blah blah blah

2012-02-08T09:12:00.000-08:00

definition of urgent

usually rushed, great emergency, need today - thats a clients perspective

unorganised, rarely generates enough new trade - thats a suppliers perspective

In our industry there is always that urgent job to do and we do our best to meet your deadlines, but next time you have a project give yourself plenty of time to plan, prepare, budget, and to execute your plans concisely otherwise theres only one way it will end and that is failure. So dont blame us if this is what happens, we know how long things take to deliver and we'll tell you at the outset, it is down to you give us the time to make sure your project looks its best.

Jerry Mcguire once said help me, help you, simple to the point.

f

2012-02-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Who says that there is a recession?

The start of a New Year has begun with us all full of hope and optimism, here at Fresh we have had our best January in our history of the company with sales exceeding expectations and new clients coming on board every day.

At our Hemel branch there is a 38% growth compared to last January as it continues to go from strength to strength and we have just finished a major campaign in Oxford for a blue chip client as well which we will showcase in the near future.

We are now actively looking for more staff as our growth continues and are looking for full and part time customer sales support people to work in our Aylesbury branch, as well as mac operators, printers and print finishers, so if you feel that you fit one of these roles then email your cv to: hello@freshdps.co.uk and we'll be in touch.

f

2012-01-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

And The Winner Is.......

With the Oscar season nearly here, as your watching the TV here are some interesting facts you can impress your friends with

The shortest Oscar ceremony ever was the first, held in 1929; it lasted only about 15 minutes as all the winners had been announced three months earlier.

The longest Oscar awards ceremony was in 2000, running for 4 hours and 16 minutes – beating a previous record by 16 minutes.

Bob Hope has hosted the Oscars 18 times; Billy Crystal is in second place with 8 times.

Tom Hanks is the youngest recipient of the Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received in 2002 at age 45.

Kate Winslet is the only actress to receive four Oscar nominations before reaching the age of 30.

Gone with the Wind, at 3 hours and 56 minutes, was the longest film to have won a Best Picture Oscar; it was also the first film in color to win Best Picture.

Henry Fonda was first nominated for a Best Actor Oscar in 1941 for his role in The Grapes of Wrath but had to wait 41 years before he finally achieved a win in 1982 for his role in On Golden Pond. At 76, he is the oldest actor yet to have received the Best Actor award.

The oldest actress to win an Oscar is Jessica Tandy – at 81 she won the Best Actress Oscar in 1990 for her performance in Driving Miss Daisy.

Anthony Quinn’s performance as painter Paul Gaugin in Lust for Life (1956) is the shortest ever to win a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award, his second Oscar. He was on screen for only 8 minutes. (He won a similar award in 1952 playing opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan’s Viva Zapata!)

The shortest-ever winning performance for Best Supporting Actress belongs to Beatrice Straight, who won an Oscar in 1976 for her 5 minutes 40 seconds appearance as devastated wife Louise Schumacher in Network.

Dame Judi Dench won an Oscar in 1998 for less than 8 minutes of screen time playing Queen Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love.

The shortest-ever Best Actor Oscar-winning performance was awarded to David Niven in 1958, having appeared for only 15 minutes and 38 seconds in Separate Tables.

The second-shortest winning appearance was made by Anthony Hopkins in 1992, for less than 16 minutes of screen time as Dr Hannibal “The Cannibal” Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs.

The fewest lines spoken by an Oscar-winning actress won Patty Duke a Best Actress in a Supporting Role portraying the deaf and blind Helen Keller in the 1962 film The Miracle Worker. In the role she speaks only one word in the last scene: “Wah-wah” (for “water”).

The films with the most Oscar wins are Ben-Hur, Titanic and Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, each winning 11 Oscars from 12, 14 and 11 nominations respectively.

William Wyler has directed more actors to Academy Award success than any other, with 34 nominations and 14 wins.

Jack Nicholson leads the Best Actor Academy Award category with wins from 11 nominations.

Meryl Streep had more Best Actress nominations than any other actress.

Shirley Temple is the youngest performer to receive an Academy Award; in 1934 she received a Special Award when she was only five years old.

Groucho Marx was the oldest Academy Award winner – in 1973 he received a Honorary Award at the age of 83.

Mutiny on The Bounty (1935) was the only film to have had three nominees for Best Actor Oscars (Charles Laughton, Clark Gable and Franchot Tone) but won only the Best Picture award.

The first animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar was Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, in 1991. The award went to Silence of the Lambs but Beauty and the Beast won 2 Oscars: Best Original Score and Best Original Song.

In 1937 Disney won a special Oscar for the first full-length animation: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.”

f

2012-01-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

George David - Fresh - A Winning Partnership

George David Estate Agents, have truly shown how to win business in a recession, we all know that the property market has taken a hit, but Andy Evans from George David refused to be beaten and saw it as an opportunity.

Instead of sitting and waiting to see what happens and hibernate, they have been very pro-active in their strategy by marketing themslves even harder.

At Fresh we have been producing 40,000 postcards every 6 weeks for them to help them drive home the message that they really are Aylesburys Leading Estate Agency.

With this intense marketing results happen, and Andy Evans said ' The more people we target, the luckier we get, we want to be Aylesburys number one agent and the results we have been having, go back to the amount of hard work we put into our marketing strategy. Fresh have played their part in this and long may our partnership with them continue.'

Andy Gerlack from Fresh said ' Its great to see a like minded company wanting to be the best they can, we adopt the same attitude at Fresh that we wont sit on our laurels and will always try and improve and the results are in testimonials like this.'

If your looking for an estate agency in Aylesbury then we would thoroughly recommend George David, email them at info@georgedavid.co.uk or call them on 01296 393393.

If you want to find out how Fresh can help your business then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

f

2012-01-08T04:19:00.000-08:00

2012 - The Year for hard work and optimism

Happy New Year to you all, I hope you all prosper, get what you want and have some fun while getting there this year.

There are many things this year that we can all do to keep positive, there are the Olympics for starters followed by the Paralympics to inspire us, the Diamond Jubilee of our beloved Queen, not to mention great sporting occasions like the boat race, the national, the FA Cup, Wimbledon, and a great summer of Cricket.

We have so much in this country to be proud of and even locally here as I sit looking out of my window looking at the Chiltern Hills and the historic Hartwell House in the forefront. I think sometimes we all take for granted how great this country is and yes the last 3 years have been very difficult but it is up to each and everyone of us to do our own very small part to make it great again.

Here at Fresh we are planning our year on how we are going to do our bit and as a business we can do a lot, each year we have a dedicated charity we look after and give them as much printed literature as we can to help them promote themselves.

We also help out schools with free paper and we advertise in local parish magazines so as they put the money to good use in their community. Every year we look at what we can do locally to make a difference, we like to champion local business in our shop and on our blogs and website. So I think its about time everybody took a look to see what you could do just to make a small difference to helping our local economys, after all it will be our small businesses that will get us out of this recession and push the economy into a growth statistic.

Goog luck this year, my fellow entrepreneurs, hard work and optimism go a very long way.

f

2011-11-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

A Hot and Spicy New Image

When it comes to creating a new image for a brand new Mexican restaurant in the Aylesbury Town Centre where else do people come to and have the confidence that it will be delivered on time and to their requirements.

This was the case for Bandidos Mexican Restaurant. They came to us looking for a complete image brand and what we came up with, they were absolutely thrilled by.

Kevin Brook said ' We needed to come up with an exciting contemporary image to get Bandidos noticed and I feel we achieved what we set out to do, the restaurant is always packed so we must have succeeded, we have an extremely creative team that always come up with the goods'.

So if you feel your image could do with some tweaking or perhaps a little refresh to get you noticed more then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2011-11-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

Be Distinct or Be Extinct

Exactly as the title says, its not just about how your products or service looks, its about how your sales people perform, how your customer service department handle your customers, how quickly you can deliver, how the quality of your product stands up and how your price compares with the next person.

All of these have to be right to achieve success in a tough marketplace, you need to be distinct enough to stand out from the rest of your competition as there will always be someone else ready to step into your shoes.

So what does make the difference in todays market-place?

Its always been said 'dont judge a book by its cover' but when your pitching for that new contract or sending out that brochure with your quote then the first impression is always the only one you will get, so its important to get it right with your company branding.

Take a look at your company, make a list of the plus points and the minus then give us a call and let us do the same to your company and see if we agree with your points or disagree.

Our job at Fresh is to give honest advice on your image and how to improve it, you might not like what we have to say but we will give you the helpful advice on how to make your company get that first impression right.

So give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

f

2011-11-09T09:57:00.000-08:00

School Student Planners

After another successful summer producing student planners, prospectus' and other school material, we thought we would showcase what we have been doing, every year more schools come on board to our way of thinking that print does not need to be boring and that we can offer so much variety and personalization to any document.

When we started looking at the market for schools and student planners we found out that we could produce a planner completely unique to that school and be more cost effective than their current supplier.

So what we have been doing each year is slowly increasing our capacity of who we offer the service to without compromising on the quality as well and what we have now in place is a unique system to produce large volume student planners from a short deadline, so there is no need for schools to worry about getting planners and prospectus signed off by early March and they can now change policys, staff lists right up until the end of the summer term.

Georgina Harwood from Adeyfield School declared. ' I was astonished by the new look of our student planner and our teacher planners as well, what Andy and his team at Fresh have given us, is something that the students and teachers love and that can evolve and be changed so easily. I am so glad Andy came to see me.'

Andy Gerlack from Fresh said ' We have a proven system that works for schools and everytime we show a school what they could have, they jump at the chance, we have the nice problem of that we cannot offer it to everyone as we will be swamped so which is why we only increase our capacity of 5 schools per year so we dont let anybody down and that way we learn how to cope with the demand and everybody is happy with the results.'

If you want to find out what we can do for your school then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088.

f

2011-11-07T10:46:00.000-08:00

Xmas Card Catalogues out now

Yes, its that time of year again when you should say thank you to your clients and send them a Christmas Card. Its always something so small and personal that goes a long way and now more than ever you should be saying a big thank you and looking after them.

We will encourage you with an offer of 10% off your order, so come on, theres no excuse, treat your customers this xmas with a little note to them.

Catalogues are out now so call the numbers below to get your free copy.

To get your catalogues and 10% off your order then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us at 01296 489998 or
01442 345088

f

2011-10-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

A Piece of Cake

We thought we would show you some of the exhibition banners we produce, this one in particular came to us with just the frame and we had to reproduce the replacement banners.

The results as you can see are fantastic and look great as the centre piece of any exhibition stand, we have become specialists at this type of work now and can produce all different shapes and sizes even if you have an existing stand we can replace all the graphics to cost effectively.

