The holidays are upon us and, if your company is like most, you plan to maximize your advertising efforts over the holidays.
Seasonal print advertising can be extremely effective, but remember: you’re not the only one with this idea!
Your potential customers are almost certainly being inundated with holiday-themed advertising. If you want to do more than just blend in with the rest of the crowd—and make no mistake about it, there is a crowd—you’ve got to get creative. Remember that while you’re not in direct competition with other industries, you’re still competing for a limited amount of attention.
Let’s take a look at 5 ways you can get ahead of the competition with your print advertising ideas this year:
#1 – It’s the Season of Giving
The more genuinely useful (or at the very least enticing) your print holiday advertisements are, the more likely your recipients are to keep them instead of pitching them into the nearest recycling bin.
How do you become useful?
Embody the spirit of the season by giving. Now is the time to pull out your biggest discounts and loss leaders. If you can make your customers feel like they have a once-in-a-year opportunity if they do business with you, you’re ahead of the game.
While your competition is sending out “thanks for being our customer” cards, you’ll be sending out game-changers. Who comes out on top in that comparison?
#2 – Give People The Opportunity to be Together
If you’re in an industry where it makes sense, “two for one” or group promotions are a great way to give people an opportunity to spend time together—plus it’s a great way to expose new people to your business.
#3 – Work With Your Neighbors
While it would be difficult and probably not the best idea to work with your direct competition, if you can arrange to team up with another small- or mid-size business in an industry that’s complimentary to your own—e.g., you sell cookies and they sell milk, it’s a match made in heaven!—the benefits of holiday “crossover” can be huge.
If you can develop a relationship with a business in a complimentary industry, you both stand to benefit during the holidays by offering your respective customer bases special deals like joint packages, discounts, and coupons.
You can also reduce the cost of your print campaign by splitting expenses with your new holiday partner.
#4 – Offer Something for the Little Ones
The holiday season is all about spending time with family, and most families tend to have their own little bundles of joy. When you create a promotion that involves the kids in some way—such as an in-store event where visitors can meet Santa or complimentary holiday goodie bags—you’re more likely to attract the attention of mom and dad too.
The parents get to handle some of their end-of-year business such as shopping or taking advantage of whatever else it may be that you offer without making it as much of a strain to bring the kids along.
#5 – Reward Your Best Customers
If you have special customers or clients who have remained particularly loyal or brought you a great deal of business throughout the year, this is the best time to thank them.
Show your genuine gratitude by giving them a freebie or a steep discount. Customized prints like personalized cards or other correspondence material included with a gift will go a long way to keeping your relationship strong.
Better Printing, Better Results
If you’d like to learn more about how the team at Smart Document Solutions can help you grow your business with a wide variety of printing, scanning, and other high-end office solutions, please feel free to contact us today or request a completely free quote.
From everyone at both of our convenient locations in Phoenix and Flagstaff, we wish you and your family a very happy holiday season!
