Our new name, Fig Creative incorporates the old (Fig stands for First Impression Group) but celebrates the new. It’s fresh, modern and represents our team of creative sales and marketing professionals. We will still offer the services you might know us for, print and design, websites and email marketing and our customers can still choose that we provide these services.

But, if you are serious about achieving real results you need regular, targeted marketing activities which is why we are formally launching our Marketing Partner Programme.

It’s having incredible results for some of our clients, one has seen a ten fold increase in business in under a year and another has achieved £1 million pounds in just 6 months. As a Marketing Partner with Fig Creative we deliver all or part of your PR and Marketing requirements, effectively becoming your ‘outsourced’ marketing department.

Our newly refreshed website is now live http://www.figcreative.co.uk/ and take a look at the pages on our Marketing Partner Programme and some of the testimonials of customers already benefiting from this service.

Final day today, day 12 of our marketing tips and annoucement of what is happening at First Impression in the New Year!

Today we launch our marketing partner programme, something we’ve been working on all year in 2011 and is having some incredible results. Click your free tip to find out more and you can get access to all the other free tips. Click here>

Everyone at First Impression wishes you all a Happy Christmas.

Click here for advise about PR and our top tips for writing a press release>

You can still get access to days 1 to 7 top marketing tips as well if you’ve missed them. Still four to go before we announce the exciting changes happening at First Impression in the New Year.

When you read a QR code with the appropriate software it can trigger the opening of a website or it can download a file. QR codes are read with a mobile device. If you are using an iPhone you need to download one of the free QRReader apps available from the iPhone App Store. Most Android, BlackBerries and some of the newer Nokia handsets can read QR codes automatically. Windows Mobile users can download QuickMarks. With the appropriate software all you do is point your phone’s camera at the QR code to activate the contents. Although QR codes are relatively new in the UK, they’ve been around in Japan, where they were invented, for over a decade.

How do they work?

You need a QR Code Generator to create a QR code. Sounds complicated but it’s actually very simple. There are a number of sites for generating QR codes which are all free. A quick Internet search for QR code generator will give you a lot of choice. Most are pretty simple, such as www.qrstuff.com where you simply put in the date you want to put on the QR code, for example a website address, an SMS text message, email address or link to a file, and the QR code is created automatically for you to download.

What are they used for?

The potential for QR codes are endless. Today you can see them on magazines, adverts, brochures business cards, packaging, menus and even on the side of vehicles. Be targeted, don’t jus send them to your website, send them to the relevant information, even if you have to create a dedicated page for that special offer for example, add something of value to encourage more downloads.

Scan the QR code above with your smartphone to view the Old Hall at Christmas Mobile Website

With the growing use of mobile technology QR codes are going to be seen more and more. Get using them in your marketing mix.

Contact us on 01457 857111 or contact@firstimpression.co.uk for more information.

• Wider reach- As of August 2011 mobile browsing accounted for 7.84% of UK internet usage. Can you afford to miss out on making the experience an enjoyable one for these visitors?
• Quicker load times – The majority of mobile visitors will be browsing your site over the 3G data network. While this method suffices for small tasks like checking email etc, loading a full website can take a long time. Therefore, serving an optimised and more efficient version of the website will help to reduce load times and potential frustration (waiting for websites on your phone can be a pain), especially if they are on a PAYG data plan.

  Speed test examples for www.christmasattheoldhall.co.uk…
  mobile site = 2.3secs
  desktop site = 5.7secs

• Design/presentation – After spending hours designing and perfecting your website, it can be disappointing when you look at it for the first time in a mobile browser. The trouble is, the built-in browsers on iOS, Android, and modern Blackberry devices can display full desktop sites, but this doesn’t always have the desired effect and your desktop site which looks great on a laptop can look out of place and are often hard to comprehend and navigate. Offering a mobile version of the site optimised for mobile browsers will allow you to incorporate an improved design which is more user-friendly for visitors with a smaller screen size and appropriate navigation.

How we created a mobile version of the Old Hall Hotel’s “Christmas 2011″ website..

But the marketing team at The Old Hall didn’t want to do the usual Christmas brochure this year, they wanted something a bit special, just like their hotel. So, working with their marketing company, First Impression, a special Christmas campaign was created. A whole Christmas experience from the minute potential customers open their Christmas parcel, the magic begins.

