Thinking about your Christmas marketing? Don’t worry it’s not too late!
We know conventional wisdom says we should all be planning our Christmas campaigns in July, but in reality, few of us can face thinking about it while we’re still in Summer holiday mode.
Don’t worry, if you are one of the many that are starting to panic at the prospect of Christmas preparations, we can provide you with a whole host of ideas to give you inspiration, all of which can be delivered to your customers in time for the festive season.
Why do seasonal marketing?
Christmas is the time of year to nurture your client relationships and spread a little love. Showing goodwill and acknowledgement sends out the message that you care, while reinforcing your brand’s values.
Seasonal marketing comes in all forms, whether it’s a simple Christmas card or a no-budget-spared direct mailing campaign involving branded merchandise. The aim is always to put your business in front of your customers, say ‘Hi’ and ‘thank you’ for their support but most of all create a memorable moment that will stay with them and pique their interest or intrigue. If you give clients something to interact with, or keep on their desk, it’s the cheapest brand reinforcement you’ll ever pay for.
Take the humble Christmas card to a new level
In recent years, due to the rising cost of postage, many companies and indeed individuals have stopped sending printed cards in favour of online versions – which are arguably far less personal. We believe a high-quality printed card is still worth investing in as they will help your brand stand out during the busy season where businesses are being bombarded with marketing messages. They will give the impression that you value the relationship and will stick around on desks for a while. A digital card is likely to be instantly deleted!
If you choose to go with a printed version, there are more options than ever to give your cards a bit of added sparkle. Why not add a touch of foil or consider spot UV highlights for extra impact? Or if you’re feeling creative, laser cut cards or even pop-up designs bring the ultimate fancy flourish. Don’t forget to add a branded envelope as well if you want to go the extra mile!
Think about creating a design and message that sparks interest from your customers and suits your brand. If it is appropriate, humour that chimes with your audience is always memorable, so think about how you can make your card recipient smile. Is there a clever play on words or festive twist on your visual brand that you can incorporate?
To get the most value from your card mail-out, plan the timing carefully. Wait too long and your recipient will have less time to enjoy them, so a good rule of thumb is to post sometime between the last two weeks of November and the first week of December.
At MyAudience, we make it really easy for you to order branded cards through our online service. If would like to explore more customised options, please don’t hesitate to give us a call to discuss further on 0118 9360123. We have our own mailing house, so if you are pressed for time, you can pass full management of your Christmas card mail-out directly to us.
Scratchcards and advent calendars
If you are after something truly unique for your customers to engage with, there are many ways you can incorporate a scratchcard into your seasonal campaigns.
Create a scratch card design with prizes of different values (eg a hamper, wine, chocolates or a free trial or your product or services) and send it to all your customers as a fun Christmas game. Similarly, a scratch advent calendar, with a different prize under every panel date, is a great way of recapturing some of that childhood excitement in the build up to the big day.
You could also buy into the sentiment that Christmas is a time for giving. Team up with your local charity lottery offering scratchcards and distribute them along with your Christmas cards. Not only will you feel great about fund-raising for a worthwhile cause, you will be offering your customers the chance to win a cash prize if they scratch off the lucky numbers.
MyAudience can help you from start to finish if you’re interested in creating an engaging Christmas scratchcard game, advising you with prize / giveaway structure (if required) and/ or the full design of the scratchcard itself. MyAudience has been producing award-winning promotional games and scratchcards for over 25 years. We have state-of-the-art print technology that offers more variance, colours and incredible game mechanics than ever seen before. Read more
Wallplanners and Calendars
Ever popular, wallplanners or calendars always make a fantastic marketing tool. They are ideal gifts and one of the easiest ways to get some brand exposure all year round. The great thing about calendars is that almost everyone needs one – smartphones have meant that more of our diaries have moved online, but nothing beats putting pen to paper so you can jot down all your important dates.
Wall planners are a great budget-friendly way to stay connected with your customers. Put your company in front of your clients for 12 months of the year by giving them something to put on their notice board. Apart from being really useful, they can be a great way to encourage your customers to keep in touch. You can add personal touches to a wallplanner, such as reminders of seasonal offers or tips relating to your services.
You can really go to town with the creativity when producing a calendar. While desk calendars are portable and ideal for every day brand awareness, a double page wall calendar with the option for a full page of images each month can provide double the impact. Double page calendars could be for you if you have a set of photographs that you’d like to display all year round – they also require very little design work. Single page options generally incorporate an image or design with each monthly page and can be ‘thumb cut’ for ease of hanging. If you’re looking to really stand out, you can always add a little shine with foiled covers.
For more information about wallplanners, calendars or other branded merchandise, visit our merchandise
We hope that we’ve managed to give you some food for thought and you now have an idea of what Christmas promotions could work for you. For more advice please do not hesitate to contact us on 0118 9360123 or email info@myaudience.co.uk
