Blue Eyed Sun

Blue Eyed Sun - gorgeous greetings cards

BES Blog

  • New Christmas Cards for 2018 from Blue Eyed Sun

    A Touch of Sparkle Greeting CardsChristmas falls on Tuesday 25th December 2018, and we like our retailers to be prepared well in advance of this key retail period, so here's what Christmas cards are new from us this year...

    A TOUCH OF SPARKLE (above) are based on original stitched artworks by Jo Corner. Foiled and hand glittered this lovely new range includes 30 best selling captions. These wonderful 160mm x 170mm (8x6 inch) Christmas cards are blank inside and come individually cello-wrapped with a red envelope.

    BISCUIT (below) are based on beautiful original artworks by Jo Corner. Each card is handmade with acetate and hand finished with jewels, the range includes 39 gorgeous Christmas captions. They are 120mm square and come cello-wrapped with a red envelope.

    We have a large selection of Christmas cards online in the trade only section of our site, including many that are on special offer. To stock these ranges in your shop click here. If you'd like to see them in your local shop please tell them and point them in the direction of www.blueeyedsun.co.uk or you can recommend a shop to us by clicking here. You can also visit our stockists page to find a store near you that may be selling them.

    You can see these wonderful new Christmas cards first in person at:

    PG Live 2018 at the Business Design Centre in London 5-7 June 2018 - Stand 524

    Home and Gift at the Harrogate International Centre 15-18 July 2018 -  Stand DP1-D110

    Autumn Fair at the NEC in Birmingham 2-5 September 2018 - Stand 4A35

    Biscuit Greeting Cards

  • Pulse 2018 - Essential Information

    Pulse 2018Pulse 2018 features many of Britain's leading design-led greeting card publishers. Here are the essentials you need for this top trade show for retailers:

    For free tickets to Pulse please click here.

    When is Pulse 2018?

    Pulse 2018 runs from Sunday 13th May until Tuesday 15th May from 09:30 - 18:00 at Olympia in London and features a stunning edited showcase of over 1,500 hand picked brands. 

    Where to Eat at Pulse

    We've tried lots of different places to eat near Pulse. Here are some of our favourites:

    5 Great Restaurants near Olympia and 5 Great Restaurants in Earls Court.

    Where to Stay at Pulse

    Olympia is well serviced for hotels and there are good transport links to local London areas.

    Click here for an interactive map of hotels near Pulse

    How to Get to Pulse

    There's an overland train to Olympia Station to Pulse 2018 from Shepherd's Bush (central line) or West Brompton (District Line)Click here for the TFL website.

    The Sat Nav post code for Olympia is W14 8UX for drivers. You can park next to the venue. Do book in advance as it is more expensive on the day. Click here to book parking at Olympia.

    What's new from Blue Eyed Sun?

    Blue Eyed Sun are showing their new BambooCup range of gorgeous reusable coffee cups made from bamboo. With the drive to reduce single use plastic lined coffee cups, reusable coffee cups are a hot product category for retailers right now. Don't miss them on Stand L53.

    They are previewing their gorgeous new card range called Biscuit at Pulse 2018. You can also preorder from their Gorgeous Christmas selection and their other best selling ranges.

    Click here to see what's new from Blue Eyed Sun

    To order Blue Eyed Sun's new designs for your shop or request a brochure click here.

  • Business and the Environment

    Business and the Environment

    Someone cynically once said to me that people can only be environmentally conscious when they can afford to be financially. It sounded like a reasonable argument at the time, although these days I’m less sure. That’s because there now appears to be real momentum for environmental change, despite that fact that we are not currently experiencing a boom in the economy. 

    Britain recently successfully implemented the 5p plastic bag levy, which has contributed to a 90% reduction in their use. We’ve literally slashed consumption of single use plastic shopping bags by billions and there’s even talk of introducing the levy in retailers with fewer than 250 employees.

    Single use plastic straws are now in the firing line with bars, restaurants and cafe’s around the world no longer offering them as standard in order to discourage unnecessary plastic waste. Single use plastic lined coffee cups may also soon be targeted with a latte levy. Waitrose are committed to removing all single use coffee cups from stores this year. Pret a Manger and Starbucks already offer discounts to customers using their own cups (more on cups later).

    Changing Habits

    What’s significant about these changes is that people are actively engaging with habit change. If you can carry reusable shopping bags in your car, rucksack or handbag then why not carry a spare reusable cup? Changing habits aren’t just limited to reducing plastic consumption they’re also affecting what we consume everything from goods to food to power.

