eco-friendly and reusable bag alternatives to help your business ditch plastic Posted on 30th November, 2020 at 2:30 PM Sustainable and eco-friendly are trending in pretty much every industry across the UK – especially since David Attenborough highlighted the impact of plastic in our oceans during Blue Planet II, which hit our screens in December 2017. Each year, plastic is responsible for the death of millions of animals, birds, fish and other sea life; they ingest microplastic particles found in the ocean, thinking it is food, or get caught up amongst plastic bags or other packaging that hasn’t yet degraded. Both B2B and B2C brands are striving to promote sustainability, with consumers and companies alike opting for more eco products in the bid to minimise and prevent plastic pollution. However, in 2018 there was still an estimated 2 million plastic bags still being used every minute across the globe. In the UK alone, there was over 560 billion plastic bags sold by retailers from 2019-2020, so we’ve got a long way to go. In this blog, we explore why branded eco bags and reusable bags are great alternatives to plastic bags and what options are available for your business. 4 reasons your brand should make the switch from plastic bags to eco-friendly and reusable bags 1 Protect the environment Plastic is not biodegradable and can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Eco-friendly bags tend to be made out of biodegradable materials, drastically reducing the amount of time it takes to degrade.   2 Protect your brand image In a world where social media has a significant impact upon the way we communicate , a single negative post about a brand not being sustainable can destroy reputations. 3 Save your customer, clients and colleagues money We use over 500 billion plastic bags per year globally, that averages to 150 plastic bags per person per year. With a 5p minimum plastic bag charge, that’s at least £7.50 a year – £75 over 10 years and £150 over 20. As the saying goes – every little helps!   4 Think practical Unlike plastic bags, which are prone to splitting, reusable bags are made from stronger and sturdier materials which can be used time again. Reusable and eco-friendly bags are often larger than plastic bags and feature a more practical design that’s easier to carry. Make a statement Not only will reusable and eco-friendly promotional bags help improve your brand image, incorporating an eye catching and funky design on the bag itself will turn your bag into an eye-catching fashion accessory grabbing attention, putting both your brand and your commitment to sustainability in the spotlight. Eco-friendly bag alternatives for businesses For every disposable, plastic bag, there is a reusable or eco-friendly alternative ready to be found! Plastic Carrier Bag Alternatives Do carrier bags play a vital role in the everyday running of your business? Whether you’re a supermarket or retailer, swich your plastic bags to carrier bags made from potato starch! 100% eco-friendly and sustainable, these promotional carrier bags are made from natural potato starch and compostable – just add them to your home compost heap or throw them in your garden or food waste bin! 100% recycled & eco-friendly tote bags Whether you’re in search of the perfect bag to give away at an event or even sell in your shop, there are so many cost-effective reusable eco options to choose from. These include tote bags made from recycled cotton and recycled plastic bottles – all available to be customised with a logo, design or fun message. Recycled Cotton Big Tote Non-Woven Shopper Printed jute bags Jute is one of the must eco-friendly and sustainable natural fibres in the world. It comes from a plant, similar to cotton, but it grows faster and needs a lot less water and no pesticides. Like all other promotional bags, jute bags can be personalised with a logo or message – ideal for carrying your lunch to and from the office, or even as a bag for life! Market Jute Shopper Jute Shopper Bag How do I buy eco-friendly branded bags for my business? Bags of Ideas is one of the UK’s top promotional bag suppliers. We’re experts in all things sustainable when it comes to choosing the right bag to give your business the green light. So, if your brand is looking to ditch plastic once and for all, then get in touch! Our team is more than happy to help you transform your brand’s image, one bag at a time. Drop us an email at sales@bagsofideas.co.uk or give us a call on 0345 200 4045.

