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Get A Head Start On Your Holiday Marketing Plan

 

As you finally get a much needed rest from your summer events and marketing, you’ll soon be spearheading your holiday marketing efforts. In order to get ahead of your competition, it is imperative to start early, planning out a key goal for the end of the year will be your success. Keep in mind: “a vision without a plan is just a hallucination.” Also, planning achievable goals is essential as well, whether you want to attract new customers, appreciate and create loyalty with the clients you have or give back to the community and improve your image, it can all be done in moderation in order to achieve your ultimate marketing goal: attract and keep customers. Designate tasks, split up goals and communicate with your team. Even in the middle of October we see corporate holiday party invitations, thank you notes and end of the year marketing sales coming in through our printers. So if you haven’t started you should. But don’t panic if you haven’t, there is still time and we have included some easy and somewhat inexpensive ways to achieve your goals.

 

If you’re planning on creating loyalty and appreciation: As a starting point, send out hand written thank you cards to the customers that helped your business the most this year. Yes, it may be a lot of work with a large client base but trust us, it will be something they keep. Second, get out of the office and stop by their building to show a face to your brand, bring them lunch or a gift basket (if appropriate), remember: your customers don’t always have to use you so besides your amazing services, why should they continue to bring you business? If you do have a large client base, we recommend doing this for your largest clients. Third, send out a small direct mail piece with a small gift. This can be a colorful calendar or promotional items or maybe you would like to offer them a discount for the holidays for being a loyal customer, either way this will get your brand into their mind during a time where consumers spend $616 billion during a two month span (WOW)!

If you want to attract new customers: Look into getting out in the community more by hosting and planning events. Everyone loves free food and wine, so hosting a holiday event or hip shin dig can improve both your image as well as your brand recognition (therefore creating a place where people can buy your products and come back when they need more). Make a list of potential new clients that you haven’t worked with (but would like to) and invite them with no strings attached and make sure there is a motive for them to attend (i.e. free door gift, chance to win a shopping spree, etc.) Make them come to your place, meet you and be inclined to come back because they were dazzled with your personality and of course products. Or if events seem to be out of your reach, offer a fun special for new clients, where they can’t refuse your services. (Think free, buy one get one). Also, going to events, networking and putting a face to your business is something that can’t be beat because people always go with brands they trust.

If you want to improve your image and give back: Partner with a favorite local charity to support an event, co-sponsor an event or if you’re feeling really charitable give a large donation to an organization that will not only solidify your business as an essential part of the community but we are sure it will get you and all your employees into the holiday giving spirit. Designate a day where your office volunteers help give out food, helping build a park or sort food at a food bank. Even something as simple as hosting a canned food drive can help you give back to your community and develop lasting relationships that can help both your business and your soul over the holidays.

Social media is essential in all of these as well as sending out formal invitations, making posters and event flyers. Document these events, maybe boost your posts, tell your friends and networking connections and see the rewards flow in. But, don’t be fooled, these three approaches are not mutually exclusive and a mixture of the three can prove an even better recipe. For us, the holidays are about appreciating the customers you have, giving back to those who really need it and making new friends to take with you into the New Year.

AJ Printing & Graphics and Wine Country Signs is a commercial printer in Santa Rosa, Ca specializing in any marketing materials you may need. We put our relationships with our clients over everything in order to ensure their success. With over 30 year's experience in the industry, leave the printing to us and focus on other things. We are a green business, recycling all of our paper and buying from trusted businesses that commit to the sustainability of our planet. We are your partner in print located at 1315 North Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa, CA (707) 525-8600!