Category Archives: Uncategorized

Five Important Lessons for Small Business Owners in 2023

With the new year in full swing, small business owners are turning their focus on their small business goals for 2023. But one of the most integral steps to determining your new goals is reflecting on the previous year’s lessons. Although your lessons learned might be catered to your specific niche, there are a few lessons we all share as business owners.

Business owner
Let’s make 2023 our best!

Expect The Unexpected

Since the pandemic, expecting the unexpected is a motto business owners have grown accustomed to. Challenges like staffing shortages and supply chain issues continue to make “returning to normal” a bit of a cliche for companies large and small.

However, the repetition of this lesson should maintain its impact on the year small businesses have experienced, and the intel garnered. Perhaps you were able to be more innovative than usual when production slowed, or a key member of your team resigned. Being a small business owner means it’s your job to anticipate anything and prepare for it. Still, without a crystal ball, you’ll need to reflect on your previous experiences and initiate proper contingency planning to reduce risk.

Take Immediate Action to Fix Business Problems

The adage: “Good news travels fast but bad news should travel faster” rings true. Just as swiftly, taking action to fix any problems should follow. Many business owners tend to wait until the problem becomes a real crisis before taking action.

Adopt the concept of approaching your business with proactive vigilance. Keep tabs on every aspect of your business, key performance indicators (KPIs), and baseline for comparison to help predict a possible challenge and have a solution ready.

Create a Diversified Marketing Strategy

With the continual rise of social media and the decline of print advertising, one of the biggest challenges small business owners face is finding the best ways to market their small businesses. The lesson learned is that one marketing strategy most likely won’t move the needle.

Knowing who your customer is and how to serve them will help you determine the best small business marketing strategy moving forward. You may decide this is the year you finally engage with your email list, invest in Facebook ads, or build a following on Instagram. Whatever the plan, this year has proven that it must be diversified.

Customer Service Matters Most

It might sound like a no-brainer, but customer service remains one of the most critical aspects of a small business. It impacts everything from brand image and customer loyalty to company reputation and profitability. Ninety percent of consumers use customer service to decide whether or not to do business with a company.

If ever there was a time to invest in your small business’ customer service plan, it’s now. With so many choices on the market for products and services, company owners cannot afford to miss retaining a loyal customer simply because their customer service fell short. Refresh your plan with your team and consider investing in great tools like chatbots or artificial intelligence (AI) platforms, so you’re available whenever your customers need you.

Embrace New Technologies for Your Business

The world is changing faster than ever, and if you want to stay competitive in today’s marketplace, you must embrace new technologies. Innovative tools like IT management software (ITMS) solutions for better cybersecurity protection, artificial intelligence (AI) for predicting demand for services, and datafication for storing transactions to predict future trends are rapidly becoming the norm in the health and growth of companies.

Review the past 12-18 months of your business and evaluate if having one of these innovations in your business would have made a positive difference. Take some time to explore and understand how new technologies can improve efficiency and effectiveness for all business operations.

The world is changing rapidly, and it can be hard to keep up with all the latest innovations and trends, but these five tips will help you get started on your journey to success in 2023 and beyond.

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Your Website: Six Ways to Refresh it for 2023

A new year brings with it a feeling of a fresh start. Here at Air Courier we are currently re-doing our entire site from start to finish (it is long overdue), but there are ways to update and refresh it without starting from the beginning. How you start your 2023 can make all the difference when it comes to the momentum you create for the rest of the year. For a small business owner with a significant portion of your presence online, now is an excellent time to dive deep into your website and take note of what’s working, what’s not working, and what simply needs a new coat of paint. The following six strategies can help you make sure your website looks and functions at its best for 2023.

Do a basic diagnostic check


Websites can be tricky. Without routine maintenance, links and plugins can begin to behave differently than originally intended. Look into the following to keep your site functioning at its best:

  • Bad quality and/or missing imagesperson coding a website
  • Any user info that is outdated or incorrect
  • Plugins that need to be updated
  • Themes that require a redesign or an update
  • Formatting issues
  • Any missing content

Gather feedback from your audience


Your website represents you and your business. To get the most accurate feedback about how your site is truly consumed, you need to reach out to your consumers. Ask your audience what they like and don’t like about the site directly. You may be surprised at their willingness to engage and share their thoughts with you. There are plenty of ways to uncover and organize information such as threads, email campaigns and surveys. Use what works best for you and commit to making the changes your audience will appreciate.