    This is exciting for the world as we move to embrace environmentally friendly renewable energy sources like wind and solar. There’s also been a rise in the number of vegans and vegetarians. Netflix hits like Cowspiracy and What the Health have emphasised the importance of eating less meat in order to save the planet’s resources and reduce CO2 emissions. Viral internet hits like the Story of Stuff are affecting the way consumers purchase, with a shift from goods to foods and experiences.

    The most important thing to be aware of with these changes is that they are increasing as people get more comfortable with making these small adjustments in their lives.

    Ideal World

    I guess in an ideal world we’d completely reduce or offset our carbon footprints. Perhaps we’d stop consuming altogether and live more simple lives. We might reduce our number of fashion items like those taking part in Project 333 or we could even move into a tiny house or a van conversion to minimise our impact on the planet. We may even decide not to have kids (one fewer child per family is said to save 58 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions per year). 

    These extreme alternatives are also growing in popularity, especially amongst millennials. It’s important that we start to become aware of these shifts so that we can accommodate them in our business models and avoid losing valuable customers.

    What can we do?

    As someone who loves to buy and send cards, I personally don’t want to throw the baby out with the bath water. I don’t find Facebook messages and SMS’s nearly as intimate as sending a card (besides, even websites contribute to CO2 consumption). I find writing cards with my fountain pen a soulful and profound way of connecting with my fiends and loved ones. 

    I’m not just saying that because I publish cards. I genuinely love them and always have done. If you watch The Greeting Card Project videos I made on YouTube last year you can see the effect sending more cards has on us. For those that love to send and receive cards they have real meaning and importance.

    Having said all of that, the environment is important to us too. How can we reconcile these two seemingly polarised values? How can we reduce the impact we have on the environment and still enjoy doing something we love?

    Sources

    The first thing to figure out is what we are buying and where does it come from? For example, are the boards and papers ethically sourced from responsibly managed sources? At Blue Eyed Sun we have been using FSC boards since we first started although we don’t actively promote this on the backs of our cards (partly because we are design snobs and find the logo unsightly on the card backs and partly because administratively burdensome chain of custody requirements). FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council and is one of several organisations that promote responsible management of the world’s forests. It verifies that cetified cards are not made from rainforests.

    We are currently carrying out a company wide audit of all of our material components. Once this is completed we will be able to pinpoint areas for improvement. We’ll also be in a better position to communicate the environmental provenance of our cards to our fans and advise them on how best to recycle them when ready. 

    Communicating

    It’s all very well doing the right thing, it’s also important to spread the word and let your customers know the facts about your products so that they can make informed decisions. This includes being transparent on your website about where your products are sourced and how best to recycle them.

    Having environmental and social responsibility policies that you can share on your website helps with this sort of thing. Once we have all the facts about our sources this will be easier to communicate.

    Integrity

    Of course, being environmentally friendly doesn’t just stop with our products. How we run our businesses on a daily basis also affects our environmental impact on the world. Are your lightbulbs still tungsten based for example or have you switched to lower wattage alternatives? Our new production and distribution facility is fully equipped with LED lighting, which saves on electricity consumption. 

    We also recycle the majority of our waste at Blue Eyed Sun, which I thought was pretty good until I met Bruce Podmore from Windles at a recent GCA National Council meeting. His factory recycles over three tonnes of nails from his pallets each year and uses the wood from them to fuel his heating (reducing their bill by a phenomenal 85%). 

    Not only is Windles actively working to minimise their environmental footprint for the good of the planet, these actions are making good financial sense too. Their frequency controlled fluorescent lighting has reduced power consumption by 85% and saving money in the process. Their staff are more engaged with solutions and improvements. They’ve even won awards for their hard work in this area.

    What inspired me most about Windles is how they’ve  systematically identified areas for improvement throughout their business and are continually working towards reducing their environmental impact. This is the key I think. To start taking some steps. One at a time. Lots of small ones as many big ones as you can manage.

    For us, solar panels is the next big investment goal we are working towards to reduce our consumption from the grid. It’ll take time, but long term we will feel proud of making a difference using it.

    Working Together

    At the GCA we are working hard to try and improve communication of factual information surrounding the use of foils, glitter, recycling and so forth. There’s still so much to be understood and it’s important to share resources, learning and best practice. 

    It’s tempting for any business in the industry to use such knowledge to gain competitive advantage over others. To do this is to miss the bigger picture. We all need to work and act together to show how we can minimise our environmental impact on the world. We only have one planet after all.

