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Walk into a supermarket, coffee shop, library, leisure centre, village hall or local shop and there’s a good chance you’ll spot a community notice board. It might be near the entrance, by the till or tucked beside the seating area. Either way, it’s usually filled with the same mix of local life: fitness classes, dog walkers, cafés, tradespeople, charity events, school fairs, clubs, workshops, tutors, takeaway menus and small business services.
For customers, these boards are useful snapshots of what’s happening nearby. For print resellers, they’re something more valuable. They’re a visible list of local businesses, groups and organisations that are already using print to promote themselves.
That makes them a practical starting point for finding new customers, opening better conversations and spotting where print could help a local business look sharper, reach more people and grow with confidence.
The UK is full of small business opportunities. At the start of 2025, there were around 5.7 million private sector businesses in the UK, with 5.64 million of them classed as small businesses. The House of Commons Library also reported that SMEs made up 99.9% of UK businesses in 2025, including 5.4 million micro businesses.
That’s important for resellers because many of these businesses rely on local visibility. They’re not always running big campaigns or working with agencies. They’re often doing what’s practical, affordable and close to home. A flyer in a coffee shop, a poster in a leisure centre or a business card pinned to a notice board might be one of their main ways to get seen.
This is where print resellers can find real opportunity. A notice board shows you which businesses are actively promoting something right now. It also gives you a quick look at how they’re presenting themselves, what they’re offering and where they might need support.
Cold outreach can feel difficult when there’s no clear reason for the conversation. A notice board changes that. It gives resellers a natural starting point.
You’re not approaching a business with a generic sales pitch. You’re approaching them because you’ve seen they’re already using print and you’ve taken the time to understand what they’re trying to achieve
.For example, a yoga teacher advertising a new beginner class might benefit from matching flyers, posters and loyalty cards. A dog groomer with a simple business card on a board might need referral cards, appointment cards or branded stickers. A local café promoting a seasonal offer might need menus, window graphics, pavement signage or posters to carry the same message across more touchpoints.
The conversation becomes more personal because it’s based on something specific. Instead of saying, “Do you need print?”, a reseller can say, “I noticed you’re promoting your new class locally and had a few ideas that could help you get more visibility around the area.” That’s a much stronger opening.
A community notice board can be treated like a live local prospecting tool. The key is to look beyond the surface.
Resellers can note which businesses are advertising, what format they’re using, how clear the design is, what message they’re leading with and whether the print looks fresh, consistent and professional. A crowded board also makes it easy to spot what stands out and what disappears into the background.
From there, it’s worth doing a little research. Look at the business online, check whether their branding matches their printed materials and see what else they’re promoting. That extra context helps resellers make more relevant recommendations.
A small café might have a flyer on a board but no printed loyalty scheme. A children’s activity provider might have a poster for one event but no matching signage for the day itself. A local tradesperson might have a business card but no leaflets, site boards or branded clothing. These gaps are where resellers can add value.
The best print recommendations are specific to the customer. Notice boards often feature a mix of sectors, which gives resellers plenty of ways to tailor their approach.
These suggestions work because they connect directly to what the business is already doing. The notice board gives the reseller the clue. The follow up recommendation turns that clue into a possible sale.
Many small businesses are now using AI assisted tools, like ChatGPT and Gemini, to create quick marketing materials. There’s nothing wrong with that. For a busy local business owner, it can feel like a simple way to get something designed without starting from scratch.
However, there’s a growing challenge. AI assisted designs can often start to look similar, especially when the same types of fonts, icons, layouts and image styles appear again and again. In a crowded space like a community notice board, that can make it harder for a business to stand out.
AI use is growing quickly. IAB UK reported that 24 million people used AI tools in January 2026. The ONS also reported that nearly a quarter of businesses were using some form of AI technology in late September 2025, up from 9% when the question was introduced in September 2023.
For resellers who offer design support, this creates a strong opportunity. The message doesn’t need to criticise the customer’s existing design. Instead, it can focus on helping them look more distinctive, more professional and more memorable.
A reseller could explain that while quick design tools are useful, a more considered design can help their flyer, poster or card work harder. Better hierarchy, stronger branding, clearer messaging and print ready artwork can make a real difference, especially when a business is competing for attention on a busy board.
Notice boards aren’t only useful for finding prospects. They’re also a simple way for resellers to promote their own services.
Supermarkets, coffee shops, libraries, village halls and leisure centres often have regular passing traffic. Square’s Local Economy Report found that 35% of UK consumers always or often visit other types of local businesses when they’re already out shopping locally. That supports the value of being visible in local places where people are already moving between shops, services and community spaces.
A reseller’s own notice board advert could focus on local print support for flyers, posters, menus, business cards, banners, signage, branded clothing and event materials. The message should be simple, relevant and easy to act on.
For example, “Need print for your next local event?” or “Helping local businesses get seen with professional print.”The design matters here. If a reseller’s own flyer looks cluttered, unclear or forgettable, it won’t create much confidence. It should act as a small sample of what the reseller can help customers achieve: sharp design, clear messaging and professional print that stands out for the right reasons.
A good notice board flyer has to work quickly. People are usually passing by, waiting for a coffee, standing near a checkout or scanning the board for something relevant.
That means the headline needs to be clear. The offer or message needs to be easy to understand. The contact details need to be readable. The design needs enough personality to stand out without becoming messy.
A QR code can also help, especially when it leads to a booking page, menu, contact form or social profile. However, it shouldn’t replace the basics. People should still be able to understand who the business is, what they offer and how to get in touch without having to scan anything.
For resellers, this is useful advice to share with customers. It also positions them as more than a print supplier. It shows they understand how printed marketing works in the real world.
The biggest advantage of notice boards is that they’re easy to revisit. They change with the seasons, local events and business needs.
In spring and summer, boards might feature school fairs, fitness classes, outdoor events, charity fundraisers and local markets. Later in the year, they might fill with Christmas fairs, festive menus, party nights, community events and seasonal services.
For resellers, checking a few boards each week can become a simple prospecting habit. Visit local spaces, take note of businesses using print, look for outdated or generic materials, research the business and approach with one or two useful ideas. It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be consistent.
Community notice boards might seem old fashioned at first glance, but they’re still full of useful signals. They show which local businesses are active, which groups are promoting events and which organisations already see the value in print
.For resellers, that makes them a practical source of warm leads, product ideas and design conversations. Every flyer, poster and card could point to a customer who’s already investing in print and may be ready for something better.
Next time you pass a local notice board, take a closer look. It might be more than a wall of adverts. It could be your next list of print opportunities.
Posted on May 29, 2026 by Ben
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