Simply Print

13/10/2026

🎶 VINYL OF THE WEEK – FLOWERS: ICEHOUSE 🎶

This week we're spinning a genuine Australian classic, and something a little special from my collection – the limited edition white vinyl pressing of Icehouse by Flowers.

Now here's a bit of music trivia that still confuses people today!

Flowers was the name of the band, and Icehouse was the name of the album – not the other way around!

Released in 1980, this was the debut album from Flowers, fronted by the incredibly talented Iva Davies. The band subsequently changed their name to Icehouse in 1981, taking their new name from the title of this very album.

And what an incredible debut it was!

Featuring classics including Can't Help Myself, We Can Get Together, Walls and the haunting title track Icehouse, the album combined rock, new wave and synthesisers to create a distinctive sound that would become synonymous with Australian music in the 1980s.

The album reached No. 4 on the Australian charts and launched a career that would produce some of our most memorable songs.

🎵 The track I've chosen to play in this week's video is Walls, my personal favourite from the album. It's one of those songs that reminds me just how much great music came out of Australia during this era.

And there's something particularly satisfying about watching that beautiful white vinyl spinning on the turntable!

From Flowers to Icehouse, this album is where it all began. Almost half a century later, it still sounds fantastic.

Another Aussie classic that deserves a place in any vinyl collection!

12/10/2026

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Are you a tiler servicing Noosa and the surrounding Sunshine Coast? 🧱

Noosa Business Group is looking to welcome a tiler into our referral-focused business community.

We offer exclusive category membership, with one seat available for each industry meaning no direct competition within the group. It’s a great opportunity to build genuine relationships with local business owners, grow your referral network and promote your services consistently each week.

We meet every Wednesday morning at Noosa Springs Golf and Spa Resort for a breakfast, member presentations, referral opportunities and supportive business conversations.

As a not-for-profit group established in 1998, membership contributions go towards breakfast and venue hire : helping us create a welcoming space for local business owners to connect and support one another.

Curious to see if we’re the right fit? Join us for your first guest breakfast free of charge.

Send us a message or email [email protected] to book your guest spot and find out more.

Visit www.noosabusinessgroup.com.au for more information.

08/10/2026

PRINTING PITFALLS 🏷️
“Can I get a price on some stickers?”

Absolutely! But first we're going to ask you a question:

What are you using them for?

Not all stickers need to be vinyl, and not all stickers should be paper.
If your labels are going onto packaging, envelopes, bags or products that will stay indoors, paper labels may be all you need. There's no point paying extra for vinyl when the label doesn't need the additional durability.

But if those stickers are going on a car, outdoor equipment or somewhere they'll be exposed to sun and rain, paper isn't going to be the right choice. That's when you'll probably need a durable vinyl sticker designed for the job.

That's why when you ask us for a sticker quote, we don't just ask “What size and how many?” We also ask “What are they being used for?”

We're not being nosy. 😂 We just want to make sure we're quoting the right sticker for your needs, without making you pay for something you don't need.
Paper or vinyl? It all comes down to where your sticker is going.

07/10/2026

Are you making it easy for customers to review your business?

When you're deciding whether to try a new business, what's one of the first things you do? You check their reviews.

Google reviews can play an important role in building trust with potential customers. But there's one small problem. Even very happy customers often won't think to leave a review unless you ask them.

So don't be afraid to ask!

When a customer tells you they're happy with your product or service, that's the perfect opportunity. And the easier you make it for them, the more likely they are to actually do it.

A few simple review tips:

• Ask happy customers for a review
• Make the process as quick and easy as possible
• Respond to reviews, both positive and negative
• Thank people for taking the time to leave feedback
• Pay attention to recurring comments because reviews can also help you improve your business

Make leaving a Google review as easy as scanning a QR code.

One of the simplest ways to encourage reviews is to place a Google Review QR code stand on your reception desk or counter.

Your customer simply scans the code with their phone and they're taken directly to your Google review page. No searching for your business and no trying to find where to leave a review.

Simply Print can create a customised Google Review QR code counter stand featuring your business branding, ready to display where your customers can easily see it.

It's a small piece of signage that can keep working for your business every day.

Want one for your counter? Contact Simply Print and we'll create one to suit your business.

One last tip

Don't wait until you desperately need more reviews before you start asking for them. Make asking for reviews a normal part of doing business.

Great reviews build trust. Make it easy for your customers to leave them.

06/10/2026

🎵 VINYL OF THE WEEK – GREASE SOUNDTRACK 🎵

This week's Vinyl of the Week is an absolute classic and one of my personal favourites – the soundtrack to Grease.

Released in 1978, this double album was a phenomenal success, selling millions of copies and producing six hit singles. More than 45 years later, songs from Grease are still regularly heard on the radio – not bad for a movie soundtrack!

Of course, there are the unforgettable songs written for the film, including “Grease,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “You're the One That I Want” and “Greased Lightnin'.” Then you've got classics such as “Summer Nights” that have become almost inseparable from the movie itself.

