It may feel like summer just ended, but the holiday season is right around the corner. The key to kicking off a successful holiday season for your business is planning ahead. By working through the details and ordering your necessities now, you’ll be ready to drive sales, show appreciation to your customers and employees, and end the year on a great note.
As you prepare your business’s holiday initiatives, here are five things to start thinking about now.
1. Order Your Promotional Gifts
Promotional gifts are a holiday season staple. Personalized, branded gifts are a great way to show your appreciation for your top customers or clients. In particular, investing in premium gifts is a guaranteed way to stand out. Every time your client wears a piece of high-end branded apparel or uses a gifted tech or cookware item, your company will be top of mind. The huge variety of promotional gifts available means that you can choose items to fit any budget, in any shape or size.
Whatever type of gift you decide to go with, be sure to order sooner than later. Plan ahead in Q3 and make sure you order all promo items well in advance, so your customers don’t miss out on free gifts and your business doesn’t miss out on brand awareness.
2. Don’t Forget About Employee Appreciation
This holiday season, show your appreciation for your staff and thank them for all they’ve done for your business. Many of the same gifts you use to show appreciation to top clients are also perfect for your team members. You might even choose additional customizations on these items, embroidering names into apparel or personalizing things like coffee and tea sets.
3. Send Out Your Season’s Greetings
Exchanging holiday cards is another beloved holiday tradition that can help to strengthen your relationship with clients. By sending out physical holiday cards, you can spread some festive cheer while connecting with your customers on a personal level. To increase the impact of your holiday cards, have a design and print partner like AlphaGraphics create a custom design.
You can even get creative with die cutting, embossing, foil stamping, and folding to create a stand-out card that will earn a special place on the mantel! Including a hand-written note or enclosing a photo of your team in the card will help to further reinforce your relationship — especially if your business has transitioned to doing more business remotely.
4. Prepare for Holiday Promotions
If, like many businesses, you rely on the holiday season for a large percentage of your annual revenue, it’s time to start brainstorming how you’ll get customers through the door. Many consumers expect to see sales and special offers around the holidays, so running a promotion is a great way to drive more sales.
Prepare for these promotions well in advance with marketing materials. It’s smart to use a blend of digital materials, like email blasts and social media advertising, as well as physical materials, like postcards, mailers, and flyers. Creative signage for both inside and outside your storefront will capture the attention of passersby and help you capitalize on spontaneous purchases.
5. Give Your Space a Holiday Refresh
Festive decor is key to feeling the magic of the holiday season. Help create a great holiday shopping experience for your guests by sprucing up your storefront and making the inside of your business look merry as can be. Unique decorations will help you stand out from other businesses to draw in more customers, too!
Go beyond tinsel and wreaths this year with creative signage that can transform your entire business into a winter wonderland. Choose wall, window, and floor graphics or pull-up banners to add splashes of holiday cheer to every surface. Think about how you can blend holiday motifs with your branding for a truly unique experience.
Get Festive with AlphaGraphics
Working with us here at AlphaGraphics in the Cultural District makes it even easier to get through the busy holiday season. Let us handle the design and production of your print collateral, signage, and marketing materials, and help you create a comprehensive strategy for making the most of the holiday season and all of its revenue-driving potential. Contact us today!