    New Products

    As we continue to work hard to improve the environmental credentials of our greeting cards and the way we work as a business at Blue Eyed Sun, I’m also very excited about a recent exclusive distribution deal we’ve signed for a range of Bamboo Products. 

    BambooCup is an environmentally friendly alternative to single use plastic lined coffee cups, 2.5 billion of which go into landfill in the UK each year. Reusable cups are a booming category in retail and we are thrilled to be involved in a fast growing niche that’s making a difference to our planet.

    We still love publishing cards. Now we want to offer our customers even more.

    Find out more about BambooCup

    CelloBags and Recycling

    How to Change Your Habits for Good

  • Blue Eyed Sun distribute BambooCup in UK and Ireland

    BambooCup - DistributorBlue Eyed Sun have signed an exciting distribution deal with design-led German company Chic Mic to distribute the BambooCup, SlideCup and BambooFriends giftware brands in the UK and Ireland.

    BambooCup is a beautiful range of eco-friendly, reusable coffee cups which are having a phenomenal response in the UK on the back of the drive to cut single use plastic.

    “We have been working with Chic Mic for several years in Germany and Austria, where they distribute Blue Eyed Sun’s handmade greeting cards to hundreds of stores. Their BambooCup stand at Spring Fair was mobbed with retailers who were quick to recognise the fast growing product trend in 2018 for sustainable eco solutions to the problem of single use plastics. We are excited to have come on board as the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for these fantastic products.” - Jeremy Corner, MD, Blue Eyed Sun and incoming Chairman of the Giftware Association.

    BambooCup is designed to reduce the 2.5 billion plastic lined single use cups which go to landfill each year. Made mainly from sustainable, fast growing bamboo fibre and tested to the highest standards, these cups feel lovely to hold. There are over 50 contemporary designs in the collection. BambooCup includes a patented, lockable lid made from bamboo (unlike competitor cups whose lids are made from silicon) and a thermal sleeve. Dishwasher safe, odour free and taste neutral, BambooCup is available with great looking point of sale solutions including a 96 pocket floor stand and a 36 pocket counter top stand.

    With lots of exciting new products planned for the coming year, follow @BambooCupUK on social media to keep up to date with the latest news.

    Email sales@blueeyedsun.co.uk or call 01273 823003 to request a price list and catalogue.

    See these fantastic cups in person at one of our forthcoming trade shows

     

    BambooCup - Floor Stand

  • How to deal with shame in business

    Shame in businessEverybody loves hearing stories of successful businesses and entrepreneurs. Most business owners aspire to sail their own ships with the hope of financial gain. And yet, even the best laid plans so often go awry.

    Around 300,000 businesses die every year in the UK (whilst 400,000 are born). Competition is fierce and it takes focus, determination and luck to succeed in a world that seems to change at an increasingly rapid pace each year.

    The transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau famously wrote that “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Currently it appears that many retailers and suppliers are silently struggling to cope with poor sales, increased costs, lower profits and the threat of potential failure.

    Shame of Failure

    Failure in itself is not the biggest issue for business owners though, it’s the stigma of shame and the suffering that might come with it that most find hardest to bear. This sense of shame can have damaging consequences on health, confidence and well being.

    Ideally we’d all have a sense of detachment from our businesses and the objects in our lives that are the achieved through financial success. More often than not we don’t. We identify ourselves with our status and get attached to an idea of ourselves (our ego). This is not surprising when we’ve poured blood, sweat and tears into our business endeavours and associate this with who we are.

    When faced with failure people can choose to act in ways that cause even more harm, pain and suffering to themselves and those around them. They may lie to conceal the reality of the situation, they may cheat in a desperate attempt to fix things and in the most extreme cases they may even take their own lives.

    Most people in these situations don’t want sympathy. This only makes it worse. They need empathy. They need someone who can see the world from their perspective in a non-judgemental way. They need to feel heard. It’s so important to understand each other’s feelings and to let them know.

    If you know of someone in a situation where they might be experiencing a sense of shame, a card is a great way of reaching out and letting them know that you care and are there to listen to them when they need it. A phone call or coffee together is even better.

    Identifying Shame

    If you are finding yourself in a difficult situation with your business right now and you feel ashamed about it, the first thing to do is to recognise that feeling. It’s most often linked to expectations you have of yourself or that others have of you. Certain people, situations, words or self talk will trigger the feeling for you and it’s important to be aware of what these are.

