Taking Advantage of the Holiday Seasons
“Enter the conversation going on in the customer’s mind,” were words once stated by prolific author and copywriter, Robert Collier, on the subject of how to make a sale. The holidays are a topic always in your customer’s head so what better way to connect with them and promote your business at the same time?
Yes, you did miss taking advantage of Labor Day, Halloween and Thanksgiving, but don’t fret because in the upcoming months there are plenty of holidays to structure your promotion around.
Here are some ideas for using Christmas, New Year’s and Valentine’s Day. Remember when using holidays in your promotion to carry the theme throughout your message to keep it congruent. For a Christmas promotion, pictures of Santa, holly, gifts on the letter and envelope, references in your copy, etc. will keep your reader interested and give your message more of an impact.
Christmas
*Send out a holiday card or greeting to your customers with an offer for money off their next purchase, make sure to personalize it
*Send a “Our Gifts to YOU” postcard with special holiday discounts
New Year’s
*Play off the traditional New Year’s resolutions to make your promotion one customers can easily connect with. Top resolutions include: building better relationships with friends or family, losing weight or beginning an exercise regime, getting out of debt or saving up for a bug purchase like a house or car, or quitting a vice. If these topics can find a home within your promotion, you’ll be in business.
*Play off the new year theme by using New Beginnings, New You, etc.
*Hold a “Get Rid of Last Year’s Inventory” Sale
*If you are normally closed on New Year’s Day consider opening for a 3-day New Year’s Weekend Blowout Sale on January 1, 2, and 3. January 1st is on a Saturday this year. It could be the sale to start your year off with a bang
*Have a “One Last Chance to Beat the 2011 Price Increase” Event
Valentine’s Day
*Hold a “We Love Our Customers” Appreciation Event
*Pass out valentines. Who didn’t love getting those? It will bring back fond memories and place your business in line with a great time in your customer’s lives. Don’t forget to include some type of deal!
*Offer either 14% off or $214 off in the spirit of “love”
Of course there are many other ways to take advantage of holidays and sometimes even the most obscure ones can work even though they may not be on your customer’s mind. If you are clever enough and make it interesting you could use Groundhog’s Day, President’s Day, or St. Patrick’s Day. There are holidays and special days for just about everything you can imagine. Be creative and have fun with it and if you come up with something that works let me know about it!
Kathy Jiamboi has over 13+ years expertise in Relationship and Direct Response Marketing and is CEO of Creativedge Marketing and Ready2Go Client Contact, in Cleveland, Ohio. Ready2Go Client Contact, a done for you program, offers her clients to easily and conveniently evolve client relationships. She offers FREE expert marketing tips to anyone interested in getting more clients.
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