BAPC Leader Spring 2021

BAPC LEADER — SPRING 2021 19 While many printers were busy diversifying into making PPE and floor/wall signage as well other specialist products, some were additionally forging ever-closer associations with creatives. Over the years, Nutshell has helped a number of printers develop their own business generation plans, as well as white labelling its marketing and creative services to their customers. Now seemed the perfect time to extend such support to other printers with the launch of Nutshell Trade Services. Help is provided in two ways: • Strategic and tactical marketing support for printers’ own business development aspirations • Marketing and creative design services for printers’ customers campaigns and projects. “Printers, like so many other organisations, aren’t always very good at promoting themselves. So our first service offering is to help them devise strategies and campaigns that will not only gain them new customers, but will also increase awareness of the amazing innovations going on in this vibrant sector,” says Lucy Swanston, Managing Director of Nutshell, who adds: “Obviously, print will be at the heart of it!” Nutshell’s second offering sees it partner printers so they can enhance their service offering and secure new projects from clients and print buyers. A proven way for the agency’s creative and marketing expertise to really make a difference. “I remember reading an article a couple of years back claiming that printers weren’t marketers and decrying their offering ancillary services like marketing. The argument was ‘stick to your own lane’,” comments Lucy. “It seemed brutal at the time, but the reality is often that the only way that brands are going to see all the amazing and creative innovations coming out of the print industry is largely through their design agencies. And the truth is that unless these agencies are talking to their printers about more than just price, then it’s an opportunity wasted,” Lucy suggests. Covid-19 has created threats, but it has also created opportunity, Nutshell Creative Marketing has decided to seize the latter. Nutshell identifies critical market need The Nutshell Trade Services team, all experts in their field and have a passion for print. Managing Director Lucy Swanston (2nd from right)