    So often we feel like it’s all us, we are the only one in this situation, it’s my fault, something is wrong with me. Because of the expectations of ourselves and others, we can often place ourselves under incredible pressure, making the situation even worse. It helps to take a step back.

    Reality check

    The truth is we are almost never alone with any given situation. We are not the only ones who suffer from expectations. The world at large affects all of us. If you are caught in a storm don’t blame yourself for the weather.

    I recently attended a talk by an economist on the future of the British economy. With Brexit, squeezes on living standards, increased costs, low income growth, low GDP growth and the retreat of consumers it’s continuing to be a challenging time to be a business owner. Particularly in the retail and wholesale sectors.

    Make sure that your expectations are realistic. Normalise your situation and be aware that you cannot control how others perceive you. Taking your focus away from yourself and seeing the bigger picture can be help to alleviate your sense of shame.

    Connect and Change

    Sharing our stories also helps to normalise situations and feelings connected to shame. You need to be brave to practice this one as it can feel vulnerable.

    Because I often write about positive stories and subjects in this column I am very much aware that I could come across to readers as some kind of know-it-all that has it everything sorted in my business and my life.

    Nothing could be further from the truth. I have good times and bad. I get some things right and have made spectacular mistakes which have cost me thousands of pounds. I try to help others as much as possible and I know that sometimes I have inadvertently ended up causing suffering. I have experienced hardship in both life and business and have at times felt truly ashamed of myself.

    To deal with this sense of shame it’s important to reach out and share your feelings with someone that can empathise. They don’t have to be an expert. They just have to hear you.

    Next you need to create change. Take an action that will help to change the situation you find yourself in.

    Asking for help

    Have you ever noticed that no matter how lost a man is he will rarely ask for help? It’s such a classic stereo type that I chuckle whenever I see it or catch myself doing it.

    We often don’t ask for help when we need it and there are people out there who are happy to give it to us. Sometimes we convince ourselves that we don’t need it and then get angry with our loved ones for not reading our minds and giving it to us.

    It’s so important to express how we feel and ask for what we need. Sounds easy enough, right? Sometimes we feel ashamed to ask. Asking somehow solidifies the situation we are in.

    The truth is you can’t hide from it anyway. It won’t go away. So be brave. Ask for help if you need it. You are braver for asking than not.

    Support

    If there are people in your life who trigger shame in you when you speak to them be aware of these triggers. Change the subject or avoid seeing them and then make sure you spend time with those who are great at empathising.

    Become a good empathiser yourself and you will draw more of this into your life. You can help others by being compassionate.

    Avoid blaming others as this promotes shame in the world. Shame is a cruel tool that does more harm than good. No matter what anyone says, you cannot shame people into altering their behaviour. So don’t do it.

    Shame

    I’ve described how shame can cause suffering when things are difficult in business. Though this can be extended to a whole load of other things in your life that you might have shame triggers for. Your body, a relationship that didn’t work out, your role as a parent, your career, the list is endless.

    Shame and suffering are invariably caused by our expectations and desires. Sometimes we aren’t even aware that they don’t belong to us. We’ve picked them up from somewhere or someone else. Keep your expectations realistic. Know were they come from. Are they really yours? Then try to not identify your expectations with your own sense of self. Mindful detachment will mean less suffering and pain in  the long run.

    This will pass

    I can safely say that every time that I have found business or life tougher (and felt like a failure) has led to a new phase of growth both personally and in business. If you are finding it difficult. Remember that this too will pass.

    Be grateful for all of the good things in your life. Practice self care by not being too hard on yourself and giving yourself a break. Take action to prevent things getting worse. Most importantly, remember that you are not alone. No matter how bad things may feel, someone else will have experienced it too. Take comfort in this and remember to ask for help if you need it.

    Eight ways to deal with Failure

    Lessons in Creativity

    How to cope when things go wrong

  • The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018 - Essential Information

    Farm Shop Deli Show 2018

    The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018 brings together a huge range of products in an inspirational showcase of over 450 outstanding British suppliers in Hall 1 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

    Register for FREE tickets to The Farm Shop and Deli Show by clicking here

    When is The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018?

    Farm Shop & Deli Show runs from Monday 16th April until Wednesday 18th April from 10:00 - 17:00 each day.

    Where to Eat at The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018

    If you've still got room after loading up on sample tasting, here are some of our favourite restaurants nearby:

    5 Great Restaurants near the NEC

    Where to Stay at The Farm Shop and Deli Show

    Consider hotels in Birmingham City Centre (which is a short train ride from the NEC).