Research the competition


The importance of researching your small business competitors is often addressed. When you want to learn about what is working, looking over the fence at your neighbor could be exactly the solution you need. This remains true for website functionality. Take the time to look over the sites of your contemporaries and note what stands out to you, what you’re doing better, and what strategies you can borrow.

Analyze your analytics


Looking outward isn’t the only solution. To paint a complete picture of what needs to be updated on your site, you want to research what you’re already doing. Sift through your analytic data for the following information:

  • Which pages create the highest bounce rate (when a visitor leaves your site)
  • Pages that are the most popular
  • What pages seem to create the highest level of engagement

Spruce up your SEO


New customers mean more business. And when it comes to your website, one of the best ways for new customers to discover you is through your keywords. Choosing the right keywords through SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) will help your ranking in searches and land you more visitors. To make sure you have a significant amount of highly searchable words, you will need to do a little homework. Tools like Google Keyword Planner and Wordtracker are just two of the options you can use to help you boost your search results.

Bring more content to the table


Customers who visit a website are not likely to stay very long if they aren’t engaged. When thinking of ways to revitalize your website for this year, keep in mind the fact that many of your customers know what to expect and may have even become jaded with your content. Don’t be afraid to add new content such as:

  • Videos to easily describe your products and services
  • Create a blog
  • Take the time to rewrite sections of your site (factoring SEO and surveys)

It’s best to avoid relying exclusively on regular changes to your website when an additional annual refresh can make all the difference. Using the online strategies listed above, you can continue into 2023 prepared for success.

We will be sending out a newsletter very soon with a user manual on how to use the website and whats new. It’s very exciting! To book a shipment with us, please give us a call on 020 3790 8786, or visit our soon-to-be updated website here.

‘Tis the Season: Small Business Gift Giving

Giving holiday gifts is a great way to build relationships with employees, vendors, and customers. But it can be stressful to determine who should be on the gift list, how much to give, and what is appropriate to give. Let’s think through these criteria.

Decide Whom to Gift 

On average, 65% of a company’s business comes from existing clients, so gifting these individuals is essential. Equally important are your long-term employees and vendors. For some small companies, that could mean giving presents to dozens of individuals, which isn’t always financially possible. Determine who should receive a gift by considering a few things. Consider the time you’ve spent working with the individual, how easy or difficult they are to work with, if you’re currently working on a big project with them, and if they have sent client or employee referrals your way.

Determine Your Budget

As you plan who will receive a Christmas gift, you’ll determine how much money you can afford to spend. Although research varies, a familiar holiday spending formula is to reserve 1.5% of your revenue for gifting. You can then decide how much money to spend on each person based on the preceding considerations. Avoid Christmas gift giving pressure by not spending more than you can afford.

gift your employees in 2022
Gift your employees before 2023

Five Christmas Gift Ideas for Your Small Business

As a small business owner, you appreciate when your peers employ your services. Holiday gift-giving time is a great way to reciprocate and show gratitude to other small businesses. Many offer easy online ordering and delivery. Here are five to check out:

– Cocoon Corporate – Choose any of your favourite hamper that suits your employees needs. The company has a huge range of items: completely personalised or you can pick one of their pre-made ones. Perfect for those employees working from home, too. 

– Babbel: Skill classes are a great gift that benefits the company and your employees. Babbel offers language courses specifically designed to give employees a lasting holiday gift. 

– Cakehead: Whether it’s to treat your team or to spread some joy to your customers, food can get you guaranteed brownie points with the gift of Cakehead’s delicious bakes and cakes. Their hand crafted and hand finished brownies & bakes can be delivered straight to employees’ doors perfectly packaged and with a personalised gift note inside. 