The Christmas present entices you to their new animated Christmas site, with hand drawn illustrations by a local student. Father Christmas in his sleigh flies over the roof tops of the distinctive Buxton buildings, leaving you more presents to open. Christmas begins early at the Old Hall Hotel like most hotels, catering for Christmas parties and events and this year there are packages for people wanting to get away from it all. And then of course, there’s the Christmas period itself, from Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve parties through to the festive meals themselves.

With such a marketing campaign interest is expected to be high so they’ve enabled bookings to be made directly from the Christmas site. And what is really exciting for the oldest hotel in England, if you have an iphone, blackberry or android device you can access a special version of the Christmas site on your mobile directly through a QR code on the Christmas present.

For those who still prefer a more traditional brochure, you needn’t worry, The Old Hall Hotel have catered for your needs too, designed in the same format as the Christmas website so the whole campaign works together perfectly.

See the Christmas website for yourself at www.christmasattheoldhall.co.uk

First Impression will be there to offer marketing advice and support for small businesses whether they are just starting up or established.

Barclays Bank will be there sharing their top 10 tips to make your business grow.

NEST is explained – the auto enrolment where all employers will soon have to enrol their employees into a pension scheme.

PKF accountants and business advisors will deliver a presentation on general financial issues around business taxation.

BT will deal with how 21st century technology can help small businesses.

Local councils will be present to deal with any questions.

The event is free to attend starting at 11am on Wednesday 7th September at the Pavilion Gardens, Buxton.

More information is available at www.andrewbingham.org

We understand how difficult it is to market your businesses effectively, particularly in the current climate. Technologies are changing; there are new channels to consider, your clients want to engage with you in different ways and what used to work for you doesn’t any more. And of course, no one marketing activity is going to transform your business.

We can help.

First Impression is a highly effective creative, design and marketing company based in the High Peak. We have been delivering successful marketing solutions for our clients across the North West since 1996, from designing and printing leaflets and brochures, to building websites and running email marketing campaigns

The change in the economy affected the way our clients did business. Rather than tactical activity – one off jobs, they needed a more strategic approach. That is why we launched our marketing partner programme earlier this year.

What is our marketing partner programme?

As your marketing partner we keep you ahead of the game, saving you time and money by getting your marketing right first time. We know that successful and cost effective marketing is about a mix of targeted activities. Companies using our partner programme range from sole traders to mid size corporates. No matter what stage your business is at, whether you are a start up, a company struggling to survive, an established business planning for growth or even wanting to build the business to sell, we can help you.

For a fixed monthly fee, (which is agreed at the outset, depending on your budget and what you want to achieve), we take on your entire marketing activity. It means you only have one relationship to manage rather than many relationships saving you time and money. It also means we get the opportunity to understand a lot more about your business and can drive the right marketing activities that are going to get results for your company.

We manage everything from your website, to social media, design and print, to PR and events. And it works. We can provide customer testimonials that show our support has turned their businesses around.

Move your business forward today, talk to Martin Duncan about working with
First Impression on 01457 857111

We’re working on a marketing campaign for one of our customers and need another marketing promotitions member of staff to help us.

You will be talking to people and handing out information in supermarkets and high streets about coach tours. You will ask for their contact details so that they can be sent further information.

You must have a warm, approachable personality and have the confidence to strike up a conversation with shoppers and tell them all about the trips.

You must have your own transport and a clean driving licence to travel between Ashton, Bolton, Stockport and Buxton. You will be required to carry a folding up stand in your car and make up and fold it down each day.

Hours 9.30 to 4.30 over 6 days. Contract is for 3-6 weeks starting 22nd August.

£252 per week, plus petrol allowance, plus bonus.

Full training and uniform provided. Personality and enthusiasm is more important than experience. Contact martin@firstimpression.co.uk or call 01457 857111

We are a growing business and now have a new position for a Marketing Assistant to work with our Managing Director in providing marketing support to specific clients and in house marketing. This will involve designing and implementing marketing plans which will include most aspects of marketing from direct mail and market analysis to internet marketing.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a friendly, talented team, where your work will really make a difference. You must be a good communicator with strong organisational skills and able to manage multiple projects while maintaining attention to detail.

Ideal applicants should have a marketing degree or a CIM equivalent qualification and/or at least 1 years experience in a busy marketing department. Or You have no formal marketing qualifications but can demonstrate significant work experience in marketing and sales roles. You will be equally comfortable writing copy for a leaflet or advert as dealing with client issues over the phone. Understanding of the marketing options open to small growing businesses is an essential part of this role.

http://www.firstimpression.co.uk/careers/vacancies/marketing-assistant.php