If you have an existing stand that you need the graphics replacing or you need some ideas for your stand then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088.

2011-10-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

Fresh Blog

Nominated For Award

We have been nominated for an award for our blog and we need your votes, we are in the category of Best Corporate Blog and are running 2nd for the Blogger Choice Awards. If you like what we write about then please take the time to vote, it takes about 2 minutes and we have detailed simple instructions below for you all to make it easier as well. We will be eternally grateful to you for this.

Follow the link below, but print out these instructions first to make it simpler.

http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/100088

Then click sign up

Add all your details

You will then get an email in your inbox confirming your email address in this link, click on this

Go to Best Corporate Blog on the sidebar and we should be on Page 1 then click vote.

Many Thanks in advance for helping us

f

2011-10-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

Now we are 3!!

Yes I know the year goes quick, we thought so too, we've achieved an historic milestone given the fact that we started up at the start of the recession and are now 3 years old, we would just like to thank all our clients and suppliers for all of their support and warmest wishes, we could not have done it without you and we appreciate it a lot.

As for the coming year, Fresh would not be Fresh if we didnt have some exciting news to come, there are some big developments to come in the New Year and some exciting news to happen next month as well.

We thank you all once again for your support and comments and look forward to seeing you all for the coming year.

f

2011-10-06T09:12:00.000-07:00

STEVE JOBS 1955-2011

Steve Jobs was the Thomas Edison of our time. Just as the light bulb changed the way we looked at things so did the innovations that Steve imagined and produced. He was of the world's greatest marketers. We will miss him.

In his own words he expresses his philosophy of death elegantly:

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

The world has lost one of the great visionaries in history. Yet he continues on as in inspiration to all of us that seek innovation, perfection and success.

f

2011-09-23T09:24:00.000-07:00

Adeyfield School -

Staff and students look forward to new website launch

It has taken 6 months to build but we can now unveil Adeyfields new website, we built the site from scratch and gave it a whole new look making it look fresher, more contemporary and easy to navigate.

http://www.adeyfieldschool.org/

It was a project that came about when we started talking to the school about the student planners and what their goals for the year would be and the website was a priority, so we jumped at the chance to be included in the brief and we managed to secure the project and 6 months on we are launching the site in time for
the new term.

Andy Gerlack said ' The website looks stunning and our designers have to take most of the credit for it as they have done the creative work but I also have to thank Adeyfield Scool as well for giving us this opportunity and the staff in particular as they gave us a very good site map to begin with.

If you think your website needs a bit of tweaking or a bit of a re-vamp then give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

f

2011-09-15T09:41:00.000-07:00

100 days till xmas!!

We may be the first to mention it, but did you know that it is only 100 days till Christmas, so perhaps its time to take a look at what your company will be doing from now right through to the New Year.

It is an important time for marketing and getting it right for the coming of the year, with this in mind we are here to help and advise what sort of marketing you should be doing.

If its a pop up banner to promote an offer or a leaflet drop to spread the word or some calendars to make sure your companys name is sitting on the desk for the new year then we can help with all of this.We would like to help by offering 20% off our print from now until the November 30th to help you get noticed. Just mention where you saw this discount to qualify.

f

2011-09-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Piatto Bianco - Fast Food Branding

Delivering their expectations

With only 10 days before they were due to open, the owners of Piatto Bianco, an Italian Fine Dining Restaurant at Verney Junction called Fresh to see if we could help, the problem they had was they had no look, logo, or more importanly no marketing material.

So what happened in 1 week was that we came up with the logo, the look, the brand, and menus for lunch and evening, comment cards, 13,000 leaflets, business cards, vinyl banners, bill receipt, invoice holders, kitchen orders as well as signage for the exterior.

The results were incredible and was all done to perfection and in a day before the opening.

Andy Gerlack fro Fresh stated, ' We drew on all our experience on this one as it was very, very tight, but this is why so many companies choose us, it is because we deliver their expectations, where else or who else could do what we do.'

If you want to find out about Piatto Bianco - Italian Fine Dining then book a table there and call 01296 715209.

If you think your image needs updating or tweaking a bit then why not pop us an email at hello@freshdps.co.uk or give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

f

2011-08-19T02:59:00.000-07:00

Fresh new programmes

for Aylesbury United FC

Fresh have become a new sponsor for Aylesbury United Football Club for the coming season.

With high quality quick turnaround needed for Aylesbury Utd's programmes they turned to us to assist.

Kevin Brook for fresh said ' With the digital

and litho equipment we have we are in an ideal situation to provide this type of service.

We are quick and have the quality to go with it.'

With the new season just starting lets hope the Ducks have a successful season.

If you want to find out how Fresh can help your business then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us at 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2011-08-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

Positive News alert!!

With so much bad news about at the moment, you have to look really hard to find the good shoots of growth coming through so we thought we would relay some good news stories to try and combat some of the doom gloom out there and to show that there is light at the end of the tunnel, if you feel like us there are good stories out there, then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk and we will publish them on your behalf.

Activity in the UK's service sector expanded in July at its fastest rate for four months, an industry survey has suggested.

The Markit/Cips services purchasing managers' index (PMI) rose to 55.4 in July from 53.9 in June. A figure above 50 indicates growth.

The figure surprised analysts who had expected a slowdown in activity.

However, the survey also indicated that the service sector cut jobs despite the increased activity.

Employment in the sector had increased slightly during the previous two months.

Increases in the cost of goods bought by firms slowed, but costs remained relatively high as a result of energy price increases and supply chain constraints.

Despite this, stiff competition meant that inflation in the cost of goods bought from service companies was at its lowest rate for 10 months.

The strongest increase in activity in services was seen in the Business Services and IT and Computing sectors.

f

2011-08-08T08:17:00.000-07:00

Food For Thought

We all get emails that do the rounds with jokes and pictures, but I thought I would share this one with you all.

If you are ever bored and need inspiration from design or your creative juices just are not flowing then take a minute to look at the pictures below.

Enjoy. f

2011-07-25T13:01:00.000-07:00

Don't be anti-social.

5 reasons to embrace social media.

1. Social media is an important SEO tool. Links from social media are playing an increasingly important role in your site's search position. Since 80% of consumer purchases start with search, this reason alone is a good argument for embracing social media.

2. Your customers expect you to be social. 60% of UK citizens spend time on a social network at least once a week. YouTube reaches 36% of all business decision makers. 93% of business buyers believe all companies should have a social media presence.

3. Social media provides important marketing data and consumer feedback. You don't need surveys to find out what your prospects are thinking. The buyers in your market are telling you this now in social media. But you have to listen.

4. Social media is the new PR. Journalists increasingly rely on social media to research story ideas, sources and trends. A PR program that relies on phone, online wire services, and mail is no longer effective.

5. Social media produces very high conversion on leads. Leads from social focus on quality not quantity. Prospects that engage with you on social networks are more likely to look favorably on your company and brand, and its offerings.

f

2011-07-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

The changing face of print

- across all communications.

There was a time when a printing company was a - lets face it a printing company, but over the last few years print has evolved so much, that sometimes it is unrecognisable.

A printing company has now evolved into a communications media portal, very Star Wars!!

It has become an integral part of a business' primary outlet to the outside world.

When we talk with clients now we talk about the whole marketing strategy, from their brand awareness, to email marketing, to their own website, to their social networking, to their on-hold message, to text message communication, SEO, QR Codes, Radio advertsing, Signage and then finally getting round to hard printed matter.

What the new digital era has given us is an insight on how and what we will be using to get our business recognised instead of relying on print on paper.

The future for us as printers has never been more exciting and we for one as a company embrace the new technology and look forward to how it will all develop, we have seen in the past new technology coming into print ie the fax machine, internet but with the digital presses giving us the speed and quality there is no need to have huge quantitys of printed material anymore and the steep curve of smartphone technology it has opened up whole new avenues of business.

So if you were just about to start out on a business venture what would be on your shopping list to make your business launch a success, so for businesses we have come up with our future starter package which we would like your feedback on how much you would be willing to pay for this sort of package and if you feel there should be other items on the list.

Website x 3 pages
1 months radio advertising
1 x e-marketing campaign
3 social network sites
business cards x 250 x 1 name

email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

f

2011-07-03T00:55:00.000-07:00

Fresh quack to victory

in the 1st Mix 96 Duck Race NOT

Well we would like to have used this headline but unfortunately our duck ran out of quacks at the first ever Duck Race held at the bridge by the Honeybee Pub on Fairford Leys.

It was a closely fought contest and there was definately some tactics being used by some of the other ducks as they paddled towards the chequered flag. Our duck named Fresh put in a brave performance but was sadly quackered towards the end and came in 2nd place.

Aftwerwards Fresh Duck commented, ' Quack, Quacked, Quack Quack Quakered '

Kevin Brook manager of Fresh Duck said ' We started off well but the water got the better of us, we had some obstacles to overcome and Fresh Duck was carrying and injury as well, we will train hard through the winter and come back stronger for next year.'

2011-06-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

Read the Signs

Over the last couple of years we have been producing various signage around the area and have really showcased our talents.

We can produce a simple banner to advertise an event to fully bespoke attention grabbing fascia signs to sit on buildings.

If your looking for something that will attract attention then why not try something that has a polished
aluminium effect, all our signage solutions are completely bespoke and all guaranteed.

Or if you need to uplift your reception then our ranges of glass wall mounted signs will brighten up the darkest corners.

We can also produce enormous attention grabbing post mounted signs that will get you noticed, all fully installed.

Or if its just a simple vinyl description then these can be produced within 24hrs.

If you would like to find out how Fresh can help your business get noticed then call us on 01296 489998 ( Aylesbury Office ) or 01442 345088 ( Hemel Office ) or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

f

2011-06-17T23:31:00.000-07:00

Fresh Invest In New Bookletmaker

We have always been in favour of improving our quality and service to our customers which is why we have invested in our finishing department and bought a brand new 3 station collator bookletmaker.

It is an Horizon SPF-20 which can collate, fold, staple booklets at 4050 an hour, and produce up to 72 paged books.

Kevin Lingard from Fresh's Finishing Department said, ' It is an incredible machine that can practically do anything thrown at it, its speed and quality are exceptional and has improved our production capabilities no end.
The finishing department is a key element to the final look of our work and we take pride in what we produce.'

If you want to find out how Fresh can help your business then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

2011-06-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

2011-06-02T00:59:00.000-07:00

Our New Design Area

We thought it would be a good idea to give our design studio a bit of a makeover, we'll let the pictures tell the story.