Walk-in backrub: A Backrub is a wonderful style of deeply relaxing Japanese massage which helps release stress and promotes health and well-being. It can be a great way to reward your employees after a year of hard work, and it can be something you could commit to on a monthly basis into 2023. 

– Loop & Tie: Purchase unique gifts from small businesses giving back to craft makers and artisans in local communities and diverse suppliers. Collections are categorized by price and interest to make finding the perfect gift a cinch.

The festive season is a time for giving, so take some time to think about the people who have helped your business flourish. A Christmas gift doesn’t need to be extravagant or expensive. Remember, it’s the thought that counts.

Want to learn more? Head to our website, or drop us an email

employees in office

Employees: How to find and keep them

Always be on the lookout for great employees

We’ve all heard the sales phrase: “Always be closing.” When it comes to finding good people, the adage is similar: “Always be looking.” As the previous two and a half years have proven, employee turnover can happen when you least expect it. In addition to finding good employees, keeping them is also a challenge. The key to overcoming these problems is to be proactive. Start adopting new routines in how you actively look for and retain great help right now.

Employees working
Employees work better when there is a sense of community

Here are three (3) great ways to find good people:

  • Network with local schools
  • Ask existing employees for referrals
  • Write a job description that attracts the right candidate

Network with local schools and universities

Many educational institutions have job placement programs or an online job board. By networking with local schools and building relationships with the school and staff, you can get to the top of their list as a referred and great place to work. Start by calling your local university or high school district and asking which schools offer job placement programs and where you can post opportunities for multiple locations at once. Most schools also have Facebook pages that you can follow and engage with in order to build rapport.

Ask existing employees for referrals

Asking your current staff for employee recommendations could be a fast and cost-effective way to find new candidates. It could turn out to be a good fit since your current employee is already familiar with your company and can quickly determine if their referral is qualified for the role. Simply begin by inquiring among your employees if they know of a candidate who meets the job criteria. Try incorporating a hiring incentive program. Keep these programs easy to understand and manage. It can be as simple as offering the referring employee a cash reward or gift card if you hire their recommended candidate. 

Write an effective job description

Most job descriptions start by listing out tasks and responsibilities. Instead, start the job description by introducing your company. Continue with why your small business is such a great place to work or what your company mission and team motto are. For example, “We’re a tight-knit team of hard workers who love helping customers get what they need.” It’s a subtle difference that can provide improved results.

Hanging on to great employees

Once you find great employees, how do you keep them? According to CNBC online, record turnover is mostly attributed to low pay, poor working conditions, and/or better benefits. The competition to retain great people can be intense. Here are a few ideas for keeping outstanding employees:

  • Make employees feel like part of the big picture
  • Reward stellar performance 
  • Communicate and be a good listener

Make employees feel like part of the bigger picture

Including your employees in your company’s goals is arguably one of the most overlooked tactics in retaining great people. Every person has a natural human desire to be part of something bigger. Fill your employees in on both your short- and long-term business goals. If the plan is to expand your team, create new products/services, or even sell, talk about your strategy, ask for input, and listen to suggestions. You might be surprised at the feedback you receive, and how positively influential that conversation can be.

Reward stellar performance

Create an incentive program to show employee appreciation that not only incentivizes but also builds a sense of team. If you have a few employees working together on one project, challenge them to beat deadlines, and reward them when they do. If you have multiple locations, have each location try to outwit the other in sales or a specific metric that makes sense for your business. Keep the programs easy to understand and challenging, but also fun to win!

Communicate and be a good listener

Being an effective communicator goes beyond simple chatting. It’s important to communicate your expectations early on and often so the employee knows exactly what to do and where they stand. Equally as important is listening. When a situation arises that needs to be addressed, give your employee a chance to talk through their process and their results. The root of the problem could ironically be miscommunication. Remain unwavering in always making time to communicate.

To alleviate the challenges of finding and keeping great employees, start laying down a solid foundation using the above practices. You will reap the rewards for years to come.