But something else I love about the soundtrack is the inclusion of six songs performed by Sha Na Na. With tracks such as “Rock 'n' Roll Is Here to Stay” and “Those Magic Changes,” they give the album an authentic late-50s rock 'n' roll flavour that fits perfectly with the era in which the movie is set.

And here's a little vinyl trivia…

Look closely at the record label and you'll see the distinctive little red cow logo of RSO Records – the Robert Stigwood Organisation. I always thought it looked a bit like a pig!

For me, this is one of those rare soundtracks that's every bit as enjoyable as the movie itself. Put the record on and you're instantly transported back to Rydell High, the T-Birds, the Pink Ladies and one of the most memorable movie musicals ever made.

Great movie. Great soundtrack. And an album I never get tired of playing.

What's your favourite song from Grease?

05/10/2026

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Are you a pool service business serving Noosa and the surrounding area? 🏊‍♂️

Noosa Business Group is looking for a reliable pool service professional to join our welcoming local business network.

Our membership is exclusive: there is one seat per business category, so you’ll have no direct competition within the group. Each Wednesday morning at Noosa Springs Golf & Spa Resort, members build genuine referral relationships, promote their businesses and support one another over a breakfast.

We’re a not-for-profit business group that has been connecting local business owners since 1998. Membership helps cover our breakfast and venue costs while creating consistent weekly opportunities to grow through trusted referrals.

Interested in seeing how it works? Join us for your first guest breakfast free, meet our members and discover whether Noosa Business Group is the right fit for your business.

Contact us to book your guest spot or find out more:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.noosabusinessgroup.com.au

02/10/2026

“Why are there white strips at the top and bottom?”

We occasionally receive documents created in US Letter size rather than A4.

They look pretty similar on screen, so what's the problem?

They're actually different shapes.

US Letter is 216 × 279 mm, while A4 is 210 × 297 mm. Letter is slightly wider and noticeably shorter.

So when a Letter-size document is scaled to fit onto an A4 sheet without cropping anything, you can end up with white space at the top and bottom.

And simply stretching it to fill the page isn't a great solution either — that can distort the artwork.

It's particularly common with templates or documents created using software with American defaults.

Before designing something for print in Australia, check your page size and make sure you're working in A4 — 210 × 297 mm.

A few seconds checking your document size at the beginning can save a lot of head-scratching at the end!

30/09/2026

CARD SURCHARGES ARE ENDING TODAY!

IS YOUR PRINTING UP TO DATE?

From tomorrow, card payment surcharges are being abolished across Australia.

To be honest, I’m not sure how removing the charge helps anyone. For many years businesses have only been able to charge the fee that the bank charges them which is usually between 0.9 and 1.5%. With surcharges removed, businesses can now profit from the surcharge, and cash customers will now be charged it indirectly.

We’ve never charged our customers for paying by card, so for us it’s business as usual, but a lot of businesses do charge it, so it’s important to understand the change.

If your business currently mentions a card surcharge on your:

• Menus
• Counter or point-of-sale signs
• Price lists
• Brochures or other printed material
..now is a good time to check that everything is ready for the change.

We print plenty of menus and signage for local restaurants, cafés and businesses, so if yours needs updating, Simply Print is happy to help.

Even if you don't need anything reprinted, please make sure you check your existing material before so your customers are seeing the correct information.

29/09/2026

VINYL OF THE WEEK

Footloose – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Picture Disc)

This week's vinyl is a little more unusual — my picture disc edition of the Footloose soundtrack.

Released in 1984, Footloose became one of the defining movies of the decade and helped turn Kevin Bacon into a major Hollywood star. But just as memorable as the movie was its soundtrack.

What an 80s lineup!

🎵 Kenny Loggins – Footloose
🎵 Deniece Williams – Let's Hear It for the Boy
🎵 Mike Reno & Ann Wilson – Almost Paradise
🎵 Bonnie Tyler – Holding Out for a Hero
🎵 Shalamar – Dancing in the Sheets
🎵 Sammy Hagar – The Girl Gets Around

What makes my copy particularly special is that it's a picture disc. Side One features the iconic Footloose image, while Side Two has the full track listing incorporated into the artwork. It's one of those records that's almost as much fun to look at as it is to play.

The soundtrack was absolutely huge in its own right, producing several major hits and becoming one of those albums that instantly transports you back to the 1980s.

Turn it up, kick off your Sunday shoes… and let's hear it for Footloose! 🕺🎶

28/09/2026

PRINTING PITFALLS

When more colour doesn't mean better design.

Colour is a fantastic way to make your printed material stand out — but sometimes you really can have too much of a good thing.

We once received artwork that used around six different shades of blue. Individually, there was nothing wrong with any of them. Together, though, the design looked cluttered and lacked consistency.

Our advice? Keep it simple.

For most business printing, two or three complementary colours are often all you need. Use your main brand colour, perhaps a secondary colour, and an accent where needed.

A limited colour palette helps create consistency, gives the design some breathing room and makes the important information stand out.

Good design isn't about how many colours you can use. It's about how well you use them.