2011-05-31T01:56:00.000-07:00

Blueprint School

New Beginnings With Fresh

With a brand new school being built for students who better to help with the image inside and out than us here at Fresh. It all started back in January when we were asked to come up with solutions for Exterior Signage and Interior Signage to enhance the image already whilst being practical.

What we came up with was a beautifully crafted and constructed sign for the front canopy in brushed stainless steel, another one for the inside reception, as well as a unique halo led sign with built up brushed stainless steel letters also for the reception, as well as individual door plaques that were laser etched and a special material called margard that was to be used for curved directional signage on 4 curved walls.

When fully installed they effect was immediate and looked incredible and had all had to be installed by the middle of April for when the school was handed over from the builders

Andy Gerlack from Fresh said, ' This was a really interesting project with all the different types of solutions needed, it was good to see it all come to life and I am glad that we have been a part of making this project a success. Signs are always tricky because each one is completely unique and there are a million and one things that can go wrong, so I was very pleased with the outcome.

If you want to see how Fresh can help your image and business then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

2011-05-30T09:50:00.000-07:00

'Its not worth the

paper its written on.'

We told you last month about where some of our industries sayings come from and this month we have researched the line 'It's not worth the paper it's written on.'

"In 1861, Johann Bernhard, Graf von Rechberg (1806-99), in a dispatch concerning the recognition of Italy, wrote: 'Guarantees which are not worth the paper they are written on.'

Below is what we found out about Johann Bernhard von Rechenberg

Johann Bernhard Graf von Rechenberg, was an Austrian diplomat and foreign minister.

In 1828 he went into the Austrian diplomatic service and was with the embassies in Berlin , London and Brussels.

The five years he was there during which he held the portfolio of foreign affairs and covered the war with Piedmont and France, the insurrection in Poland, the attempted reform of the German Confederation and the Austro-Prussian war with Denmark. After the defeat of Magenta, Rechberg accompanied the emperor to Italy, and he had to meet the crisis caused by a war for which he was not responsible. He began the concessions to Hungary and in the Polish question, and was responsible for the adhesion of Austria to the alliance of the Western Powers. In the German question Rechberg's policy was one of compromise. The project had been suggested to the emperor Franz Joseph by his son-in-law, the hereditary prince of Thurn und Taxis, and the preliminary arrangements were made without Rechberg being informed. When at last he was told, he tendered his resignation, which was not accepted, and he accompanied the emperor to the abortive meeting at Frankfurt (August 1863). The attempt made by Rechberg at the subsequent ministerial conference at Nuremberg to establish a German league without Prussia was equally unsuccessful, and he now returned to the policy, which in opposition to Schmerling he had throughout advocated, of a peaceful arrangement between Prussia and Austria as the indispensable preliminary to a reform of the Confederation.

At this juncture the death of King Frederick VII of Denmark (15 November 1863) opened up the whole Schleswig-Holstein question. In the diplomatic duel that followed Rechberg was no match for Bismarck. It suited Austrian policy to act in concert with Prussia against Denmark; but Rechberg well knew that Bismarck was aiming at the annexation of the duchies. He attempted to guard against this by laying down as a condition of the alliance that the duchies should only be separated from Denmark by common consent of the two German powers. Bismarck, however, insisted that the question of the ultimate destination of the duchies should be left open; and, when he backed his argument with the threat that unless Austria accepted his proposal Prussia would act alone, Rechberg gave way. His action was made the object of violent attacks in the Austrian Lower House, and when the war was victoriously concluded and Prussia's designs on the duchies had become evident, public opinion turned more and more against him, demanding that Austria should support the Duke of Augustenburg even at the risk of war. Rechberg yielded so far as to assure the duke's representative at Vienna that Austria was determined to place him in possession of the duchies, but only on condition that he did not sign away any of his sovereign rights to Prussia. The outcome of this was that the duke refused the terms offered by King William and Bismarck.

On 22 August there was a meeting of the emperor Franz Joseph and King William, both Rechberg and Bismarck being present. Rechberg himself was in favor of allowing Prussia to annex the duchies, on condition that Prussia should guarantee Austria's possession of Venice and the Adriatic coast. On the first point no agreement was reached; but the principles of an Austro-Prussian alliance in the event of a French invasion of Italy were agreed upon. This latter proposal was, however, received with violent opposition in the ministry, where Rechberg's influence had long been overshadowed by that of Schmerling; public opinion, utterly distrustful of Prussian promises, was also greatly excited; and on 27 October Rechberg handed in his resignation, receiving at the same time the Order of the Golden Fleece from the emperor as a sign of special favor. He had been made an hereditary member of the Upper House of the Reichsrat in 1861, and as late as 1879 continued occasionally to take part in debates. He died at his chateau near Vienna on 26 February 1899.

f

2011-05-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Our Newest
Member Of Staff

We would like to introduce our new Office Manager, Sharon Milner to our ever expanding team.

Sharon comes from a printing background with managing a design studio over in Milton Keynes and has come highly recommended. She has now been with us for over 3 months and has settled in well to the Fresh philosophy of 'design & print the way it should be '

Im sure you'll hear more about Sharon over the next few months and wish her all the best in her new role.

If you want to talk to Sharon then give her a call on 01296 489998

If you want to find out how Fresh can help your business then give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

2011-05-03T09:11:00.000-07:00

QR Codes

What are they and how will they be used?

You may have seen random signs like a bar code getting onto your breakfast cereal packaging or on a leaflet that comes through your door, this unique symbol is called a QR code (short for Quick Response) and is a specific matrix barcode (or two-dimensional code), readable by dedicated QR barcode readers and camera phones. The code consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background.

QR codes store addresses and URLS and appear in magazines, on signs, buses, business cards, or on just about any object about which users might need information. Users with a camera phone equipped with the correct reader application can scan the image of the QR Code to display text, contact information, connect to a wireless network or open a web page in the phone's browser. This act of linking from physical world objects is known as a hardlink or physical world hyperlinks

Over the next year we predict that more businesses will be adopting these codes as part of their marketing brand to promote themselves as an ingenious new way to attract a younger digital generation to buy their products.

Try scanning the above QR code and see where it takes you, you will need to download the free app for your phone first, browse your app store under QR readers then scan it, its easy and you will see how useful they will be.

If you want to find out how QR Codes can help your business then give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

f

2011-04-24T02:21:00.000-07:00

Twitter helps investors

predict the stock market

The millions of messages sent daily via Twitter can help predict moves in the Dow Jones by signalling sentiment, researchers at Indiana University and the University of Manchester have found.

By scouring tweets for key words and analyzing them using an algorithm they developed to define the mood of Twitterers, Johan Bollen, Huina Mao and Xiao-Jun Zeng said they were able to predict the daily up and down movements of the Dow during a period in 2008 with 87 percent accuracy. Now they are testing whether their results can be applied to real-time data.

“So far we have observed that some of the parameters may change over time but that our conclusion that Twitter mood data can predict fluctuations in the stock market will stand,” said Indiana University’s Bollen in an e-mail interview. “We feel that we have merely uncovered the tip of the proverbial iceberg.”

The research suggests that Twitter analysis could provide a cheap way to improve results of other computer models that use news events and other publicly available data to anticipate how investors will act. The data may even predict to some extent the magnitude of stock market moves, Bollen said.

f

2011-04-06T09:11:00.000-07:00

Our Chosen Charity

Of The Year

We have always liked to help local charities as much as possible and this year is no exception, as designers and printers we are in an ideal position to help, so when we were asked to help support local charity Wheelpower to help raise awareness and funds we thought this would be a great way to show how we could help and save Wheelpower some money as well.

We are always inundated with appeals but we have always said that we can only support one charity per year and after some careful thought it was Wheelpower that we wanted to support the most.

For our part we will be supporting the Tour De Vale Bike Ride event which will be happening in June, with all the promotional material which includes 50,000 leaflets, vinyl banners, race numbers, route signs, posters and flags.

We will have a strong contingent at the event on the day to help support the event, so please help support a great charity and have some fun at the same time as well, click on the link below to find out more about the event.

http://www.wheelpower.org.uk/WPower/index.cfm/featured/mix-96-tour-de-vale-bike-ride/

If you would like to find out how Fresh can help your business then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2011-03-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

Fresh launches its

2 New Radio Adverts

After months of creative input into our new radio adverts they will now be aired starting Wednesday 30th March, if you want a sneak preview then click on the links below.

We are launching a campaign on Mix 96 to drive home our message of 'Design & Print The Way It Should Be'.

Have a listen and see what you think and let us know any feedback.

http://www.freshdps.co.uk/mix_96_adverts/fresh_design_and_print_car_654.mp3

http://www.freshdps.co.uk/mix_96_adverts/fresh_design_and_print_generic_remake.mp3

f

2011-03-04T09:49:00.000-08:00

'Licence To Print Money'

Ever wondered where some of the popular sayings come from and what they mean? Well over the next few weeks we thought we would explore some of our industries sayings and meanings and where they come from.

This weeks it is the saying 'Licence To Print Money', read below and learn about its origin and impress your friends next time you go out for a drink.

Roy Herbert Thomson, 1st Baron Thomson of Fleet GBE

(June 5, 1894 – August 4, 1976) was a Canadian newspaper

proprietor and media entrepreneur.

Roy Herbert Thomson was born in Toronto, Ontario.

During World War I, Roy Thomson attended a business college, and owing to bad eyesight he was rejected by the army. He went to Manitoba after the war to become a farmer, but was unsuccessful. Thomson travelled to Toronto again, where he held several jobs at different times; one of which was selling radios.

In 1934, Thomson acquired his first newspaper. With a down payment of $200 he purchased the Timmins Daily Press, in Timmins, Ontario. He would begin an expansion of both radio stations and newspapers in various Ontario locations in partnership with fellow Canadian, Jack Kent Cooke.By the early 1950s, he owned 19 newspapers and was president of the Canadian Daily Newspaper Publishers Association, and then began his first foray into the British newspaper business by starting up the Canadian Weekly Review to cater to expatriate Canadians living in Britain.

Thomson’s ancestors were small tenant farmers on the estates of the Dukes of Buccleuch at Bo'ness, in the parish of Westerkirk, Dumfriesshire, Scotland.Thomson himself made the decision to move to Edinburgh where in 1952 he purchased The Scotsman newspaper.

In 1957, he launched a successful bid for the commercial television franchise for Central Scotland, named Scottish Television, which he was to describe as a "licence to print money". In 1959 he purchased the Kemsley group of newspapers, the largest in Britain, which included The Sunday Times. Over the years, he would expand his media empire to include more than 200 newspapers in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. His Thomson Organization became a multinational corporation, with interests in publishing, printing, television, and travel. In 1966, Thomson bought The Times newspaper from members of the Astor family.