Let us know how we’re doing by sending an email to support@aircourieruk.com, and check out or website at www.aircourieruk.com. Our socials are constantly updated too @aircourieruk #itsbetterbyair #always

Your Guide to preparing for a successful Christmas Period

The festive season is fast approaching, and for small businesses, this is a great time to attract new customers. Our nation’s 5.5 million small businesses can expect a notable increase in sales for the Christmas season. According to a Finder research survey, they predicted that in the UK, we will spend approximately £25.6 billion. Each year provides one of the biggest opportunities for small businesses to earn sales and expand their client network. Here are a few quick tips to help prepare for a successful holiday season.

Check Your Digital Presence

If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, one of the best ways to prepare for the holidays is to build an online store. According to a recent study, 65% of consumers who shifted from in-person shopping to e-commerce will continue shopping more online. Building an online presence may sound daunting, but don’t panic. Easy-to-use platforms like Shopify and Wix provide step-by-step instructions for launching an e-commerce site.

If you already have a website, take some time to review your digital assets. Confirm that all of your verbiage and graphics are still accurate, links are correct, and prices and inventory are updated. Consider adding pop-up or banner ads to your website announcing any special offers you’ll have for the season.

Create a Special Incentive for Shoppers

The Christmas break is a big deal for local shoppers because, in addition to shopping for loved ones and showing support to their community, consumers often reap the benefits of scoring truly unique gifts while receiving special offers for shopping at local small businesses. Make sure your offer is easy to understand and enticing for your customers. Also, confirm you can deliver what you’re promising.

Here are a few ideas:

  • 15% off discount
  • Buy one, get one free
  • 10% off gift cards
  • 20% off your next purchase for returning customers
  • Free gift wrapping

Prepare Your Staff and Your Store

The festive season is a powerful time for small business owners because it can expose your company to new shoppers. Store appearance and customer service will play a large role in whether or not new customers become repeat buyers.

Take some time to tidy up. Make sure your floors, windows, and shelves are clean. Next, check your register area, if you have one, for anything that’s not needed and clear it away. You’ll also want to double-check your inventory to ensure you’re organized for the big day.

Talk to your staff and get them excited about the festivities by incorporating a fun team incentive. Assess their strengths and position them where they’re most comfortable. Recognising their strengths will make them more productive. For example, if you have someone who is excels on the phone, place that person primarily answering phones. Is one of your team members an expert in dealing with complaints? Put them on email complaints.

Reach Out to Surrounding Businesses

Connect with leaders in your community. They are likely already planning for a successful holiday season, so get involved. Learn how to partner with other businesses to promote your special offer(s) and increase traffic to your store. General Christmas marketing will encourage consumers to support businesses, but you can also help other businesses simultaneously.

As a business owner and consumer, the Christmas Season is a time for you to show your local community that you care about its small businesses. It’s a great time to connect with customers and strengthen your business relationships. Start planning new so you can celebrate the season with new customers and a holiday-season business network for the coming year.

Make sure you keep up with our socials HERE.
If you want to learn more, drop us an email, or check out our website. #itsbetterbyair #always

How to get your Small Business up and running

Starting a small business requires time, effort, and commitment. To make your small business dream a reality, arm yourself with a viable business plan, the right support, and resources. Here’s how to get started.

Decide on the Purpose of Your Company

You may already have a skill or expertise that could turn into a business. Take some time to think about what you want to do and how you can use your expertise to provide a service or product that solves a problem. It should be sustainable and exciting for both you and your potential clients. 

Create a Business Plan for Your Small Business

Once you have decided on an idea for your business, it’s time to devise a plan. A business plan is a blueprint outlining how your company will operate over time. Design your business plan knowing that you may have to adjust certain strategies and goals once you start.

