During the holiday season, business owners are often scrambling for ways to encourage customers to purchase more products. With the holiday season coming quickly, now is a great time to think about your marketing collateral.
What is print marketing collateral?
Print marketing collateral is the term used to describe any type of marketing material that you print on paper. Examples include brochures, flyers, posters, business cards, letters and anything else you might print out.
There are many different types of print marketing collateral. They can be broken down by their primary function into two main categories: awareness materials and marketing materials.
Awareness collateral is designed to create interest in your services or products by educating prospects about your business. Awareness materials are typically aimed at building name recognition, brand awareness and trust.
Marketing collateral on the other hand is designed to communicate a message that encourages people to take action. Marketing materials are intended to generate leads or encourage purchases by consumers.
How can print marketing collateral help my business?
When it comes to generating sales, much like everything else, practice makes perfect. The more you print and distribute these pieces of marketing collateral, the better you will get at creating them and promoting your business through them! There are many different benefits that come from using print marketing collateral to increase sales during the holiday season. Here are just a few of them:
Immediate access to customer’s attention
During the holidays, many people will be shopping at local businesses since they don’t want to deal with large crowds and long lines at the mall. They are much more likely to purchase something if you’re able to hand them a brochure or flyer about your company that they can read while standing in line! Plus, you don’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll even see it like an email or social media ad.
They build brand awareness
One of the main reasons businesses distribute print marketing material is because it allows their company to build brand awareness. This awareness is created by people seeing your brand every day. Pretty soon it will be time to cozy up next to the fire with some hot cocoa and catch up on online holiday shopping. You want to be front of mind when this happens and people are much more likely to purchase from a company they recognize, like and trust.
They build trust with potential new customers
Another great thing about print marketing collateral is that it allows you to build trust with people who may not know much about your business. Having a marketing item on hand shows people that your company cares about them and provides a valuable service or product and that you take your company seriously enough to market it well.
They help you stand out from your competition
One of the most important keys to success is differentiation. In a world where everyone is vying for attention, it’s really hard to get yours heard above the noise! That’s why print marketing collateral is so effective because it will differentiate your business from others in the minds of potential customers. It lets you tell people who you are and what makes your company special in just a few seconds.
How can I increase sales using print marketing collateral?
There are many different ways you can increase sales during the holiday season by distributing print marketing material to customers, but here are a few of our favorites:
Send holiday cards to your biggest clients and customers
If you are running a small business, the people who have already made purchases from you are often your biggest supporters. Another great way to help you grow your business in December is by sending holiday cards with a personalized message to your biggest clients and customers.
Sending Christmas cards is a thoughtful way to connect with your customers on a personal level. You can use this as an opportunity to tell them how thankful you are that they chose to do business with you and also let them know how much you appreciate their loyalty. Even if they don’t make a purchase this holiday season, sending personalized cards is an amazing opportunity to maintain and strengthen your relationship with them which will keep you top of mind for future business.
Hire a graphic designer to create a one of a kind card and don’t forget that you can include coupons or discounts that will encourage them to take advantage of the holiday specials you are running as well. You can go one step further and include a gift card or something else that they might enjoy for your biggest supporters. This is a great way to encourage them to continue being loyal customers and even tell other people about you if they have a positive experience with your brand.
Window clings
Another great way to increase sales during the holidays is by making use of a window cling. Window clings are a great way to attract customers from outside by letting them know exactly what you have inside the store. Not only that, but window clings are colorful and eye-catching, which means they’re sure to grab your customer’s attention as they pass by!
A window cling is also a great way to tell people about your business holiday specials or sales. You can place a window cling with a festive holiday theme so that people know exactly what you have to offer. If you are running a special on a certain product or service, make sure to let your customers know!
Window clings help increase brand awareness and also are an amazing way to share your brand’s personality. Be sure to really hone in on your brand voice as well as your brand colors and patterns to really bring your brand to life and connect with your customers. We’ve all been shopping and though “oh, this store is so (insert name here)!” If you allow your brand’s personality to shine through with your marketing materials, you’ll attract more of your ideal customer.
Loyalty cards
A loyalty program is a fantastic way to reward current customers with discounts or benefits when they purchase something from your store during the holiday season. These programs encourage brand loyalty and repeat business by giving people an to get special offers or discounts. Plus, they can also be distributed outside the store in the form of print marketing material like flyers!
The best thing about running a loyalty program is that it’s relatively affordable and you can choose what kinds of offers or discounts to include. You can choose between creating different tiers of discounts or rewards, or even create separate programs for certain brands in your store!
People love free stuff! And who doesn’t love a good deal? If you have print marketing material that is going to provide them with some value or reduce the cost of something they’re going to buy from you, then the holiday season is probably a really great time for them to do business with your brand.
Flyers for promotions
Flyers are perfect if you’re looking to host special events or holiday sales that will motivate more people to purchase from you. Flyers typically contain information about your brand, business, special offers, discounts, etc.
They are printed and distributed through direct mail campaigns, given away at events, or you can hand them out with the purchase of something else to get even more exposure. You can include coupons or free offers on these so that the customer has an incentive to come shop at your store over someone else’s.
Holiday packaging
If you’re looking for something that’s more fun and festive, then consider creating your own holiday packaging. Packaging is extremely important during the holiday season because it enhances the overall experience of shopping! Another great thing about this is that not only will potential customers see what you have to offer, but their friends will definitely take notice as well!
That’s just another way to get exposure through word of mouth marketing which is a huge driver for a lot of businesses. This can include gift boxes, stickers, gift bags, or you can even have your own custom gift wrapping and offer it as an additional service.
You’ve got this!
The more effort you put into your holiday marketing strategy, the better chance you have of making the most of this time of year. A little creativity and strategy can go a long way when you want to get your brand in front of as many people as possible during this busy season.
If you want to make sure your company is prepared for this year’s upcoming rush of customers and sales, book some time with me now! I specialize in creating holiday marketing campaigns that convert so you don’t have to worry about anything come the holiday season. Have any questions? Let’s chat soon – just fill out my contact form and I’ll be in touch!