In 1964 he was made Baron Thomson of Fleet.In order to receive this title, it was necessary for Thomson to acquire British citizenship, as the Canadian government had made it common practice since 1919 to disallow the conference of titular honours from the Canadian Monarch on Canadians. However, the Canadian Citizenship Act between 1947 and 1977 stated that any Canadian who became a citizen of another country through means other than marriage would cease to be a Canadian citizen. Thus, Thomson lost his Canadian citizenship in the process.

In the 1970s, Thomson joined with J. Paul Getty in a consortium that successfully explored for oil in the North Sea.

A modest man, who had little time for pretentious displays of wealth, in Britain he got by virtually unnoticed, riding the London Underground to his office each day. Nonetheless, he made his son Kenneth promise to use the hereditary title that he had received in 1964, if only in the London offices of the firm.

Thomson died in London in 1976. At the time of his death, his son Kenneth Thomson became chair of Thomson Corporation and inherited the baronial title becoming the 2nd Baron Thomson of Fleet. With the Thomson operations now principally again in Canada, the younger Thomson did not use his title in Canada though he did so in Britain, and used two sets of stationery reflecting this dichotomy. In any case, as the peerage title he had was inherited, it did not debar him from retaining his Canadian citizenship, and he never bothered to take up his right to a seat in the pre-1999 House of Lords.

Thomson died in London and a plaque was placed in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral.

f

2011-02-14T09:17:00.000-08:00

Cinram - The Rebrand -
Fast, Effective Solutions

With time running out to get their rebranded marketing material produced, Cinram turned to Fresh for help. With only days to spare before launching their new brand identity at an exhibition, Fresh had to produce Pop Up Banners, Full colour brochures, data sheets, business cards and other literature in 2 days.

With the artwork coming from Canada and timeline difference of 5 hours, proofing wasnt easy but with only minutes to spare Fresh delivered it all into Central London as well.

The point to this story is who else in the area could produce all the these different solutions in-house, ontime and to a high spec.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh stated 'It was a bit hairy at times and the whole team sweated a lot to make it achievable, but we managed it, we co-ordinated it brilliantly but it helps that we can do all of these different print solutions all in-house and that we have total control over the job as there are still a lot of design & print companys out there saying they are producing it in-house when in fact they have not got the equipment or expertise and sending it out.'

So if your looking for fast effective design & print solutions for your business that are all produced in-house the call Fresh on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk/

2011-02-07T08:46:00.000-08:00

Is this the Death of a Salesman?

Have you tried
e-marketing?

Over the last 2 years we have seen a massive increase in the number of clients that now use us for their e-marketing campaigns, with the economic climate looking like a bumpy road to recovery more and more businesses are looking for better value for money marketing than the usual mediums of press and radio advertising.

What our customers have found by using e-marketing to stay in touch with their existing clients and to generate new leads is a cost effective sales tool that brings an excellent success rate on their return of investment.

Our clients include some very big names around the Vale and all have had success with us.

Andy Gerlack said ' This is the easiest way of staying in touch with your existing customers and not hassling them at the same time, people dont want to be bombarded with sales calls and this is perfect for letting them know your offers and your news in an easy informal approach, from as little as £100.00 you could send out up to 2000 email addresses and the report you get back can help so much in generating new sales leads.

Gareth Davis for GES said ' We started using Fresh for our e-marketing because we believed that this is the future of keeping your existing clients informed and letting them know what else you could do. Its given us a new dimension to generate very hot leads and convert them quicker by the results who opened and how many times they opened, its been a great sales tool for us.'

So with the increase in e-marketing and the need for good, cost effective marketing could this be the 'death of the salesman'

If you would like to find out more about how e-marketing can help your business then book into our business surgery on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

f

2011-02-02T09:44:00.000-08:00

Websites R US

Exactly!! We are the first to admit that we are not renowned for doing websites but just recently since we launched back in the summer we have taken on 7 already, 3 of them are about to launch and we will show you the results.

We have always prided ourselves on being creative and design focused and the websites we have produced thus far endorses this. With this in mind we will be launching our new website early in the spring as its being worked on at the moment. But perhaps this the perfect time for us all to look at our own websites with the increase in social networking and online shopping everyone is spending more time looking at sites.

Try to put your customers shoes on and look for your product or service and see if it is easy to find and then see once on it if it presents itself in its best light and is easy to navigate, websites dont have to be a costly exercise to look good and functional as our team here can talk you through it and make it easy if you have an existing one already or you have to have a new one.

Have a look at a couple that we have already launched.

http://www.momentousmoving.com/

http://www.freshdps.co.uk/pool/

Give us a call for a chat to find out how we can help your existing website or a brand new one on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us on hello@freshdps.co.uk

f

2011-01-24T08:30:00.000-08:00

Fresh put their best foot forward

Fresh are now the proud sponsors of Bucks CC U14 FC, with their new kit the team look nice and Fresh!

"We have to say thanks to Fresh for this, it’s great news and hopefully we will be able to have a really successful season" said Steve Short, Team Manager.

The team always goes out fighting for the win and show great determination to do their best, which makes the partnership so unique.

To follow the teams success go to http://www.bucksccfconline.co.uk

"The team are great to watch, and winning a lot of games, they have every chance of winning some trophies this year. Success breeds success and Fresh are proud to be part of the Bucks CC U14." commented Kevin Brook, Director, Fresh.


The proud team, Kevin Brook and team managers

If you want to find out how we can help your business to be a success then contact us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or send us an email at hello@freshdps.co.uk

2011-01-17T08:35:00.000-08:00

A Momentous Rebrand

When it comes to challenges this rebrand project has to be the biggest for us to date.

Baxters International Removals wanted to update their identity for the new year and asked Fresh to come up with some ideas with only eight weeks before the official launch.

But this was only the beginning of the challenge - once the logo was decided upon, Fresh also won the business for the marketing programme. This involved the design and production of the exterior signage for all the buldings and the vehicle liveries for the whole fleet of lorries, trailers and cargo containers. It also included producing all the stationery, brochures, folders and forms, a brand new website and an e -marketing campaign! All this had to be ready for the January launch.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh says, " This was an exceptional challenge to meet and where else could one business organise and produce all of these different solutions? This has been one amazing project and I am so pleased with the results."

Simon Osborne, Group Managing Director of Momentous said " Andy and his team at Fresh were exceptional in every department, their attention to detail and their problem solving have been amazing. I would totally recommend them to anybody. They rose to a momentous challenge!"

If you would like to find out more about Momentous then visit them at

www.momentousmoving.com

If you would like to know what Fresh can do for your business then visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

f

2011-01-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

Not B2B but P2P

I went to a breakfast meeting a couple of weeks ago and got talking to some regular clients of mine who were there and they were talking about how their business is now more focused on B2B ( business to business) rather than relying on the public. I argued the point that all sales focus for new clients or business' should be more P2P ( people to people).

We all know the old saying that people buy from people and this is completely true. Sales & Marketing is about knowing your audience and interacting with them. Knowing what people want to know and encouraging them to interact with your brand is essential to building loyalty and should never be overlooked. As pro-active as we are we accept that our clients will always know more about their product, but it is our job to know the people and build the relationship and loyalty.

Somewhere along the way a lot of us have undervalued good old fashioned values of service and I find this remarkable as the best way to sell your product or service in the best light is the to sell yourself in its best light and then half the battle is won.

So I told my client that not to use these buzzwords but be more personal, be interested and also interesting and then you wont go far wrong.

If you would like to find out how we can help your business then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

f

2011-01-05T08:48:00.000-08:00

Fresh Hemel is now 1

Well how time flies, here we were last year telling you about how we were going to expand and have another branch in Hemel Hempstead and low and behold here we are celebrating our first year there.

It has been an exceptional year for us and we could not have done it without the businesses of Hemel seeing what we have to offer and liking it, so we would just like to say a big thank you for all of our Hemel clients for giving us the opportunity to be your first choice design & print provider.

You can expect more from us in this coming year and some exciting news in the Springtime as well.

If you would like to find out how we can help your business then call us on 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

We look forward to seeing you all very soon. Thank you once again.

f

2010-12-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our customers, thank you for your valued business this year,

it is very much appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you all in the New Year.

from all the team at Fresh

2010-12-20T04:36:00.000-08:00

Fresh recognised by Dacorum Community Trust & Connect Dacorum

Its always nice to be recognised when helping companys or a charity or a school. Over the past year we have been working with Adeyfield School in Hemel Hempstead and their students for the DENS charity.

We have always strived to help schools, charities and local businesses as much as possible so when Adeyfield School came to us for help we were able to offer our services.

Adeyfield School were so pleased, that they nominated us for recognition at an awards dinner held at Pendley Manor earlier this month where we picked up a certificate of appreciation from Councillor Roger M. Taylor who is Mayor of the Borough of Dacorum.

The event marked an eventful year for us in the Dacorum where our Hemel Hempstead office has been winning customers and friends and awards in its first year.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh said ' Its been a great first year for us in Hemel Hempstead, we have established ourselves over here when nobody knew us and have some exceptional clients here that we are proud to work with, the next year will be even more exciting and I look forward to helping more businesses over here and showing them what Fresh can do, this award for us caps off what has been a great year in Hemel.

The picture is of Andy Gerlack receiving the award from The Mayor of the Borough of Dacorum.

2010-12-15T08:25:00.000-08:00

Fresh Invest in New Xerox Digital Press

Only 2 years old and its out with the old and in with the new! Fresh have said goodbye to their colour and mono digital machines and said hello to their new technology.

Fresh have taken delivery of a new Xerox 700 Digital Colour Press and a hi-speed mono 4127 digital machine. Within a day, the new machines were in, set up and printing to the new high standard.

Their new colour press will do up to 70 colour prints a minute and onto a maximum of 300gsm. With greater colour management they are able to match colours more accurately giving their clients a cost effective solution for short run colour. With the increase in speed and quality Fresh are at the top of their game for digital colour printing.

The new hi-speed mono machine does an impressive 125 mono prints per minute and gives them more control on how jobs are built together and printed, saving time on extra finishing, in turn meaning again Fresh are able to produce their work in a quicker turnaround in this ever demanding world.

Kevin Brook, Director said 'This is a great message to tell our existing and new customers that Fresh are committed to quality and service. I have been in the industry for 15 years and seen the quality of these machines just get better and better, which echoes our strapline 'Design & Print The Way It Should Be.'

If you would like more information on either of these machines or would like a demonstration then please call Fresh on 01296 489998 and ask for Kevin.