The best way to do this is by starting with these simple steps:

  • Write your mission statement that describes what your company stands for and why it exists in the first place. This will help you create a business identity, attract potential employees, and develop culture and purpose that clients may notice.
  • Create a company description that includes its objective, size, location, and industry sector.
  • Perform market research that describes how the competitive landscape looks in your market.
  • Design a marketing strategy that explains how you’ll advertise your products or services (e.g., social media). Think about what you’ll need to pay for and, better yet, how you may be able to advertise for free.
  • Set measurable targets that are specific, attainable, and relevant before a specified time period ends. For example: By December 31st of this year, I will have 100 customers signed up for my monthly subscription service at $19 per month each (that would be a total of $1900).
  • Include a timeline that includes goals and milestones, such as when you want to open your doors, how much capital it will take to get there, and what additional expenses you’ll need to consider before opening up shop.
  • Create a budget. No matter how large or small it is. Your budget will help you keep track of all the money coming in and going out so that nothing falls through the cracks (and you don’t lose sight of what’s important). Creating this document ahead of time can also help prevent unnecessary stress later on down the road once everything gets moving.
Thank-you for supporting our small business.

Gather Feedback on Your Business Plan

You will most likely start gathering feedback from others as you write your business plan, but if you do not, at this point, you’ll want to lean into a set of trusted peers and friends to solicit their input. Pitching your business plan to a personal advisory board or friends and family can help determine if it will resonate with potential investors.

Make Your Vision a Reality

You’ve worked hard to start your business and put together a solid plan. Now it’s time to implement the plan and make your vision a reality. The best way to do this is by breaking out each section into actionable steps. You may want to enlist the help of other qualified individuals or, depending on your circumstances, choose to tackle it yourself. Regardless, stick to the plan; over time, you will chip away at each project.

Do Just One Thing: Take Action

The best way to ensure your business’ progress is to take action. Never let fear stop you from pursuing your dreams and goals. It can sometimes be overwhelming, but starting a small business can be rewarding with the right approach, plan and mindset.

Want to book or just know more? Drop us an email on – support@aircourieruk.com or check out our website here.
Make sure to keep an eye on our socials too – @aircourier

Give back

Why Small Businesses Give Back in 2022

Owning a small business gives owners a unique opportunity to give back to their communities. In fact, charitable giving from companies has increased 2.7% over unprecedented 2020 levels. Post pandemic philanthropy is growing due to high interest in corporate responsibility as well as a social desire to support causes companies believe in. It’s an exciting trend for small business owners to explore if they are looking to make a difference in their community.

Give Back to your community
Give back to your community!

When You Give, You Receive

Small business owners might be apprehensive about donating to charity, not because they don’t want to help but because they are worried it will negatively affect the bottom line. However, you might be surprised to learn that it can have the reverse effect. Contributing to a charitable cause will help your business more than you think.

The Benefits of Giving Back

The number one benefit to giving back is opportunity. First and foremost, by giving back, you will receive the opportunity to make an impact on a cause that’s important to you and your community. Contributions may go beyond influencing your local area to affect a global issue. Others in your community will also receive the chance to contribute through your company when they may not have had the opportunity without it. 

The option to give back to your community will organically grow your network. You will meet new local leaders, neighbors, and business owners, and with that, you will attract new customers. Building relationships may lead to increasing the number of advocates for your business. The growth of your network will lead to increased profits.

Expanding your heart and bottom line are just two of the many benefits of giving back. Research shows that employees who volunteer are happier. Aligning your small business with a charity can boost employee morale and improve company culture. Leveling up morale and culture often leads to attracting top talent. 

How Do I Choose Where to Donate?

It makes sense for small business owners to find a local organization tied to the community. You may also want to choose a smaller charity as those can sometimes get lost in the shuffle when larger corporations are looking to donate. You could opt for a national charity but make sure it has a local program that you can connect and work with. 

Choose a cause based on your company values, and be thoughtful when making a choice. Spend time researching organizations and talking to other small business owners about how they give back. Remember, your contribution will affect you and your business, so the cause should be one that you understand and are passionate about.  

Ways to Give Back

There are plenty of options in how your business can give back. As with choosing a charity, you will want to spend a little time thinking about the best way for your company to give back. This could vary from getting your employees involved to donating products and services. You could also offer discounts to people within the organization or even host an event to raise funds.

