business stationery Archives - CURLY AND CANDID

When it comes to online tools, keeping a diary, keeping on top of my emails, social media, clients and everything else business-wise I am a queen. I’ve even written articles giving advice on these very things. I haven’t however before now shared my ridiculously disorganised office space.

I know pretty much where everything is, I have fabulous hidden filing cabinets and everything; I just don’t have a very effectively organised office. I’m the woman who sits down to print off a load of invoices to find that I’ve given the last of the naff supermarket printer paper to the kids to make paper areoplanes or that I’ve chewed my way through the last working biro (a filthy habit, I know!).

A bookcase which has become a dumping ground, a dump box on the desk, and a pitiful filing effort. I would dare open the two hidden filing cabinets or show you the rest of my "organised chaos" out of pure shame — A bookcase which has become a dumping ground, a dump box on the desk, and a pitiful filing effort. I wouldn’t dare open the two hidden filing cabinets or show you the rest of my “organised chaos” out of pure shame

Viking Direct, the well-known (and now much-loved) business and stationery suppliers have taken pity on me and have sent me a care package to get me back on the road to a haven-like office space once more.

A range of items from reams of paper, pens, tapes, and paperclips alongside files, folders and the mother and father of all desktop sorters soon arrived, securely packaged yet without bothersome wasteful packaging. Here are some of the items that arrived.

My absolute favourite has to be the Desktop Sorter though….

viking desktop sorter — Perfect for me as an in-tray, out-tray to kep important documents and paper to hand. I’ll be ordering another shortly to use for the boy’s arts and crafts papers!

After letting the office organisation slide I’m now back on top form and better yet have kept everything the way I like it (as in not scattered from one side of the room to the other) for some time now. Everything has a place and I know where that is!

Aside from the fact that the care package (which would have come in at just under £50) had everything and more I needed to get organised this review gave me the opportunity to learn a little more about Viking Direct and have a decent nosy around the website and their ranges.

Previously I’ve always gone for the supermarket office items when replacement has been needed, primarily because I assumed they would be cheaper however I wrong on this. Viking Direct came out significantly cheaper than where I was buying from before and to my surprise I didn’t need to buy in bulk to qualify for discounts as many online business stationery retailers I’ve looked at in the past insisted upon.

With the office looking and feeling great I can stop wasting time looking for things and enjoy my working space again. If you haven’t in the past it could well be worth you looking at the Viking Direct website to see if they would be able beat your current supplier’s prices or help you restore your office to its former glory!

When I first set up in business years ago (back in the days where I sold books for a living) I found myself bombarded with all of the “must have” business tools the internet, my phone, my email box and even local businesses could offer. Of course being 1) a new business and 2) someone who adores all things stationery related, I went a bit mad. Before I knew it I had thousands of bog standard business cards from *that* free business card company, a T-Shirt with my logo, fliers, posters, pens (these were very cute!), bags and all sorts. A couple of years later when I had a real tidy up of the office prior to increasing my copy-writing work and concentrating on it full time I still had three thousand business cards, and a rather weird looking faded t-shirt.

In retrospect I got caught up with the novelty of being in business and being offered all these lovely things at a bargain price. These “tools” were filing cabinet fillers and little more. Nowadays I take a different (cheaper) approach to business marketing tools.

Instead of wasting time and money on, quite frankly cheap and nasty stamps, notepaper and other so-called business “tools” I instead decide what I actually need and what I am willing to pay for. My business has changed so naturally the way that I market it has changed too. The vast majority of my advertising / marketing is done online however for postal invoices, correspondence and the like I use professional stickers (it just looks better in my opinion).

One company that comes very highly recommended (and looking at their Facebook page is used or liked by quite a few of my business contacts and friends) and offers a white range of printed stickers is DiscountBannerPrinting.co.uk.
The site offers a range of stickers, as well as other items and unlike many similar companies has a relatively small minimum order value. This is great news for new start ups who are just realising what they really need marketing tool-wise or who simply don’t have the budget required for larger orders.

When it comes to choosing business tools it is wise to devise an initial plan regarding who you want to reach with your marketing materials and which methods are likely to be most effective. Business cards for me are little use as I don’t attend networking events and quite frankly haven’t found a use for them elsewhere. A banner wouldn’t do me any favours as I don’t sell my services at events or represent myself at trade shows however stickers and other smaller items such as these are great for sending out with all my mail, not just my work email. I once scored a client who spotted my information on the Ebay parcel I sent her after she emailed me for more information.

I’m curious though. What do you consider your “must have” marketing or business tool? Like me do you have a thing for stationery-type items? Do you have your car wrapped with your business details or do you prefer online or digital tools only to get your name out there? I’d love to hear what you consider your favourite or most effective business marketing tool is?

*Written in collaboration with the mentioned business yet true to my thoughts, feelings and experiences

Showing all posts tagged business stationery

Undercover Office Disorganisation

Three Thousand Business Cards