Dos and Don’ts for selling post-lockdown Posted on 18th May, 2020 at 12:30 PM Coronavrius has had a huge impact on UK businesses, bringing a silent and sudden chaos. Businesses nationwide had to rethink and adapt their sales and marketing strategies for uncertain and cautious buyers. As the UK slowly starts easing Lockdown, we look at what companies should – and shouldn’t – do to sell products and services in a post-Lockdown world. Hard selling techniques may not be as effective generating new business. Customers may be more sensitive. The key is to take a friendly but helpful approach, but sales teams may not know where to begin. To help your business navigate your way through selling in the sensitive environment, we’ve put together a dos and don’ts list to highlight some key considerations: Dos: Understand your customer’s needs – All customers want innovative ideas and advice but may not be able to purchase straight away. Let them know that’s okay, and that you’re here to help with any questions they may have. Be prepared for them to say no – Every person (and client) is different. Not everyone will be ready to invest yet. Be polite, thank them for their time and ask them to bear you mind for the future. Listen to them – By listening to someone, you can get a feel of what they’re thinking. Always make sure to be understanding and friendly, and don’t interrupt. Take time to listen now and you could make a sale later down the line. Let the customer lead – If they are interested in what you have to offer, they’ll want information. Let them lead the conversation and answer any questions they may have. Provide them with the relevant information, and give them space to make their own purchase decision. Provide the best possible service – Go the extra mile for your customer. Show that you care by addressing any worries they may have, and make their experience as personable as you can. This is great for building memorable relationships and rapport. Don’ts: Create a sense of urgency – Regardless of your own situation, any pressure felt by the customer is likely to backfire. If your stock is running low, you can always recommend an alternative, or let them know when the item(s) will be back in stock. If you need to close the sale, this will become apparent and may not go down too well. Turn your conversation into a sales pitch – Avoid hard-selling at all costs. By slipping into a sales pitch, no matter how well it may have previously worked, yobbcu run the risk of putting your rapport with the customer at jeopardy. Remember above all, we’re all human. Think about how you’re communicating with potential and current customers. How would you respond if you were in their shoes? It’s a different world, and until things go back to “normal” we need to learn how to adapt. Putting your customers’ needs before your own has never been so paramount. When your business is ready to resume its marketing efforts and if you are after inspiration for your next campaign, our team is here to help. Until then, stay safe and think customer first.

What could be in store for trade shows after Lockdown? Posted on 8th May, 2020 at 10:30 PM The Coronavirus pandemic of 2020 has changed everything, even the way we speak. Phrases such as “Social Distancing” and “Lockdown” are now as everyday as “having a cheeky Nandos” or “indulging in a little retail therapy” used to be back in the “good old days” just three months ago. We even have an up-to-date name for it – the “New Normal”. Of course, staying at home has put paid to the usual crop of mass marketing events for the moment. And while a Zoom conference with dozens of talking heads can help to keep the wheels of industry turning for the moment, it’s hard to say when the trade show merry-go-round will begin turning again. One thing’s for certain, “business as usual” is a way off yet. Large gatherings are extremely unlikely for the foreseeable future in a post-Lockdown world. So, perhaps, it’s time to adapt, and prepare for when the better times finally return. Virtual trade shows are a thing Some events are already going digital. It’s a cost-effective and risk-free way to source, sell, and showcase new products. “Delegates” can engage with “exhibitors” by scheduling meetings, chatting live, and watching presentations. But the experience doesn’t have to end there. If this were a real-life expo, they wouldn’t walk away empty-handed. A good marketing ploy is to give your “virtual visitors” a little something to remember you by. Why not send them a promotional tote bag or another long-term keepsake (like a notebook) as a reminder? Face-to-face trade shows after Lockdown Of course, lead generation and building business relationships work best in person, but when the conferences and shows resume, social distancing measures are still likely to be the order of the day. These might include increasing the physical pace between stands, enforcing one-way aisles, or capping the number of attendees at a manageable level, just like the supermarkets currently allow in a fixed number of shoppers. Visitors may be encouraged to choose which exhibitors they want to engage with before the event starts. Booking an allocated timeslot could help reduce crowding and assist with event organising. Adapt your marketing efforts If you’re planning to run your own event or exhibit at a trade show after Lockdown, you should already be considering your use of social media to make it known and answer any questions in the lead up. With the inevitable uncertainty surrounding the events, highlight a safety-first approach by detailing all the measures in place to maintain social distancing. Face mask may be part of the solution to maintain the safety of staff, visitors, and exhibitors. The latest advice from both the UK Government and WHO is that face masks do offer some protection against spreading the virus through coughs and sneezes. With this in mind, we can already supply certified face masks printed with your logo or message that can be worn at trade shows to help your staff feel safer. They also double as a useful promotional giveaway and could become the must-have item for 2020s discerning conference delegate. For more ideas about how to maximise your RoI at your next event, read our 10 Steps to Trade Show Success.

