7 sales-boosting holiday print tips

Ahh, the holidays. It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and one of the most profitable. According to Yahoo, 40 percent of annual sales are concentrated in the last two months of the year.

And if you’re thinking “it’s not even Halloween yet, and we shouldn’t be thinking about the holidays,” then you, my friend, are wrong. Twenty-six percent of shoppers started Christmas shopping research prior to Halloween last year, according to Google. And who’s to say Halloween isn’t profitable?!

The point is… it’s time to amp up your holiday marketing game (Halloween included). We’ve done a lot of research, and we have found 7 holiday print tips to help you boost sales this season.

Holiday print tips (1) Visual signage

We all know that signs boost sales. According to Brandon Gaille, signs attract up to half of all business’ customers. Half! But what about just switching out a storefront wall sign with a larger sign? That still increases revenue for businesses in the retail industry by 7.7%!

What about indoor signs? Once you’ve got a great outdoor sign, you’re all set, right? Wrong. According to study through Ketchum, 68 percent of customers admit to having made purchases of products or services after a sign caught their eye. If you didn’t have in-store signage directing customers or informing them of services, you might miss an important sale.

You don’t have to break the bank on your print budget either. Even small signs like the one below help drive sales.

So now that you’re convinced holiday signage is important, you’re probably thinking you’re just going to go to Kinko’s and get a cheap-o sign made. Don’t! According to the same Ketchum study, 52 percent of people interviewed said they are less willing to shop at a store with a poorly made sign, especially one with misspellings. So go to a high-quality printer (us) and triple-check your spelling!

Holiday print tips (2) Holiday direct mail

According to AMi Direct Marketing, consumers spend about 25 minutes with their mail each day. For catalogs, consumers can spend an average of 30 minutes poring through the pages. With so much digital marketing flooding consumers these days, an informational booklet can really make your company stand out.

For nonprofits, the holiday season is especially important for you. According to Richard Male and Associates, Americans start to support charities around Thanksgiving with an “uncommon fervor.” If you conduct a successful direct mail campaign during the holiday season, you can sometimes bring in 50-75 percent of your total yearly revenue.

Holiday print tips (3) Special holiday menu

*If you’re not in the food and restaurant business, you can move on…

People tend to eat more around the holidays. People love holiday food — especially pumpkin-spice anything. How many tweets and Instagrams have you seen about the return of Pumpkin Spiced Lattes at Starbucks? Too many.

The point is: people love to eat around this time, and they love to eat festive, holiday-themed foods. Boost sales by making a special menu or food/drink item.

Holiday print tips (4) Punch cards

Oldie, but a goodie. People love freebies.

Holiday print tips (5) Food recipe tags

This isn’t limited to restaurants (although it is a good idea for people in the food & drink business). If you want to add an extra special touch, give your loyal customers a holiday treat with a custom recipe tag. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Holiday print tips (6) Flyers

Another oldie, but goodie. According to DMA research, 48 percent of consumers actually visited the shop advertised, requested extra information or bought a product after receiving a leaflet through their door. Leaflet distribution is one of the most affordable and effective methods of advertising, with 48 percent of consumers responding to leaflet advertisements.

If you really want an effective flyer, offer a discount or coupon. Money-off flyers are 50 percent more likely to be held for at least a week.

Holiday print tips (7) Small gifts

Want to give your customers a small gift, but don’t want it to be food? There are other options. Holiday coasters and custom wine labels are just a few ideas. These items are perfect for holiday parties.