    Find accommodation for the show here

    How to get to The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018

    The sat nav post code is B40 1NT. Parking on site is free. There are free shuttle buses to take you around the complex.

    Birmingham International Rail Station is a 5 minute walk from the show as is Birmingham International Airport. It is an 80 minute train ride from London Euston Rail Station.

    Save 25% on Virgin Rail Advance Tickets

    Seminars at The Farm Shop and Deli Show 2018

    There are some fantastic speakers at this year's show:

    Click here for a full list of seminars and events.

    What's New from Blue Eyed Sun at The Farm Shop and Deli Show

    Blue Eyed Sun is launching their new BambooCup range on Stand A69 in Hall 1. Do come and say hi.

    Click here to see what's new from Blue Eyed Sun

    Quote coupon code: FSDS18 when ordering during the shows (online or offline) for a FREE FLOOR STAND when ordered fully stocked.

    Can't make the show? Click here to request access all of our designs online.

    Read 12 Top Tips for Trade Show Visitors

  • How to change your habits for good

    How To Change HabitsAre you choosing habits that best serve your interests, the goals of your businesses and your community at large? This post looks at why we do what we do and how you can change your habits.

    Often, choices that we might feel considered, are not. They are habits. A 2006 study found that 40% of the actions we take every day aren’t decisions, they are habitual. These routines can have significant impact on our health, wealth and happiness.

    We are the results of our routine behaviour. For example, someone with a muscled physique will regularly exercise and eat well. Someone calm and centred, like the Dalai Lama, will practice daily meditation, prayer, mindfulness.

    We all know we should change from some habits which are no good for us and yet we often persist in doing them. Why?

    How Habits Work

    Scientists believe that habits emerge because our brains are constantly looking for ways to save effort and energy. The brain will turn any routine behaviour into a habit if you let it. To do this our brains go through a three step loop to trigger ‘habit mode’ (thereby conserving effort) instead of a different mode.

    The first step is a cue that triggers our brain to go into automatic mode and which habit to use. Second is the routine, which can be physical, mental or emotional. The third step is the reward, which helps your brain to assess if this particular loop is worth remembering for the future.

    This three step loop of cue - routine - reward becomes automatic over time. Powerful senses of anticipation and craving then become linked with the cues and rewards in particular.

    Habits are powerful because they create neurological cravings that pre-empt the actual receiving of our reward in the three step loop. For example, supermarkets use smells of freshly baked bread and roasted chicken to trigger cravings before we even arrive in the bakery or deli sections. We feel the craving prior to even seeing, purchasing or eating the food.

    The good news is that habits aren’t set in stone. They can be altered, substituted and ignored. What’s so important about the three step loop is that because your brain is working less hard when in ‘habit mode’ you have to choose to fight the habit and introduce new routines in order to change it.

    How to Create New Habits

    To successfully change our habits we first have to recognise which craving is driving our behaviour.

    For instance, if you want to send more greeting cards it’s essential that you choose a simple cue (a birthday calendar on your fridge door) and you need a clear reward (the sense of accomplishment when posting the card).

    These are not enough on their own though, because your brain has to start expecting the reward in order for it to become a habit. To do this companies create cravings. Cravings are the reason toothpaste tastes minty instead of sugary and Febreze is fragrant rather than odourless. Having these qualities makes us crave tingling teeth and fresh smelling homes.

    Does this happen with cards? Do textures and fine boards help foster cravings because we have such a tactile relationship with wood and paper? Or do elements like characters, humour and sentiment cause cravings instead?

    Before the advent of social media we might have said that the craving behind greeting cards was to feel that sense of love and connection with friends and loved ones. Now we all get these feelings on a daily basis via our mobile devices.

    The notifications on our phones cause cravings. The ping, ping, ping sounds and even the red circles with numbers on them on our social media icons all trigger surges of serotonin (the happy hormone) in our brains before we’ve even opened the apps; before we’ve engaged and received our rewards of instant connection to our loved ones.

    Once you’ve identified the craving that drives your behaviour you need to adapt a new strategy to affect a change in your routine.

    The Secret to Habit Change

    The truth is you can’t get rid of a bad habit, you can only change it. To do this you keep the old cues and rewards and substitute a new alternative routine. Almost any behaviour can be changed in this way. Over time the cravings then reset with positive habits that add more benefit to your life than the old ones.

    In other words, the brain can be programmed, as long as you are deliberate about it.

