It’s Time to Plan Your Year-End Promotional Advertising Strategy
We’re into the second half of the year, folks! It’s time to start planning for the holiday season, and what better way to celebrate than to bring in oodles of new business?
Plan your Christmas 2012 promotional advertising strategy well ahead, to make sure you have enough time to choose your products carefully and get them out.
You want to make the most of the presentation and delivery of the gifts as a networking opportunity, a chance to remind your existing customers that you are there for them, and to open some new doors ahead of 2013.
Perfect Holiday Gifts
So what sort of holiday gifts should you choose? Answer these questions:
- Should you give your regular, smaller customers the same gifts as those who spend more?
- What promotional ideas can you employ to really get the attention of potential customers?
- How do you include prospects in your promotional advertising strategy without making it seem like you’re trying to “buy” their business?
- How much can you afford to spend on products that reflect your promotional ideas, and how many do you need?
Depending on your answers, there are a few options that might do it for you.
Existing Customers
Your message to existing clients should be one of appreciation for their business and loyalty, without leaving the impression that you are making so much money you no longer need them. Keep your promotional advertising message simple, and try for gifts that are meaningful, useful and not too extravagant. Try to include a personal touch – use your customer records to determine whether a wine gift basket caddy is a good idea. Here’s a hint: there’s no point in giving alcohol to a non-drinker, and some might find it downright offensive.
Prospective Customers
Okay, here you can be forgiven for having a little less detailed knowledge of your prospect. After all, unless you’ve had a chance to engage with him or her on a personal basis, you’re unlikely to know whether they drink or not. In that case, it’s probably better to stick to promotional advertising options that are safe, such as ornamental holiday gifts. A fresh fruit basket is pretty suitable for almost anyone, as long as you know the recipient will get it. Don’t just have it delivered to his office without checking that he is present – it could be a bit sad by the time he gets back from a six-week vacation!
High Value Customers
This is always a tricky one. Whether you’re dealing with an existing or potential customer, it’s can be seen as insulting to give a gift costing $25 to someone who spends over $100,000 a year with your company. On the other hand, a gift costing $3,000 no longer really qualifies as promotional advertising, and is more in the realm of corporate gifts. Many company representatives aren’t allowed to accept expensive gifts, and turning up in the hallway with one can put your customer in an impossible situation – not to mention wasting your hard-earned cash on promotional ideas that won’t see the light of day. In cases like this, forget the surprise value. Find out ahead of time what the company’s policy is on accepting gifts, and if there’s a monetary threshold, find out what it is. That way you can avoid embarrassing both yourself and the customer.
Occasional Customers
Ok, so they are existing customers but only buy from you infrequently. There’s nothing regular about their business and you know for a fact they patronize the competition as well. These are the people you really want to bring into the fold; they already use your products and services, they’ve come back for more – now you just have to wean them away from the other guy. This is where promotional advertising can really do it for you!
Spend a bit of time researching the value of business you could be getting from each client individually, and try to find out some personal information that will give you some clues. Usually, if you can get hold of a chatty secretary or receptionist and tell her you want to buy her boss a gift, she’ll be able to give you some suggestions for promotional ideas. Just don’t forget her when you go to present the gift; add something small for her that will keep her on your side.
Ready to roll?
Browse our collection of holiday gifts before you finalize your promotional advertising strategy, and make sure you get the right products for the people on your gift list. Order them now, then even if they take six weeks to reach you, you still have November during which to make personal visits to deliver the gifts – and perhaps even pick up some orders for the new year.