What we’re doing

For example, here at Air Courier International we are committed to giving back to the community. Over the years we have supported a number of charities and we will continue year on year. We found different ways to raise money, with our staff often getting involved. We also run giveaways across our socials to say thank-you to our followers and customers. These have included incredible hampers, hotel spa and dining vouchers, luxury food goods amongst other fantastic gifts. 

The British Heart foundation is very close to all of us and we have supported them intermittently throughout the years. Most recently one of our team ran a 10km in which they raised over £1200 for the worthy charity. Every few years we donate the money for Christmas gifts to our customers to a worthy charity and most recently we donated a large sum to Age UK. We also support smaller charities by getting involved in different ways.

Air Courier donated food parcels to ‘Driven Forward’, whose original purpose was to provide food and transport for the extremely vulnerable. Since the start of the pandemic the need for their support has increased dramatically. Another member of staff has been volunteering at Bracknell Foodbank which is nationwide concept to help the local community. We also featured an interview with the team there in our newsletter to help bring in donations.

Our aim is to continue to donate to charities all around the country that are trying to tackle the real issues that we face. We will keep you informed across our socials, and if you have any questions regarding any of our charities, please drop us an email charities@aircourieruk.com.

There’s No Wrong Way to Give Back

When you choose a charity and a method that aligns with your small business assets and values, there is no wrong way to give back. Investing in a local charity is an investment in your community and your business. You will create an impact, build connections and feel gratitude with those around you.

Want to make a booking or learn more? Click HERE.
@aircourierint

Save water this summer with our top tips

There are many ways that you can save water around your home. You may find the following tips helpful.

  1. Use a bowl in the sink when washing fruit, vegetables of dishes. You can then use the waste water to water your plants.
  2. Fill a jug of water and put it in the fridge for when you want a cool drink.
  3. Turn off the tap when you clean your teeth. A running tap uses up to nine litres of water a minute.
  4. Wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine or your dishwasher. Some new washing machines use less than seven litres of water for each kilogramme of clothes, while modern dishwashers can us as little as 10 to 15 litres of water a cycle.
  5. If possible, take a shower instead of a bath. A five-minute shower uses about 40 litres of water. This is about half the volume of a standard bath.
  6. Use a water-saving device in your toilet cistern. Depending on the size of your cistern, you could save between one and three litres each time you flush the toilet.
  7. Using a watering can in the garden instead of a sprinkler or a hosepipe. Garden sprinklers and hosepipes left running can use between 500 and 1,000 litres of water an hour.
  8. Think about fitting a water butt to collect rainwater off your roof. Water butts usually store about 200 litres of water. As well as being better for watering your plants, using rainwater in the garden reduces the amount of treated water you use.
  9. Check your property regularly for leaks on your internal plumbing.

If you have a water meter, all of these tips may help you to reduce your water and sewerage bills.

Even if you do not have a meter, using water wisely and cutting down on the amount of hot water you use will lower your gas and electricity bills. It will also reduce the amount of climate-changing greenhouse gases you release into the atmosphere.

Using less water will also help reduce the greenhouse gases that are released from collecting, treating and supplying clean water.

Find us @aircourieruk and book a shipment with us here .

Springtime marketing tips for your Business

Springtime is here. 

Finally we are bridging the gap between those dark winter days and long summer afternoons, we often refer to this time of year as ‘The Season of New Beginnings’.

For retailers, springtime is an important time. Weather changes moods and – by extension – shopping habits. In fact, according to the British Retail Consortium, weather has the biggest influence on consumer behaviour after the economy. So, as well as flexing your products and services away from the themes of winter, it can be a great time to refresh your marketing too. To help you do just that, we’ve compiled some tips that have worked particularly well for businesses in the past.

springtime colours

Colour is Back!

Spring is filled with an engaging colour palette, and these lively colours are welcomed much more by consumers after a dreary winter. Changing the colours of your marketing assets and brand are a great way to bridge the gap between your winter and summer offering. Colour inspiration company, Pantone, use spring as a chance to start sprinkling more vivid colours into their marketing; often using their ‘colour of the year’ to do so, which last year was a vibrant ‘Living Coral’.