    For example, recently I noticed that I’d gotten into the habit of spending an hour on social media and reading news before getting up each morning. This habit doesn’t benefit me at all because it allows other people and events to occupy my mind which affects my cortisol levels (stress hormones) before I’m even out of bed.

    In order to change I identified that I had a craving to get things done as soon as I woke up. The trouble is I was confusing being busy with being effective. Having my phone by my bed was my cue. I switched this cue for my journal, which is now the first thing I grab every day upon waking. I write down five things I am grateful for, how my life would be without them and how I came to have them in my life (Try this, it will change your life. I picked it up from my good friend and life coach Janet Mohapi-Banks). Then I write three pages of my journal to uncage my monkey mind, before meditating for ten minutes and then going for a short run. Upon return I have the reward of having accomplished things that benefit me and prime me for my day ahead.

    To change effectively, I also rely on the help of a new group I joined.

    Group Power

    Change happens when we believe that it is feasible. You must believe that you can alter your behaviour. If you don’t, it’s difficult to make any progress.

    All change happens in an instant. Snap. You make a decision that you will not suffer another day like this, you cannot carry on, you need to focus on a new direction. The first trick with these moments is to not hesitate. Take an action within five seconds that moves you towards attaining your new goal. Enroll at that gym and schedule the training time in, empty your booze down the sink, book that hypnotherapy session to quit smoking.

    It’s key that you believe in your new direction. More often than not, that belief emerges with the help of a group. If you want to raise your standards, figure out a new, more powerful routine that will satisfy the cravings produced by your current modus operandi and then find a group of people that perform at this higher standard. Enlist their support when needed.

    I joined a personal development group online to build in my new morning habits. Joining the group has enabled me to conquer my fears, grow my confidence levels and reach my goals faster and more effectively. Groups alter our environment and our state. Over time we adjust to new ways of being through the support of the group and supporting others within the group.

    What’s most important to changing our habits is to notice them in the first place.

    Noticing Our Habits

    Most of us don’t notice the effects of our bad habits. We are acclimatised to them. For example, smoking cigarettes damages our olfactory capacities so much that smokers don’t notice that the effects of smoke on their homes, clothes and breath.

    Even if we don’t smoke, we will have habitual behaviours that might stink without us realising. How we speak to ourselves, treat our loved ones, our staff, our customers, whether we slump in front of the TV every night or snack on rubbish, are all habitual behaviours. Are they good habits or bad habits for you and others?

    I recently read an online quote that said: we are the the sum of the five people we spend the most time with. Perhaps we are also the sum of our five most common daily habits?

    You don’t have to fix all your bad habits. Often there is a keystone habit, that if unlocked and altered can have a cascading effect of positivity on our lives and businesses, helping us to grow and prosper. Once you get in the habit of altering your bad habits, you'll find it easier with practice.

    The Power of Groups

    Seven Habits of Highly Effective Retailers

    How to do things you don't want to do

  • Spring Fair 2018 - Essential Information

    Spring Fair 2018 - Essential InfoSpring Fair 2018 brings together a huge range of products including an inspirational showcase of over 300 British greetings card publishers in Hall 3 at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, United Kingdom.

    Register for FREE tickets to Spring Fair by clicking here

    When is Spring Fair 2018?

    Spring Fair 2018 runs from Sunday 4th February until Thursday 8th February from 09:00 - 18:00 each day.

    Watch a short video of Spring Fair Greeting Card Section

    Blue Eyed Sun in Spring Fair Voucher Scheme

    New customers who order £500 or more from Blue Eyed Sun can save £100 off their order.

    Find out about the Spring Fair Voucher

    Where to Eat at Spring Fair

    We've tried lots of different restaurants at Spring Fair. Here are some of our favourites:

    5 Great Restaurants near the NEC

    Where to Stay at Spring Fair

    Consider hotels in Birmingham City Centre (which is a short train ride from the NEC).

    Find accommodation for Spring Fair here

    How to get to Spring Fair

    The sat nav post code is B40 1NT. Parking on site is free. There are free shuttle buses to take you around the complex.

    Birmingham International Rail Station is a 5 minute walk from the show as is Birmingham International Airport. It is an 80 minute train ride from London Euston Rail Station.

    Save 25% on Virgin Rail Advance Tickets

    Seminars at Spring Fair 2018

    Improve your business at Spring Fair 2018.

    Click here for a full list of seminars.

    What's New from Blue Eyed Sun at Spring Fair

    Blue Eyed Sun is launching their new Day Dream greeting card range at Spring Fair 2018 on Stand 3X31 in Hall 3 near the cafeteria. Do come and say hi.