2010-11-22T08:01:00.000-08:00

Its Nice That

Heres a little rant from our designers, so be patient with us, we all know that creative people can have a tendency to be..... well lets say creative in their thoughts and processes.

So I was with a couple of my old college designer friends last week and we were discussing the word 'nice' and how it crops up into any conversation about design. I never knew that as a creative bunch, designers could be so touchy about a word but when asked about it they said that it should be removed from the dictionary or disected and tortured until it was screaming for mercy until it wasnt 'nice'.

Why is a word hated so much by designers? the answer is that it means nothing when a client describes work, all designers need feedback good or bad for some direction but 'nice' is a sit on the fence answer and is guaranteed to enrage. They felt it was a lazy way of describing and a get out used for the english language.

This is also the case in different circumstances, like if you are having a meal cooked for you and you say that it is 'nice' then how does that make the cook feel, neither here nor there I suspect or if you are trying on a new outfit and your partner says 'its nice' then does this really help?

So try it next time and see, perhaps we are living in too much of a PC world where people are too scared to criticise, so next time you hear yourself saying the word, take a minute and think what you would like to really say and lets hope its not 'nice.'

If you want to find out more about Fresh then email us on hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

f

2010-11-08T12:23:00.000-08:00

GES - The Rebrand

Over the last couple of years we seem to have become the rebrand specialists, we have done quite a few now and each time the result of the before and after are spectacular.

Most companies want to sharpen their image a bit after a few years as we all know things go in and out of fashion and a companys image can start to look a bit tired and stagnant.

So a year ago we were called into to pitch our company to start a rebrand campaign for General Environmental Services, we won the pitch and we embarked on a complete rebranding campaign over the year, firstly we had to pitch our creative design and it was this part that impressed. From their on in we came up with a complete brand identity that would work across all mediums. It ranged from simple business cards to vehicle livery to internal and external signage and brand awareness for an e-shot as well and just recently a complete exhibiton stand from scratch

The results were incredible and the clients extremely pleased with the results, so much so that they then asked us to rebrand their sub-divisions GES Technology and GES Air,

Gareth Davis from GES commented, " We wanted to have a consistent, contemporary brand identity that showed our clients what we are about, from the moment we met Fresh we knew we had picked the right company, they have given us an identity that we are all proud of, they managed the whole project from start to finish without fuss and would recommend them to anyone as the service was first class. We had many design companys pitch to us but it was Freshs' creative approach that impressed us the most."

So if your businees needs to have a look at its image again then give us a call on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

Below is the finished result of a careful, creative rebranded logo.

2010-11-05T10:29:00.000-07:00

Which comes first Sales or Marketing?

As a design, print and marketing company we speak to a lot of businesses who see the value of marketing but aren’t yet ready to invest in it without seeing sales first. This is like the old story of the chicken and the egg.

You might have the best product in the world, but how will any one know if you don’t market it? You might put it on your website.Tell someone about it at a networking event. Word of mouth marketing. Maybe use social media to talk about it, but without marketing it in the right way then it will fail.

We understand that you need to see a return on the investment, but marketing doesn’t have to be last on the list and can help generate the sales it needs. The key is doing regular activity and remembering that results will not always been seen immediately. That first egg had to be incubated for a while before hatching and being a chicken.... just a thought next time you think you should be cutting your budgets.

f

2010-10-16T00:09:00.000-07:00

Fresh Blog
Nominated For Award

We have been nominated for an award for our blog and we need your votes, we are in the category of Best Blog Design for the Blogger Choice Awards. If you like what we write about then please take the time to vote, it takes about 2 minutes and we have detailed simple instructions below for you all to make it easier as well. We will be eternally grateful to you for this.

Follow the link below, but print out these instructions first to make it simpler.

http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/100086/?utm_source=bloggerschoiceawards&utm_medium=badge&utm_content=bestblogdesign

Then click sign up

Add all your details

You will then get an email in your inbox confirming your email address in this link, click on this

Go to Best Blog Design on the sidebar and we should be on Page 2 then click vote.

Many Thanks in advance for helping us

f

2010-10-08T03:34:00.000-07:00

Now WE Are 2!!

Yes today we are 2 years old and how the time has flown by. It has been a tough 2 years due to the economic climate but we have grown from strength to strength.
We would like to thank all our customers and suppliers with whom we wouldnt be so sucessful, so thank you all.

Our strapline 'Design & Print The Way It Should Be' is as relevant now as when we first started, with us setting out to be the most creative, excellent on quality and service, competitive, friendliest design & print company to deal with.

Over the last year we have increased our services and are now established as web designers and e-marketeers, we have increased our team who are now part of the Fresh family and our Hemel Hempstead office is now making its mark in the area as well.

For the forthcoming year, we will be adding another Fresh service and there will be more surprises in the New Year, so keep checking back to the blog to find out the latest Fresh news.

Lastly, our blog has been nominated for our first award which is in Best Blog Design category on The Bloggers Choice Awards website, we need your votes, if you like what we do and for what we stand for then please take the time to vote, the link and the instructions are below, it takes about 2 minutes and we will be eternally grateful for your vote

Once again, thank you all for your support and we look forward to seeing you all in our 3rd year.

The link to vote for us is:

http://bloggerschoiceawards.com/blogs/show/100086/?utm_source=bloggerschoiceawards&utm_medium=badge&utm_content=bestblogdesign

1.Then click sign up
2.Enter all details
3.Go to your inbox
4.Follow the link in your inbox
5.Go to Best Blog Design In sidebar
6.Go to page 2 and find us and click vote

Many Thanks

f

2010-09-17T23:36:00.000-07:00

It Pays to Give

We thought we would tell you the story of Pendley Manor Hotel at Tring, just recently they ordered branded pens, pencils, logo bugs and usbs as giveaway items for their existing and potential clients.

When we went to talk to Pendley they had not done any promotional givewaways before and after a breakfast meeting, we persuaded them why it is not a waste of money and here are the key things to remember about when looking for a giveaway item.

1. Make sure it is an item that you yourself would use.
2. Look for longevity in the product.
3. Look and try for something different.
4. Make sure you have enough room for your company name and website address.
5. Make sure it fits in with your brand.
6. Try to make it a talking point - an ice breaker.
7. Use a good quality item that will not break easily.
8. Do not forget your existing clients when giving them out.
9. Always leave something behind after every meeting.
10. Have the essentials always in stock to give out, ie jotter pads and pens.

The reasons behind giveway items is not rocket science, its all about pushing your company brand, and spreading the word SUBTLY, there are no statistics on ROI for this but what you will create is a reputation for not taking your existing clients for granted and for potential clients to show that you want to work with them and for thanking them for their time in meeting you so you can introduce your company.

Yes we all know its blatant branding and advertising but in todays world can you afford not to have your company noticed.

If you would like to see what promtional items we can offer, then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

If you want to find out more about Pendley Manor Hotel then visit them at http://www.pendley-manor.co.uk/

Bucks County Show

2010-08-26T04:48:00.000-07:00

Fresh - Best In Show

For the Annual Bucks County Show Fresh have been helping to provide all the tickets, judging cards and pass hangers for the event as well as promotional material to make sure the day is a success. Bucks County Show have been a customer of Fresh since we started so its great to see them keeping their association with us.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh stated 'Im very proud that Fresh has been involved in such a long standing successful event in Aylesbury, and I hope long may it continue.'

The Bucks County Show is still one of the biggest one day Agricultural Shows in the Country. The Show includes the best of British Livestock along with over 60 Equestrian classes. Also held at the event are Vintage tractors, Food Hall, Home & Garden Marquee, Rural Craft Marquee, over 180 Trade Stands and lots more attractions for the all the family and attracts over 100,000 visitors.

If you want to find out more about the Bucks County Show then visit www.buckscountyshow.co.uk

If you want to find out how Fresh can help your business then visit www.freshdps.co.uk or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2010-08-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

Not just a local printer!

For every printer their bread butter work is always print and here at Fresh this is no exception, we have taken it further to designing, printing and distributing.

For the past 3 months, we have been branding a new golf course that has been built in Guildford, part of that marketing strategy was to print and distribute over 200,000 leaflets to households in the surrey area.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh stated ' Being part of this exciting venture in Guildford has shown that the UK is a small place and that being a printer isnt just about concentrating on your local area, we managed this job from start to finish and the leaflet distribution went very smoothly indeed and the marketing is already working for them.'

Gordon Grandison from Clandon said, ' Fresh have been fantastic, they have taken all the hassle out for us and the increase in players per day has increased enormously because of it, so I can only say thank you to Andy and his team at Fresh for such a good job.'

If you would like to find out more about Clandon Golf Club then visit www.clandongolf.co.uk

If you want to find out Fresh can help your business then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or vist us at www.freshdps.co.uk or 01442 345088 or call us on 01296 489998

2010-08-10T09:01:00.000-07:00

Fresh Sponsors GES Water in Thame 10K run

Just recently we thought we would help out one of our clients,Ges Water, as 3 of their employees were running in the Thame 10k run, it was the hottest day of the year when it took place but all 3 of the Team GES ran and completed the course and all in excellent times.

For our bit we printed the t-shirts that they were to wear on the day and as you can see by the picture all 3 were proud to wear them although perhaps not having their names shouted at them every time they went past someone.

So we would just like to say a Big Fresh Well Done To Mark, Mags and Ian for raising lots of money for charity too.

If you would like to find out more about GES Water then visit www.ges-water.co.uk/

If you want to know how Fresh can help your business then visit www.freshdps.co.uk or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us at 01442 345088 or 01296 489998

2010-07-26T07:55:00.000-07:00

Kerry joins Team Fresh

We would like to welcome our newest member of staff to join Team Fresh. Kerry joins our customer service team fresh into the industry and is looking forward to the challenge.

After numerous applicants for the job Kerry stood head and shoulders above the rest, with her bright bubbly personality and enthusiasm and her ambition she met our criteria perfectly. So look out for our newest star as we predict big things from her.

If you would like to know more about us then visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us at 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2010-07-23T05:46:00.000-07:00

Match made in Digital Mono Heaven

For the 2nd year running Fresh has won the tender to produce the pricing schedules to the building trade for NSR Management. The job entails us to produce 1/2 million black and white digital copies which are then collated and perfect bound to meet a deadline for circulation by the 1st August.

The job itself throws up an interesting perspective as most of the paper is preprinted with a copy void diagram on it which when if recopied shows an illegal copy made all across the paper.