Giveaways and contests

Easter and the Queens Jubilee both provide good opportunities to offer giveaways and contests.

Contests have a conversion rate of almost 34%, which is higher than other content types. They could be a strong addition to your springtime marketing; getting your audience involved and engaged with your brand pre-summer and helping you boost sales.

Pepsi once ran a particularly fun and creative contest in collaboration with sweet company Peeps. Named using the hashtag #PepsiSweepstakes, the contest urged shoppers to submit a photo of them enjoying their favourite springtime activity – whilst holding a can of Pepsi, of course.

Make it new

Spring is a season of ‘new beginnings’. So why not use the association of newness to your advantage and try something different this season?

One idea could be to consider a rebrand or refresh. Research shows that a brand accounts for, on average, 19% of the market value of an organisation. If your business has evolved over the past for years, a rebrand could be the perfect way to communicate this to new and existing customers. We, for example, are rebranding and overhauling our website to make it new and fresh to represent our current company which has evolved throughout the years.

Alternatively, you could try new content ideas. 81% of marketers view content as a core business strategy, so some A/B testing or experimenting could set up your summer sales.

earth day falls in the centre of springtime 2022

Go Green

Earth Day occurs on 22 April and is becoming more and more popular as sustainability awareness increases. Why not use Earth Day to illustrate a commitment to the environment? You could sponsor a cause, launch a greener product range, or start a new staff initiative.

For last year’s Earth Day, Apple went above and beyond. The company released a short film called Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. This followed a 7 year old boy hearing details of planet earth from his parents and an art exhibit. It was available exclusively on Apple TV and included the voices of many renowned actors, including Meryl Streep and Chris O’Dowd.

When thinking about your springtime marketing, focus on newness. Engaging customers, revamping your brand and expanding your offering can all help you hit the ground running to warm up those summer sales

Make sure you contact us with any queries over this bank holiday weekend on support@aircourieruk.com // 020 3790 8786 #itsbetterbyair

Mother’s Day in London 2022

Treat your mum or mother figure to something special this Sunday. The sun is set to be out with warmer temperatures than we’ve had for months. After all, this will be the first Mother’s Day out of any restrictions since 2019! If you need some help deciding, check out our list below. Remember, if you need to get your gifts to your loved ones (we won’t judge if you left it until the last minute), we can get your gifts to arrive the same day – amazing.

Mother's Day at the Corinthia
  1. Spa day & lunch, Piccadilly
    For an extra special gift for both you and your mum, Hotel Cafe Royal’s Akasha spa has a Mother’s Day spa package, to relax you both. The package includes a 60-minute treatment for two, a healthy two-course lunch, a glass of champagne each, a full day access to the space facilities and homemade chocolate truffles to take home.
    Cost: £375
    Address: 10 Air Street W1B 4DY
    Contact: akasha@hotelcaferoyal.com
  2. Mothers Day Brunch
    At Sette in the Bulgari Hotel, they have produced a stunning set menu with some sharing dishes and three main courses and a signature cocktail included. An elegant affair with live music, this is the perfect spot to get some elevated Italian cuisine accompanied by a speciality Bloody Mary or glass of champagne. There are also activities for children and a special menu for them so mum can enjoy her special day.
    Cost: shared items + 3-courses: £55 // shared items + 4-courses: £65 
    Address: 4 Knightsbridge Green,London, UK SW1X 7QA 
    Contact: +44 (0) 207 151 1025  info@settelondon.com
  3. Manetta Bar G & Tea experience
    Raise a glass to the leading lady in your life this Mother’s Day and spoil her with the new G & Tea experience at Manetta’s Bar.
    Located within the opulent surroundings of Flemings Mayfair, guests can step inside for a sophisticated and decadent cream tea, which includes an assortment of freshly baked patisseries and fragrant tea blends from East India Tea Company alongside your choice of one of three refreshing and botanical gin tipples.
    Cost: £90 for two
    Address: 7-12 Half Moon Street, Mayfair London W1J 7BH
    Contact: MANETTASBAR@FLEMINGS.CO.UK, 0207 016 5601
  4. Afternoon Tea
    At The Corinthia, they take Afternoon Tea to another level with grace, charm and tradition. With the option of the traditional tea or the luxurious caviar selection, this is sure to make your mum feel like the queen she is. You’ll be seated in the lounge, illuminated by 1001 Baccarat Crystals.
    Cost: Traditional afternoon tea: £80, Champagne afternoon tea: £90
    Rosé afternoon tea: £100, Grand Siècle Champagne afternoon tea: £110 Caviar afternoon tea: £120, Children (4-12 years): £50
    PP
    Address: Whitehall Place, London SW1A 2BD, United Kingdom
    Contact: +44 20 7321 3150 restaurants.london@corinthia.com
  5. Interlude Wellness Retreat
    Held at The London Edition Hotel, enjoy a day of ultimate self-care. Whether you’re a professional at “self care” a novice or intermediate just getting into the practice… this retreat is for you. The Roses Gabor’ IWC team and special guests have a magnificent day planned where you have the opportuinity to really check in with the centre. Prepare to turn inward on an overall heart opening journey of self love.
    Cost: £100 PP
    Address: 10 Berners Street London W1T 3NP

