Marketers, Start Your Holiday Engines: 3-2-1…GO!
It feels like just yesterday we were in the midst of a pandemic holiday season, and now here we are with a giant dose of deja vu, but this one is mixed with a more significant issue than last year: supply chain breakdowns. You’re already seeing the stories targeting holiday shoppers; “shop early, don’t wait!” they all say. What does it mean for companies and marketers alike? Well, your deadlines are moved way, way, way up, and you also have a chance to get extra creative this year.
3…2…1… GO check out our tips for a successful marketing holiday season ahead:
Don’t Delay; Be Agile
Think you aren’t ready and you need more time? Don’t wait. It may mean that you need to outsource some of your design or creative or that you have to throw together an offer that you need more time on. Don’t overthink it. At the end of the day, the most essential part is to drive traffic and sales. If you’re a retailer and need more time to develop an actual sale, consider making a “secret sale” so you can send out a direct mail campaign, have them sign up to find out what the big secret is, then when you are ready, you can deploy emails letting them in on the secret.
Get Creative
You need to stand out from your competitors, and trust me when we tell you that everyone is so over a full inbox of offers that often get swiped, checked, and mass deleted. Do you know what’s not so full and actually gets looked at? Mailboxes. No 4×6 postcards for you, go big, go bold… personalize envelopes, super oversized postcards, or even boxes. There are no bad ideas, and anything you can do to stand out is key to getting your brand seen and purchased.
Be Honest
The more honest you are with your customers about what is happening and how it may affect them, the better. If you know, it will take three weeks to ship to them, tell them upfront and give them the day they need to order by to be sure it gets delivered on time. If it doesn’t make it, consider sending them a personalized card they can print (or that you print and mail for them!), letting the recipient know that their gift is on the way.
Are your engines in motion? Ours are! We can help you with any of the ideas above and more, and we are up for any challenge. Let’s chat. Kirkwood Direct can be reached by calling 978-642-0300.