    Click here to see what's new from Blue Eyed Sun

    Quote coupon code: SFB18 when ordering during the shows (online or offline) for FREE CARRIAGE until 28th February.

    Chocolate Surprise

    Tell us what your favourite chocolate is and we'll have a surprise gift for you at the show.

    Click here to tell us

    Can't make the show? Click here to request access all of our designs online.

    Read 12 Top Tips for Trade Show Visitors

    See if you can find Blue Eyed Sun's stand 3X31 in Hall 3 on the show map below:

    Spring Fair 2016 Floorpan NEC

  • A Sweet and Simple Marketing Idea

    A Sweet and Simple Marketing Idea

    Last year I had the good fortune to see the entertaining speaker and author, Geoff Ramm, share some innovative and simple marketing ideas with a packed audience at the Giftware Association’s Member’s Day.

    I’ve always loved marketing and enjoy seeing different ways of tackling the age old problem of standing out from crowded marketplaces. Geoff is an awesome speaker and I love his ideas for ways you make your business outstanding for customers.

    Having a sweet tooth, on this occasion, one simple marketing idea resonated with me in particular:

    The Wedding Tog

    Simon Jones of Bonjour Photography had the list of couples due to attend a wedding show he was exhibiting at. He took the trouble to contact everyone on the list and ask them what their favourite chocolate was. That’s it. No sales pitch, nothing to say how awesome he was as a photographer or how competitive his prices were. Just what chocolate they loved most. He then asked them to visit his stand at the show to collect a gift from him.

    He purchased the various chocolates and put them together as a gift pack along with an album of his photographs for each couple. The results were remarkable. 90% of the customers he cold contacted shared their favourite chocolates. He successfully tracked them down, even an obscure chocolate from the US and ultimately took £14,000 of bookings for an outlay of £400.

    I was bowled over by the hit rate on such a simple idea. I’ve thought a lot about this idea since. Why did it work so well? It’s not like chocolates are particularly expensive or, for that matter, very special (despite being occasionally delicious). He wasn’t offering discounts, or mega deals either.

    Why it Works

    The first thing that’s most noticeable about this idea is that the call is not a sales call. In fact, even the most hardened anti-sales call person answering can’t help but be intrigued by such a simple request as “what’s your favourite chocolate?” It doesn’t cost them anything to share this information. It’s also quite fun.

    Those called don’t have to go to see the photographer at the show if they don’t want to. Even if they do, they already know it’s a bit of fun. They can just pick up their gift and leave. It doesn’t feel like they are being sold to at any point. They feel in control of the process.

    When they did visit Simon, they not only got their favourite chocolate, but they received it as a gift, wrapped up in a ribbon with a nicely bound copy of his work. The book shows his quality of work, the standard of his albums and contained a price list within. The gift aspect is a considerate personal touch.

    Not only is the chocolate a personalised gift to suit their taste, it’s actually incredibly personal in other ways too. Our relationship with our favourite chocolate taps into our physical senses of taste, touch and smell, as well as past experiences of pleasure and it evokes memories that undoubtedly make us smile.

    None of us like to be sold to and yet most of us like to buy. The majority of engaged couples attending the show needed a photographer for their wedding. Simon was showing them a lot about himself before they even looked at his work. He demonstrated consideration, empathy, a sense of fun, attention to detail and the personal touch.

    All of these are vital qualities the couple probably didn’t even realise they were looking for when choosing a photographer. Technical ability and price are actually secondary to their subconscious need for their wedding pro to deliver the images of one of the most important, personal and intimate experiences of their lives.

    Not only was his order book filled, but visitors spoke about him at the show and Geoff included his story in his marketing book and I’m sharing it with you now. All from one sweet and simple marketing idea.

    Taking Action

    Now I’ve been to a lot of talks over the years and felt inspired during many of them. I can’t always say I’ve done anything more after that. You have to take action to really benefit.  As I watched Geoff share Simon’s story with over 100 delegates, I looked around the room and wondered how many would try this idea. I didn’t want to be one of a load of suppliers using this idea in our industry. If a lot of us do it, it loses its edge. Also, we were already doing little things like sending Brighton Rock sweets and handwritten notes in our orders. I almost talked myself out of doing it.