    Contact: @interludewellnesscentre
  6. The Ritz on Mothers Day
    The Ritz once again living up to it’s reputation and laying some fantastic options for Sunday the 27th. With a delectable three-course Sunday lunch cooked to perfection and served in the stunning Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant at The Ritz London, you cannot go wrong. Executive Chef, John Williams MBE and his brigade have created a delicious menu, using the finest of British ingredients for you to enjoy with the whole family. Celebrate this special day with live entertainment in the restaurant. As a special thank you to all Mothers, they will receive an exclusive Ritz gift to take home and enjoy.
    Cost: £175 PP
    Contact: dining@theritzlondon.com, +44 (0)20 7300 2370

    The Ritz has also created a very special Afternoon Tea designed to pamper, indulge and spoil. Relax and enjoy a blissful afternoon together over a glass of Ritz Rosé Champagne and an assortment of delicate finger sandwiches, mouth-watering French pastries and warm scones with rich strawberry preserve and lashings of Cornish clotted cream, and of course your choice of 18 varieties of loose-leaf tea from their tea menu.
    The Ritz London is the only hotel in the UK to have a certified Tea Sommelier, Giandomenico Scanu, who travels around the world to various tea plantations. You’ll also be accompanied by live music and have a gift to take home with you.
    Cost: From £90 PP
    Address: 150 PICCADILLY, LONDON W1J 9BR
    Contact: +44 (0)20 7300 2345 dining@theritzlondon.com
  7. Helene Darroze at The Connaught
    Arriving at The Connaught in 2008, culinary sensation Hélène Darroze was unashamed of adding a feminine touch to the restaurant with a soft pink colour scheme. Her three Michelin-starred menus which comprise lightened-up versions of classic haute cuisine are sure to appeal to mothers unanimously.  
    Cost: Five-course tasting menu £160; seven courses £185
    Address: Carlos Place, London, W1K 2AL
    Contact:  helenedarroze@the-connaught.co.uk +44 (0) 20 3147 7200
  8. Sam’s Riverside
    What’s better than alfresco dining? A beautiful sun drenched terrace, overlooking the River Thames is what! Sam’s Riverside from restaurateur Sam Harrison is a gorgeous modern restaurant on the river, right next to Hammersmith Bridge and is the perfect spot for a long Mother’s Day lunch. If the sun is shining, it’s also a gorgeous river walk from whatever direction you’re coming from and if it’s drizzling, then the inside of Sam’s is just as enjoyable (although it looks as if that won’t be a problem this weekend) – with a delectable bar to enjoy a few pre-meal cocktails. The food is fresh and delicious without being overly complicated and the service is some of the finest in town – you’ll find yourself returning over and over. Tip: Order the Parmesan Churros.
    Cost: Dependent on what you order!
    Address:1 Crisp Rd, London W6 9DN
    Contact:
    020 8237 1020 hello@samsriverside.co.uk

Sam's Riverside Mother's Day