Why branded face masks are a businesses must Posted on April 30, 2020 at 10:00 PM While “Business as Usual” is hard to do in the UK at the moment because of Coronavirus, we’ve been busy manufacturing branded certified face masks to help you and your clients stay safe. While there may be a cloud of uncertainty surrounding what things will be like when we emerge from Lockdown, one thing is certain – life as we know it will be completely different, and face masks could become the new “norm”. Do face masks actually prevent the spread of Coronavirus? One major cause of virus infection is via droplets spread by coughs and sneezes. While there’s still much debate over the issue, certified face masks have been shown to offer some protection from coming into contact with virus particles spread this way. And because symptoms may not become clear for up to two weeks after infection – or may not show at all – they also help to ensure you’re not transmitting the virus to others if you have it. Face masks in the UK Demand in the UK is soaring as the war against Coronavirus goes on. Face masks are sold out across pharmacies and supermarkets nationwide and stockpiles are flying off shelves as soon as they’re delivered. Major cities such as New York and Berlin have already made face masks mandatory in public, and we believe it’s only a matter of time before the UK follows suit. Recently, the BMA – the British Medical Association – urged the Government to equip all key workers outside the NHS – including delivery drivers, shopkeepers, carers, transport and supermarket staff – with face masks to help combat the virus spread. They also want the Government to ask ordinary people to cover their mouth and nose when venturing outside to shop of for their daily exercise. The new norm in the workplace and beyond… How long Lockdown should go on is constantly being revaluated by Government officials and scientific advisors, but it won’t last forever (thank goodness). So, now is the time to start thinking about life post-Lockdown, and how you can maximise safety in the workplace. Face masks are part of the solution. Because of the nature of your business, it may simply be impossible to stick to the two-metre social distancing rule, so face masks may very likely be enforced for the safety of staff and customers. Take football clubs, for example. Fans up and down the country are hoping for the return of the Premier League in June, even though it may be behind closed doors. But when the stadiums start to fill again, face masks could help to prevent further spread of the virus. Even in ordinary workplaces such as offices and warehouses, the use of face masks will be a must-have to help protect staff from the transmission of Coronavirus between workers, even if the two-metre rule is being applied. Don’t forget that a cough or sneeze can spread droplets as far as six to eight metres and can linger in the air for up to 10 minutes. The safety of your staff is not worth putting at risk. Introducing, promotional face masks! Like pretty much everything else, face masks can also be custom-printed for promotional purposes. In fact, branded face masks are nothing new, the music industry was one of the first to tap into the idea and promotional face masks are some of the most-wanted merchandise on the web stores of many rock bands. They’re also given away to fans who place online orders. Why? Because they’re cost-effective, they help the wearer to stay safe and they will be reused time and time again. We recognise face masks are an essential item for businesses and employees returning to work in the coming weeks and months. So, in addition to our range of promotional bags, we can now source fully-certified face masks printed with your company logo, so your clients and colleagues can stay safe, look good and promote your brand, all at the same time. Whether you want an elaborate and colourful full-coverage design, or a minimalistic one-colour logo print option, branded face masks are an essential way to show the world you care. To find out more please email: sales@bagsofideas.co.uk