Kevin from Fresh said ' We have a very High-spec digital mono machine that has the capability of producing High-speed, quality mono prints, combined with years of experience it was a match made in digital heaven for us to produce this job as the machine just gobbles it up, if there was ever a job for this machine this is it.'

If you want to find out more about NSR Management then go to www.nsrmanagement.co.uk/

If you would like to know what Fresh can do for your business then go to www.freshdps.co.uk or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 0r 01442 345088

2010-07-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

Fresh Ticks Every Box With Friars Square

Fresh have recently won the design pitch for the summer campaign for Friars Square Shopping Centre. After being given the opportunity to show their creative design flair Friars Square chose Fresh to deliver the campaign which will involve an e-shot, 38,000 leaflets with distribution, pop up stands and the design to accompany it.

Kevin Brook from Fresh said "Its a great opportunity to show Friars Square how creative we can be with a simple but effective design, it is also a pleasure working with yet another local client".

Gill Perrottet from Friars Square Shopping Centre commented "I have used Fresh dps for a number of one off jobs in the past and have always been impressed with the speed and quality of service. It is because of this that when I needed some quick creative ideas for our summer campaign that my first port of call was Fresh.

I was delighted with the ideas they came up with and the service was second to none. Fresh are now producing our whole creative suite for the summer campaign. They have also risen to the challenge of outsourcing additional services to deliver the whole marketing package asked of them – and at such short notice – very impressive. I will definitely be returning to Fresh dps"

For your chance to see what Fresh produced then visit Friars Square Shopping Centre or visit www.friarssquareshopping.com for a chance also to win £2,000.00 in vouchers.

To see what Fresh can do for your business then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-07-07T05:58:00.000-07:00

Fresh to expand its sales/customer service team

Fresh are going to expand its customer service/sales team next month. With the success of both branches doing very well it is time to grow the Fresh team further. We will keep you posted on the successful candidate/s later on.

2010-07-04T10:47:00.000-07:00

Fresh Sponsors

Calibre Audio Library

in The Red KIte Ramble

On the hottest day of the year Fresh sponsored the team of walkers from Calibre Audio Library on the Annual Red Kite Ramble.

After working with Calibre for the last 6 months it was a chance for us to give something back and help raise some money.

Andy Gerlack from Fresh said 'We have a good partnership with Calibre and we like to help local charitys raise money wherever we can, I heard the team did tremendously well in the heat and raised £400 which is great.'

The team of eight staff and volunteers completed the scenic route around the Chiltern countryside in their Fresh t-shirts, the money will go towards the recording of a new book for the audio library which is used by 19,000 visually impaired and dyslexic members.

If you want to find out more about Calibre Audio Library then visit www.calibre.org.uk

If you want to find how Fresh can help your business then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-06-06T11:49:00.000-07:00

Pride In Aylesbury Vale Awards

The 1st Pride In Aylesbury Vale Awards was held at The Civic Centre In Aylesbury where we were very proud to sponsor the Community Project Of the Year Award which went to Aylesbury Tennis Club for bringing tennis into more locations and encouraging youngsters to pick up a racket and try it.

The evenings special guest was Ricky Groves aka Gary from Eastenders who presented the evenings award ceremony, the nights entertainment also include as school jazz band from Turnfurlong School and a buffet dinner.

Kevin Brook, director of Fresh who presented one of the awards commented " Its a been a great evening and we are are proud to be a part of this, it has rewarded the real work that people dont get to see in the Aylesbury Vale area and it is really good to see them get recognised."

To find out how Fresh can help your business then call 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-06-02T11:21:00.000-07:00

Polly Joins the Fresh Design Team

We would like to introduce our new

designer to our team - Polly.

She will be joining us from June as a graduate from Bucks New University.

Polly is fully qualified on all software and also has experience working in a print environment. She loves a challenge so she will fit perfectly into Fresh's philosophy of finding the right solution for clients, she is highly creative and has had her work published in Adbusters magazine.

She joins a highly creative and ambitious design team that has won numerous design contracts and she says she cannot wait to get started.

For the month of July and August we are offering Pollys design services at half price so if you want to find out more about what Polly can do for your business then call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

2010-05-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome To Our Blog

Thank you for clicking through to our blog, on here you will find out what we have been doing for other clients, their comments and some great and useful links for you to enjoy, please explore the site and links and feel free to email us with any comments at hello@freshdps.co.uk

Thank you

f

2010-05-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

Fresh To Sponsor

'Pride In Aylesbury Vale Award'

As part of Fresh's philosphy of giving back and helping local projects we decided to sponsor one of the awards at the 1st Pride In Aylesbury Vale gala awards ceremony to be held at the Civic Centre on the 13th May.

The award that we will be sponsoring is the Community Project of The Year Award which is very dear to our hearts, as an Aylesbury based company with its roots firmly established it is nice to award a project or person that has improved its community.

Kevin Brook, director of Fresh commented " Its great that we can be involved and show our appreciation and give back something to our town, I dont think we shout enough about the good things that happen in our community and there are plenty of positives and good things about Aylesbury."

With the results being revealed this week, the gala event at the Civic Centre plans to be be a fun night with special guest Ricky Groves in attendance. If you would like to find out more then click the link below

http://www2.aylesburytoday.co.uk/pride2010/index.htm

If you would like to find how Fresh can help your business then call 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

f

2010-04-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Not just design and print - but pack and store too?

delivering the promise

In an age when printing companies have to be flexible in what they do, we at Fresh have, for over a year, been providing a solution for Bucks Primary Care Trust.

About 18 months ago we were printing some leaflets for the NHS when they encountered a problem, they had run out of storage space and had nobody to pack their male and female Chlymidia testing kits in Bucks. So not averse to finding a solution we went back to Bucks PCT and said we have the perfect solution – us. We were already doing fulfilment for other local businesses and this in fact was just as easy and simple but they required us to manage it for them as well.

So we came up with a process, just for the NHS, in maintaining stock levels and in taking care of the packing requirements and distribution, with an annual target of of 22,000 tests kits. It was quite a challenge, but Fresh not only succeeded with the initial order but the NHS were so impressed that they asked Fresh to continue as it had freed up so much of their time and made their department much more efficient.

Anne Downes who is the Clinical Lead of the Department said, 'The team at Fresh have amazed me; we had a problem that we couldn’t solve and along came Andy and his team and said “no problem, let us handle it” and we have never looked back. They have made it easy. I just call them now when I need some kits and they will despatch them for me. The fact that they were able to store as well, has been a great benefit to us, they are a great team,'

Andy Gerlack from Fresh stated ' Our strength is the experience of our team in finding the right solutions to help our clients, in our field we have to be flexible, we do everything else in house from print, copy, design and fulfil so why not store as well. Its just a natural progression. I’ve always said that we are different from other printers and designers and that’s why our strap line ' Design & Print The Way It Should Be ' always stands us in good stead because we always deliver what we promise.

If you would like to find out how Fresh can help your business then call 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

2010-04-14T01:37:00.000-07:00

Fresh Election Special

The Better Choice

With the forthcoming election coming up Fresh have been involved in one of the major battlegrounds for the election. In the Buckingham constituency there is a titanic battle gathering with an interesting point of view for the voting public. As Mr Bercow is the speaker of the House of Commons and holds the Buckingham constituency, it is parliamentry tradition that none of the major parties may contest his seat which as you can imagine makes it interesting for the electorate with so many independents coming forward. With this and the added boundary changes for the constituency it is becoming one of the key battles that could effect the outcome of who leads the country.

Over the last few months Fresh have been helping local independent candidate Patrick Phillips in his attempt to win over the voting public. With the campaign hotting up Fresh have been printing leaflets, posters, and will be embarking on another large mailshot of over 48,000 brochures that will be delivered throughout the Buckingham constituency.

Patrick who is standing as an Independent with conservative views commented "The situation at Buckingham is most unusual. Because the Speaker is, by parliamentary convention, not normally challenged by the main political parties the possibility existed last summer that unless an Independent were to stand against the Speaker in the forthcoming election the 70,000 odd voters of Buckingham would not have an opportunity to vote. I, therefore, decided last June to contest the seat and ensure this would not happen. As things have turned out a number of other candidates have now joined the contest as well and I decided I need to have a first rate team to work with in producing all my promotional election literature. I chose Fresh and I couldn't have made a better choice. From the start they have understood exactly what I needed and everything has been produced to the highest standard and on time. They have also been prepared to take on the logistics of working with the Royal Mail so I haven't had to worry about such things and could get on with campaigning. But not only are they efficient, they are nice people to work with."

Andy Gerlack stated. " Its been an interesting couple of months with Patrick and it has been an absolute pleasure working with Patrick and supporting him, the election throws up interesting stories like this and its great that we are involved at the forefront and look forward to seeing how much we have helped Patrick and we wish him good luck in the next few weeks.

If you would like to find out more about Patrick Phillips then visit: http://www.phillips4buckingham.co.uk/

If you would like to find out Fresh can help promote your company then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 489998 www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-03-16T14:39:00.000-07:00

A Guide To What Is Fresh -

NHS Patient Guide

Earlier in February we told you how we won our biggest pitch yet and we said we would show you what we did.

We were asked to design, print and deliver by the 8th March, 230,000 copies of a 28 page guide to local health services for NHS Buckinghamshire for distribution throughout Bucks, and now we can reveal how it looks.

For Fresh it was a chance to show how creative they could be whilst sticking to brand guidelines and also to show their print capabilities of what could be achieved. With design a key point to the guide as well as easy reference it was a challenge which Fresh relished and it clearly ticked all the right boxes from what they produced.

When asked why NHS Buckinghamshire had chosen Fresh for the project, Emily MacDonald explained:

"We initially asked three companies to provide quotes and design concepts for the design and print of this project and Fresh came out streets ahead of the competition.

We particularly liked their innovative and colourful ideas to fully integrate the visual identity of our Choose Well campaign, the messaging of which underpins the entire patient guide.

We are absolutely thrilled with the result and have had nothing but positive feedback so far. The team at Fresh have been an absolute joy to work with: positive, professional and patient."

Andy Gerlack from Fresh added, "I am proud of what we have done and it has been great to work with Emily and NHS Buckinghamshire on this project. I always knew we had the capabilities but it’s always nice to see it being put into practice. We have very strong beliefs in how we present ourselves and our work and we don’t want to be just another ordinary printer, which is why I believe that when we do present ourselves we can offer our clients a service that no one can match, so today is a great day for Fresh and I hope there will be many more. I would just like to say a heartfelt thanks to the team at NHS Buckinghamshire for giving us the opportunity to show them what we could do.”

