4 Unconventional Year-End Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses
Let’s face it. From Halloween until New Year’s Day, we are inundated with garish billboard advertisements, commercials filled with redundant jingles, and sale after sale after sale.
So is year-end advertising a bad idea? Quite the opposite, actually. But we think a more subtle approach can lead to better business relationships and stronger client referrals within your community.
Here are a few unobtrusive year-end marketing ideas for your small business.
1. Throw a Christmas party and don the Santa suit.
Do your clients have kids? Dress up as Santa and host a breakfast, or even an open house with cookies and small crafts for kids. Offer a photo op, and have you or one of your willing employees dress up as Santa.
What you can hand out as an event giveaway
Kids of ALL ages will remember this event. If you’re having pictures with Santa, you can hand out some inexpensive cardboard frames as unique Christmas party favors. If it’s a small party, order these blank (we require no order minimum on our blank cardboard frames).
2. Offer your services at the school Christmas pageant.
If you’re a handyman, contractor, or construction professional, offer to help build the set for the school or church Christmas play. Run a catering company? Help provide snacks for after the show.
Even if you don’t have a skillset that is directly related to producing a school play, your services could be of help, and your business will likely get a free ad placed in the playbill or school newsletter.
What you can hand out as an event giveaway
If there is no playbill or newsletter, consider handing out branded calendars at the event as an easy way to get your name out there. Not sure if promo calendars are effective? Let us convince you why logo calendars are practical advertising investments.
3. Send thank you cards, not Christmas cards.
Religious affiliation and political correctness aside, saying “thank you” instead of “Merry Christmas” could give your customers a more favorable opinion of you over your competitors.
But why send a thank you card in place of a Christmas card from your business?
By sending cards that say “thank you for your business” or “we appreciate your loyalty,” you’re doing more than just pushing a sentiment at them; you’re telling them something genuine. By saying thanks, you’re encouraging your audience to keep doing business with your small business. And we all know how important it is to work with small businesses.
Now, we’re not saying that you should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” Saying those things is a great idea.
Consider this instead: send a thank you card near year’s end, thanking them for their business this past year. If you want to say Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings, or Happy Hanukkah, write it with your personal handwritten message.
4. Blog about cookies or share your creations on social media.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a realtor, a plumber, a freelance designer, or a financial advisor. Just about everyone loves cookies, and people go gaga over Christmas cookie recipes.
Share your favorite recipe, or even a few recipes from your staff members. While this sort of blog or social media post might not be directly related to your industry, it’s a light-hearted subject, and it adds a nice “human element” to any business blog. Don’t have a blog? Send it in an email.
Further your reach by sending completely custom Christmas cards, complete with your cookie recipe (can’t choose just one recipe? Print a tri-fold calendar card for even more cookie recipe-sharing goodness).
We’re here for your year-end marketing needs.
Need some help choosing the best promotional item for your year-end customer giveaways? On The Ball Promotions is here to help. Browse our selection of custom branded items, or call our customer service team at (800) 475-2255.