The Art of Holiday Marketing

A Business Within Your Business The average distributor does 35% or more of their business in the fourth quarter of the year. Best practice is to tool for this season in the second quarter of the year. Roll out marketing in the third quarter of the year. Sell like crazy after Labor Day

Product Selection 1.Set your goals to assemble a “collection” of business and executive gifts. 2.Cull through catalogs within our industry and outside to find “unique” ideas. 3.Show your selections to a variety of focus group members representing different age groups, gender, income etc. 4.Be sure to have a wide price range starting at $500 or more, depending on your clientele. 5.Branded product is not important, personalization is. 6.Reliable, known vendors are critical as time often becomes a factor.

Product Presentation My 2010 Executive Gift Collection

Product Presentation Create an image binder –use it every year Use individual photographs – not catalog sheets Use clear page holders Arrange the book by price Place prices on a separate sheet or on back Add selected full line catalogs in back Calendar Diary Greeting cards An awards catalog too

Early Marketing Prepare all marketing materials ASAP Promote “Christmas in the Summer” (or Fall) Arrange for early bird pricing. Use you own early order incentives. Create an invitation- announcement. Target prospects, dormant accounts, existing accounts, network groups. Telephone…ask who buys the holiday gifts? Try not to give away EQP.

Buyer Tips Subordinate or eliminate logos. Take care of the packaging and delivery. Box it, delivered by hand. Be first, noticed, and remembered. Do your gifting on Thanksgiving. Be unique, alone and remembered. Do your gifting on New Year. Gift cards solve a giver’s problem. Think twice before shifting the burden. Gift cards are impersonal. “I haven’t taken the time to pick a gift just for you”. If you go this route the least you can do is package it in a personal way. Holiday gifts should never arrive later than Parties, vacation and other travel often takes people out of their offices at holiday time. Food gifts in particular should arrive early. Test- taste everything before you buy.

Prospecting Tips Have every customer, friend and relative save their B2B greeting cards. These are prospects for next year. Donate the cards to a children’s hospital, school, or senior citizen center. Always ask.. who selects you holiday gifts?..log it for follow up.