So if you want to find out for yourselves why Fresh is so different and how they could help your business then call them on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 or email us on hello@freshdps.co.uk or visit us at www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-03-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Students Look

Forward

To New Planners

http://learning.royallatin.bucks.sch.uk/

Students at the Royal Latin School in Buckingham are to play an integral part in the design of the new student planners which will see Fresh embark on a new venture with the school. For Fresh, it is another way of being inventive and creative in design and print as this will be the third year running that they have created planners. With new schools coming on board each year Fresh said that they didnt want to take on too many at first but having created the planner for Quarrendon Secondary School before it became Aylesbury Vale Academy it has steadily grown each year and for this September they have limited it to 8 schools.

Fresh commented " This is a new way of getting our creativeness into schools, we offer them a completely bespoke planner, and all the schools which we have shown previous examples to, have completely believed in the product, for this year we have limited it to 8 schools as we dont want it to grow to big and let people down, we have a product on our hands that is wanted but cannot meet the demand which is a nice position to be in, we have a tried and tested system in place that will give these 8 schools a planner that their students will enjoy using."

The planners themselves consists of over 200 pages and goes to every student which is normally over a 1000 copies and is finished with it being coil bound which makes them virtually indestructable. Pictured in the link above is student council meeting with Andy Gerlack of Fresh.
If you would like to find out how Fresh can help your company then visit them at www.freshdps.co.uk or email them at hello@freshdps.co.uk or call them on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088

2010-02-26T07:15:00.000-08:00

30% increase in sales

in Fresh Hemel Hempstead

Our branch in Fresh Hemel Hempstead increased their sales from January by 30% with new customers coming each week and getting their very own Fresh experience. Considering we are supposed to be in a recession, clients have seized upon the opportunity to drive their marketing home with Fresh helping to provide the right solutions. Since Fresh set up in January the clients have been keen to see why Fresh are so different and its certainly working.

Andy Gerlack of Fresh stated "I am pleased with what we have done so far, the team have worked hard and deserve to be praised as we are a tight knit company and all have a determined attitude to succeed which is to the benefit of our clients."

Ian Swannel from Fresh added " Its great to see, people are now recognising our vans in Hemel and commenting on them, its fantanstic to see especially in a recession."

With other printing companys still closing their doors, Fresh keep ploughing on regardless.
Kevin Brook said. " Our strength is our flexibility to not only do print, but to copy, to design, to fulfil and ultimately deliver what we promise, which is why our clients stick with us."

If you want to find out what the Fresh experience is like then call us on: 01442 345088 or in our aylesbury branch: 01296 489998 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk www.freshdps.co.uk

2010-02-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

Doing Business Through Social Networking

http://twitter.com/Freshdps/

With the popularity of websites like Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, Bibo , LinkedIn and so on, the usage of social networking websites has sky rocketed in years. It is well known that social networking is the place where people can make new friends, share interests and ideas and do much more. The above said activities are common about the social networking websites while these websites are used for business promotion also. With directorys such as Twellow it is now easy to find and follow local businesses in your area and get to the key decision makers quickly cutting out the hierachy.

Business promotion was the basic idea based on which the social networking websites were launched. Anyone can utilize these social networking websites to their advantage if they own a business. However, traditionally, these social networking websites are development of friendships and online relationships.

The varied use of the social networking websites like Myspace for business promotion makes users stay longer in the websites, establishing groups and communities. These social networking websites provides opportunities for the users to make partnerships in business with the new friends.

Increasing the presence in the Internet is the key to success for any business. Anyone in business should build a big presence if they want to be found in the market. As social networking websites have much higher traffic than any other websites, all have a better chance of getting noticed if you get out there in those networking websites. It is impossible to find a better place other than these social networking websites to market your business among thousands of people.

Anyone who is into Internet marketing will be aware of the word ‘Backlink’. Yes, the technique of backlinks that is used to drive traffic to your website. These social networking websites are capable of providing effective backlinks to your websites. All you have to do is to create a profile that well describes your website and also include links to your website. Remember that the social networking websites are those which have huge number of visitors and the method of backlinks, if used properly can make traffic flow to your website.

If you ask any businessman, what is the key to a successful business? Most of them will have the answer that, “getting the customers trust us and believe in our products is the key to a successful business”. These social networking websites provide vital opportunities to create trust and loyalty among people. As these social networks involve long term relationships, it will enhance ones trust towards the other.

Any businessman cannot find a better place other than these social networks to promote his business. So if you are a businessman, get out there in any of the social networking websites and make the sale and start talking.

With marketing techniques evolving gone are the days when a simple leaflet drop would suffice, this will only have a small percentage of success but what it will do is build your image into a brand and make people aware of your existence so dont be disheartened by the success of a leaflet drop as this should be part of a long term campaign to build your name and brand.

Old school techniques are still as relevant today as yesterday and should not be discounted, referals are still the best way and always will be so the best way of getting these is by socialising, so embrace the new techniques, dont forget the old as their is an opportunity for us all to win business this way and stay in close contact with our clients as well.

Over the last few months we have seen more enquiries than ever asking us about e-shot campaigns, building brands and marketing strategys so businesses are starting to realise a long sustained campaign is the best way to keep their company growing profitably.

If you want to find out how Fresh can help you market your business effectively then call us on Aylesbury Office: 01296 489998 or Hemel Hempstead Office: 01442 345088
or email: hello@freshdps.co.uk http://www.freshdps.co.uk/

2010-02-13T03:53:00.000-08:00

Our New Website

Well its taken a while but it has been a busy first year, but we know we shouldnt neglect our website, its not quite finished yet as there are some little gems still to be added but we thought it was good enough to upload for you all to enjoy. Keep clicking back on it as there will be more happening on it soon. Any comments on it are all welcome, if there are any gliches or anything just use the contact us page and email us.

www.freshdps.co.uk

Thank you for looking. f

2010-02-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

Stop the Press

FRESH WINS ITS
BIGGEST PITCH YET!!!

Fresh pitched against 2 other design and print companys for the contract of designing and printing 230,000 copies of a 24 page booklet for distribution to most of the county of Bucks in February.

It came down to a design pitch challenge where the respected qualifiers had to come up with their own interpretation of the NHS book and one of their brand models that would represent itself inside it.

For Fresh it was a chance to show their creativity and their own unique style, and it clearly impressed.

We will keep you posted on the finished outcome and show you what the Nhs liked as well, so if you want to be part of the Fresh story then email us on hello@freshdps.co.uk or call us on 01296 489998 or 01442 345088 and you will experience 'Design & Print The Way It Should Be'

2010-01-18T13:21:00.000-08:00

SNOW JOKE

With the worst of the snow over, I think we are all glad to get back to normality. For companies trying to win business in a recession the snow was another headache to get over. Every customer we talked to was affected and felt that it was a hindrance we could have all done without.

With the green shoots of the economy starting to peer through lets all hope that the coming year is a prosperous one for us all. So good luck everybody and Happy New Year.

As for Fresh this coming year, you can expect to see our latest offers on our blog, as well as tax tips on helping your business from Graeme Catten our resident accountant and the first of our quarterly newsletters that will be online and in your mail as well.

We have exciting news coming from our Hemel branch already and some fantastic pitches that we have been winning lately that you will enjoy reading. We will also be interviewing some leading prominent business people that work in Aylesbury who will be giving the benefit of their knowledge to us all.

You will also see the launch of our new website next week, heres a sneak preview.

We welcome all feedback from our clients or if you have a view to express about your business in around in the Aylesbury and Hemel Hempstead areas then email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

The photo of the Clocktower was taken by local historian Karl Vaughan, author of Aylesbury Remembered, where you can see some fanstastic pictures of past and present. Click on the link http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=13002872097 or better still, buy the book as a gift for someone, it is available from www.amazon.co.uk

2010-01-05T09:48:00.000-08:00

OUR BIG NEWS!!!!

We would like to officially tell everyone that we have expanded and opened up a satellite office in Hemel Hempstead to compliment our existing services in the Aylesbury area. It will be based in Breakspear Park just off the M1 junction as you come into the town centre. We will be offering the same quality of service for getting your business noticed as our Aylesbury branch.

We would like to welcome you all to our new venture and will keep you updated of news and offers as well as all the latest case studies of local companys.

Just in case you need the details they are:

Suite F, Breakspear Park, Breakspear Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 4TZ

Tel: 01442 345088 email: hello@freshdps.co.uk

2009-12-24T01:08:00.000-08:00

So this is Christmas..........

As the song goes.... so what have we done?

Well hasn't the year gone quick and I would just like to thank all our clients for all their wonderful support throughout the year, your kind words and encouragement have been a source of comfort in what has been a difficult climate.

2009 was a milestone for us here at Fresh, as it was our first year and a steep learning curve for the 3 of us as Directors, we saw the business sustain and grow and meet our expected target for our first year, we have managed to get a new brand to the marketplace and show that it is here to stay, we have had to be flexible in what we offer our solutions and we pride ourselves on our service, problem solving and cost effectiveness which is why the strapline of ours 'design and print they way it should be ' will always be relevant for Fresh today and tommorrow.

We have added new services to our existing portfolio from design and print and can now offer e-marketing as well as websites and marketing campaigns. We have done complete rebrands and have blue chip clients in all the major sectors.

Our range of services can now cater for most marketing problems, whether it would be for something to giveaway to prospective customers, to being able to design, plan, print, finish, deliver a years campaign.

2010 looks to be an exciting year for Fresh with some big news in January to kick it off and some exciting pitches coming up to win business, so keep reading our blog and supporting us, we listen to all of your comments and take on board all feedback on how we can improve and tell us if there is something we should be offering as a service to you, we value your feedback.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Fresh

2009-12-20T04:23:00.000-08:00

A Month of Calendars

December is usually our quietest month of the year since everybody is thinking of Christmas Markets rather than Christmas Marketing, but this year the trend has bucked, back in October we started marketing Calendars more than Christmas Cards and the results were staggering. When we were all predicting a tough month due to the recession and the seasonal month in itself, we had a surprising month due to the amount of companys seeking to get their brand onto their clients desks or walls all year round.

Andy Gerlack commented ' In some respects I am not surprised because if I was on the other side of the fence then I would choose a calendar over a christmas card every day, this month alone we have seen new customers like Maxwell Swim Club, Mix 96, CH Morgan, Booker Tate and S-Com and OSG to name but a few come forward and seek help in getting themselves noticed for the coming year, we prefer to sell this service more than the christmas cards as that is a dying market whereas this is a very profitable fast growing sector'

The solutions that Fresh provided were all bespoke from wall calendars, desktop and totems, so for next year dont forget about that little thing that sits on your desk all year round just there in the background and think that could be YOUR company brand sitting in front of your customer.