    As I sat there it occurred to me that the chance of nobody in the room taking this lesson on board was actually quite high. I came to the conclusion that it was highly likely that I would be the only company in the room to try it out. So I did at the next show a month or two later. Here’s what happened…

    Chocolate Heaven

    We approached 72 customers who had visited us at the Autumn Shows in the past three years and successfully discovered their favourite chocolates. Of these, 33 shops came and collected their chocolates (with a gift sample pack) and ordered at the show or shortly afterwards with a total sales value of £11k (plus higher than average order values). Not bad for acting on advice given to us for the small charge of attending the seminar.

    Perhaps they might have ordered anyway. Who knows. Regardless, every customer enjoyed the experience and we loved doing it too. Will, in our office, enjoyed making the calls because he didn’t feel like he was selling. I loved shopping for the chocolates and we had a great time handing them out at the show. We also had fun taking photos and sharing the experience on social media and in this column.

    By the time you read this, Blue Eyed Sun will have used this marketing idea at four different shows. The idea has been done in our industry now, so you’ll have to think of something else. The lesson isn’t really about chocolate though. It’s about paying attention to your customers and going that bit further. What can you do to make your business stand out? What can you do that will exceed your customer’s expectations and blow them away?

    When you start thinking this way, your business changes and you begin to see opportunities everywhere to do better and take more time to consider your customers more personally. These are some further things we did as a result.

    Chocolate Highs

    A few weeks later the major buyer of a large retail customer of ours mentioned their favourite chocolate in an interview. We spotted it straight away as an opportunity to connect and sent a box of them along with a personalised thank you note saying how grateful we are for their business. Our customer loved it.

    Gift Packs

    I’ve started sharing gift packs of Blue Eyed Sun cards with customers and friends that I know that love to send them. They often tweet and share images of the cards online. More importantly, I know they are taking pleasure in using our cards and spreading the love.

    Personalisation 

    We always hand write the messages in our Christmas cards to our customers, this year we took it one step further by personalising the front of the cards too. The response of good feeling from customers was lovely. Many of the cards were shared on social media too.

    Willies Cacao

    I recently met Willie Harcourt-Cooze who appeared on Channel 4’s Willies Chocolate Revolution. Last month we partnered with Willies Cacao to cross market to each other’s customers with special offers and fun initiatives like including a gift of chocolates in Blue Eyed Sun’s Valentine deliveries to our retailers.

    What about you?

    What are your innovative ideas for marketing? How do you create OMG experiences for your customers? What do you do to stand out from the crowd and personalise the experience for them? I’d love to hear your stories. Tweet them to us @Blue_Eyed_Sun

    Tell us your favourite chocolate and we'll have a special gift for you at Spring Fair

    Willie's Cacao Special Offer for Blue Eyed Sun customers

    Marketing: Then vs Now

  • Top Drawer Spring 2018 - Essential Information

    Top Drawer Spring 2018Top Drawer Spring 2018 features many of Britain's leading design-led greeting card publishers. Here are the essentials you need for this top trade show for retailers:

    For free tickets to Top Drawer Spring please click here.

    When is Top Drawer Spring 2018?

    Top Drawer Spring 2018 runs from Sunday 14th January until Tuesday 16th January from 09:30 - 18:00 at Olympia in London and features a stunning edited showcase of over 1,500 hand picked brands. 

     Click here to watch a video of the card section at Top Drawer Spring.

    Where to Eat at Top Drawer Spring

    We've tried lots of different places to eat near Top Drawer Spring. Here are some of our favourites:

    5 Great Restaurants near Olympia and 5 Great Restaurants in Earls Court.

    Where to Stay at Top Drawer Spring

    Olympia is well serviced for hotels and there are good transport links to local London areas.

    Click here for an interactive map of hotels near Top Drawer Spring

    How to Get to Top Drawer Spring

    There's an overland train to Olympia Station to Top Drawer Spring 2018 from Shepherd's Bush (central line) or West Brompton (District Line)Click here for the TFL website.

    The Sat Nav post code for Olympia is W14 8UX for drivers. You can park next to the venue. Do book in advance as it is more expensive on the day. Click here to book parking at Olympia.

    What's new from Blue Eyed Sun?

    Blue Eyed Sun are launching a gorgeous new greeting card range called Daydream at Top Drawer Spring 2018 on stand T42. You can also order any last minute Valentines, Mothers or Fathers Day cards as well as getting a sneak preview of forthcoming Christmas ranges.

    Click here to see what's new from Blue Eyed Sun

    To order Blue Eyed Sun's new designs for your shop or request a brochure click here.

    Top Drawer Spring 2018 - Floor Plan

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