Advantia Business Solutions Blog

As a business professional, increasing your sales can be a tricky process. Where do you start? How much will it cost you? There are so many of these questions which can most definitely put you off, but don’t worry – there is some good news! There are 5 simple techniques you can implement into your business which will help boost sales without costing you a dime or even be too much hard work. 1. Put the customer first Your customers are the most important people to your business, because without them your sales would be non-existent. So putting them first is essential. If you are rude to your customer or show a sense of carelessness, they are less likely to return. Your attitude will reflect on the customers, so greeting them with a smile and a welcoming approach will make them feel special and rewarded. Not only will you receive great sales, but you also receive a great deal of respect from them. One important detail to remember is to treat every customer the same, regardless...

Being kind to the planet should be something we all do, so why not make your office greener? (And by that I don’t mean getting the walls painted bright green!) As you probably know, it is beneficial to the economy, but it can also be beneficial to your health and decrease energy costs. Below are some eco-friendly options to making your office greener: Paper Products Paper is one of the most used products in the office. Did you know that 12.5 million tonnes of paper and cardboard are used annually in the UK? However, only a small percentage of these are eco-friendly products. Instead of buying your average paper from the stationery shop, take a second to think wisely. Considering you probably use it at least 5 times a day for printing, writing, reading etc, you could help the environment as well as get your job done. There are many types of paper you can purchase such as FSC approved paper, 100% recycled paper and even carbon neutral paper. Recycled paper produces 73% less ai...

Employees want leaders who are likeable characters, but at the same time they need to define what it is to make the company grow. Workplace relationships are important in gaining the right attitudes to successfully run the business to generate the best results.  These tips below offer the 6 ways you can show great leadership as well as an enjoyable experience in the workplace. 1. Allow People to Fail; Encourage Employees to Test Their Ideas As an employer, the best way to unleash passions and abilities from your employees is to allow them to test their ideas. Giving them the room to grow and adapt within the team will only make them feel comfortable in leadership and communication. Delegation is key when being the one in charge, so create the possibility for employees to establish their own footing, giving them the feeling of independence. You also can’t expect complete success from them, so allow them to fail. This will not only encourage ideas, it will als...

I’m sure you walk into work every morning with a large to-do list on your desk waiting to be tackled throughout the day. However, you may find yourself rushing half of the tasks as you run out of time. Therefore these tips offer a solution to working smarter, rather than harder.  1) Improve your time management skills Although for many workers this can seem easier said than done, there are actually a few simple rules to help manage your time. For example, when tackling a top priority task, I would recommend turning off your phone and email notifications to avoid a direct distraction. Avoiding ideas of multi-tasking will also help, because once you begin another task that you think will only take a second will more than likely ruin your focus, potentially leading to other smaller tasks being done rather than the most important. Top tip: Set yourself a deadline and do everything in your power to stick to it! 2) Use the phone more often Nowadays in this electronic world, ...

As you all may already know, on the 28th and 29th of April, London is hosting its fifth Stationery Show. With visitor numbers having reached a higher statistic than last year, the event is set to be even bigger than it has before. Chris Leonard-Morgan, the show’s Director, has said “We are delighted with the show’s pre-registration data so far. Numbers are up on the same period last year, and we’re particularly pleased by the eclectic mix and range of companies and types of retailers who are indicating they will take the time to visit – they reflect perfectly the broad appeal of stationery as a category, whether as a mainstream or complementary offer.” Representatives from the UK’s leading stationers are set to make an appearance, and these include the likes of Paperchase, WHSmith, Ryman and Scribbler. Even department stores, supermarkets, visitor attractions and gift shops from around the country are attending. Online specialists such as Amazon & ASOS and sector speciali...

I'm sure you're already pretty amazed by stationery, but to make things even better...here's a fact for you. Prepare to be astounded by even more awesome facts over the weeks, so keep yourself updated on this blog!  Enjoy your weekend! Advantia's Blogger.

I think people under-estimate the impact of having a LinkedIn company page. You usually see company’s sticking to the usual Facebook and Twitter pages, without considering LinkedIn as a more professional website. A number of your employees could have personal LinkedIn profiles, but the company as a whole could be lacking one (unless you’re self-employed!) In comparison, personal profiles and company pages serve very different functions. So let’s explore these functions! 1. It showcases your company, not just a single employee As some of you may know, LinkedIn has foundations built to showcase the user’s skills, not those of the company they work for. Members use the site for many reasons, two of which are: 1. To follow and network with other professionals, and 2. To follow companies with intentions of hearing about news and developments from that organisation.  We often see office supplying company giants, such as Staples, have thousands of followers who are ...