2009-12-06T01:16:00.000-08:00

A NEW FRESH ARRIVAL

We would just like to say a big congratulations to Kevin and Marrianna on the safe arrival of their first child Keianna who was born on Monday 16th November at home at 14.44 and weighing 7 pound 9, mother and baby are both doing well. Photos will be shown soon (if we can prise them away from the proud father!) Congratulations to you both from all of us here at Fresh.

2009-11-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

NHS 'CHOOSE WELL' FOR THEIR CAMPAIGN

When the communications team for Buckinghamshire PCT NHS had to deliver a campaign to the public, it was aptly named 'Choose Well'. So who better to lead the campaign than us here at Fresh.

The campaign had to deliver the right message and achieve awareness, with only days before a launch event Fresh had to design and print, produce and deliver 40,000 brochures, 4 pop up roller banners, 250 bespoke leaflet dispensers, 5000 business cards and posters in a 5 day window which for any normal design and print company would have been unachievable.

What came about from Fresh was again making a brand like the NHS look professional, creative, and on the button in terms of here and now.

When asked why they chose Fresh, they said simply 'Fresh offer us a service that no one else can compete with, we have strived for a long time to find a local company that can offer us all of these products, and with such an exceptional service to match, they are our first choice as the design speaks for itself and they have made promoting this campaign much easier.'

Fresh delivered the campaign a day early, and Andy Gerlack from Fresh commented 'When the comms team chose us to do this campaign I thought this is a challenge but with the design capabilities that we have and the resources the team impressed me as well.This is what we are good at, making a whole campaign look easy.'

So with the NHS having to 'Choose Well' who could deliver a campaign for them, next time you need the whole design, print, manage, deliver package no can match Fresh.

Design & Print They Way It Should Be.

If you want to be part of the Fresh success story then call us on 01296 489998 or email us at hello@freshdps.co.uk

2009-11-13T14:53:00.000-08:00

Have a Fresh 'Festive Fun' Season

For the second year running, Fresh DPS have designed and printed the Festive Fun brochure for Aylesbury's Town Centre.

We have designed and printed 40,000 leaflets for this year's festivities to show off what Aylesbury can offer the community this coming season.

Gill Perrottet, Marketing Co-ordinator for Friars Square Shopping Centre Aylesbury said, " We use Fresh DPS as often as we can, whether it's for a quick turnaround on stationery or something more involved like the events book which require a full design and print service. It's important to support the local economy and this is a great local company offering a superb product and excellent customer service. I would definitely recommend them."

So for any design or print requirements please send your enquiries through to sales@freshdps.co.uk or give us a call today on 01296 489998. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

2009-11-04T09:30:00.000-08:00

Fresh Sponsors

Shortcuts Film Festival

As part of Fresh's philosophy of helping creativity, Fresh sponsored the 2nd Annual Shortcuts Film Festival.

It was an event where budding filmakers showcased their talent and showed a captive audience what Buckinghamshire has to offer.

There were four showcase events and screenings all over the County, and Fresh were proud to be associated with the festival.

Cliff Productions who host and stage the festival were excited by the material that they would be screening with festival Director Darren Cliff commenting, " This has been very hard to choose a winner from the exceptional standard of entries we have had".

The day at Aylesbury College was marked with a trade show in the afternoon before the screenings in which it gave the chance to see the creative flair from local businesses.

Fresh embarked on a branded popcorn holder with popcorn for everybody who attended the screenings and had rave comments about how stylish and different the holder was. Darren Cliff, the festivals Director said, " Fresh have worked to tight deadlines and delivered, and the popcorn holders were great."

Kevin Brook, Director of Fresh replied, " I would just like to say thank you to Cliff Productions for inviting us to help support the festival, when Andy, Ian and myself started Fresh we wanted to be different, this festival gave us the opportunity to do just that".

So if you want to find out more about Shortcuts Film Festival then visit: www.cliffproductions.co.uk/shortcuts

Or if you want to find out how we can transform your business then email us on: hello@freshdps.co.uk

2009-10-25T02:37:00.000-07:00

Open Day At Fresh

As part of our 1st birthday celebrations at Fresh, we held an Open Day for clients to thank them for their business so far. It was a chance to meet our team and see the full range of services Fresh has to offer.

The day was well attended and all enjoyed the informal atmosphere of the celebrations. Director Ian Swanell commented,"It's been a great day for us and for our clients as few of them had seen our facilities or met the whole team before this occasion."

With champagne and a guided tour on arrival, the day helped reinforce our friendship with clients.The winner of the free prize draw for a bottle of bubbly will be announced shortly.

After a very successful first year Director Kevin Brook said, " We're very pleased with the way the business has progressed, especially in light of the economic climate. Now we have the first year under our belt we aim to improve and expand on the services that we offer to maintain our position as the area's leading provider of new solutions for helping companies win and promote their business."

Many who attended were pleasantly surprised at how large the operation at Fresh is. One customer commented, " I am absolutley delighted to come today as I have always spoken to Fresh on the phone but now I have seen for myself how big they are and how much they can do.Their success doesn't surprise me."

Another added, "I've already experienced the excellent customer service at Fresh but, wow, there are so many aspects of their business that I was not aware of like the promotional giveaways and the huge exhibition stands. It's been enlightening to come and see for myself what they can do."

Director, Andy Gerlack reviewed the day by saying " What a great end to our first year.The feedback's been amazing and I have heard nothing but fantastic comments all day long. One client, however, summed it all up for me when they remarked, 'You make my company look good and you are so different.' That made me feel very proud as it is exactly what we strive to achieve. We always said we wanted to offer a service that sets us apart from our competition which is why our strapline is 'Design and Print The Way It Should Be.'

So, if you want to experience our success, call Fresh with your design and print requirements on 01296 489998 or email hello@freshdps.co.uk

2009-10-14T01:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to us

We are 1!!!

Happy Birthday to us.... Happy Birthday to us..

Well hasn't a year gone past quickly and what a year it has been.

May we take this opportunity to thank all our team at Fresh as they are the ones that make sure everything runs smoothly and have worked extremely hard in a difficult climate and deserve a big round of applause ( clap, clap )

We would also like to thank all of our clients whom there are many of and too long to list individually for all their support, advice and encouragement. We look forward to seeing you again in our 2nd year.

We would also like to thank our suppliers, as I know that being a supplier ourselves you hardly ever get a thank you. So here is a special big thank you to you all, you know who you are.

For part of our birthday celebrations we are having an Open Day on Friday 16th October from 3pm - 6-pm, it will be a chance for you to meet the rest of the team, see what we do and how, there will be refreshments and food provided and we would like to see as many of you there to help us celebrate.

As for our 2nd year you can expect us expanding on our services to you and some big news in the New Year.

So Thank You All.

2009-10-07T12:58:00.000-07:00

Waddesdon Manor commission Fresh to produce book

Most people wouldn't think of Fresh as book printers but Waddesdon Manor know that this is not the case.

In April, Director Andy Gerlack was approached by the Head Designer of Waddesdon Manor, Jane Cliffe, to produce a bespoke leather bound book with a presentation case for a dinner party hosted by Lord Rothchild to celebrate the Duc Du Choiseul Exhibition, which was held during the summer months.

After months of hard work, Fresh completed the project successfully and produced 200 paperback versions, which are now on sale in The Manor shop.

The hardback book was a masterpiece of craftsmanship using traditional leathers and bespoke gold foiling and marbling papers which enhanced the richness and quality of the printed pages inside.

Head Designer Jane Cliffe commented, " I was absolutely delighted by the quality and result of the workmanship and the attention to detail that went into this prestigious book. I am responsible for the design and standard of the finished article and I can honestly say that Fresh met my expectations completely and I want to thank all the team who endeavoured to make this such an easy project and into a work of art that is now also selling in the shop."

Director Andy Gerlack commented "When I was approached to do this project, I was immediately excited as I knew this would challenge us and stretch the experience of our team. I can safely say now that I am pleased with how it turned out as we all need to do things now and again to show what character we have and I now know that Fresh is and will be the most diverse design and printing company in this area. We have the most gifted and experienced team I have worked with and I am very proud of what we have achieved here. We are not renowned for this sort of project but if there is anybody who would like their book to be published but can't afford publisher's prices then WE are the alternative, just look at the results here."

So if you have written a book and would like to see it in print or you need just a small run then call Fresh on 01296 489998 or email hello@freshdps.co.uk

2009-10-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

FRESH COMPLETES BRANDING FOR

THE AYLESBURY VALE ACADEMY

After the successful design pitch to come up with a new logo and branding for Buckinghamshires first Academy, Fresh completed all the signage, stationery and project managed the installation of all the rebranding ready for the opening ceremony on September 7th.

The event marked a significant step in Fresh Design and Print Solutions progress to be Aylesbury's leading provider of design and print solutions and firmly established themselves as the new creative design talent locally.

Principal Jonathan Johnson singled out special praise for Freshs' support in his speech and paid a special thanks to Director Andy Gerlacks committment and management to the rebranding project.

Andy Gerlack commented " This a fantastic day for Fresh Design and Print Solutions as we knew we had the creative talent, the facilities and the team to make this a success. We have always said we are here to make design and print an enjoyable experience for our clients and I can assure you that this is not a one off but a culmination of hard work and determination from all of the team to be the best. What we have shown is that a local Aylesbury company can compete with bigger design agencies and printers and be successful as talent and hard work will always win through."

So if you are looking for a creative, friendly, affordable, design and print provider then call one of the Fresh team.

2009-10-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

Fresh success at Friars Square Shopping Centre

Fresh recently held a brand awareness day at Friars Square Shopping Centre, in which it gave their clients a chance to meet the team and find out what Fresh was about.

The day was marked with the town centre filled with Fresh balloons and director Kevin Brook commented ' today was all about getting out and showing everybody the Fresh brand, we are very proud of it and want to show our clients how we can help them get the most from their business. We have had a contstant stream all day of people wanting to know more about us, so for us a day like this makes it all a worthwhile exercise and I have no doubt we will be doing it again.

So if you want to know more about us and how we are different from all the other design and print companies then give us a call on 01296 489998 or visit us at:

www.freshdps.co.uk

2009-10-02T07:46:00.000-07:00

welcome to the fresh blog

hello this is us.

with a little trepidation

and a big dollop of honesty

we begin our blog.............

We want to welcome everybody to us, this will be a place for you to find out what we have been up to, to see our current offers and to have some Friday afternoon fun.

It is also a place where you can give us feedback, whether it be good or bad, and if you want to shout out about your own business and tell us of your achievements and success.

so come on we want to hear from you.