If not, why not? It’s really is never too early to start your festive printing campaign. I know we’ve only just started packing away our shorts and flip flops but you can never be too prepared for – yep, I’m gonna say it, – Christmas.
Christmas can be an excellent time of year to reward your biggest clients whilst reminding the smaller ones of your existence and offering them an incentive to buy from you over the season.
Plan your Christmas print campaign meticulously
To give yourself the best chance of creating a memorable campaign, you need to start researching your ideas in September and be ready to get the design team onboard and fired up for the start of October. Assuming you want your Christmas campaign to drop on your clients doorstep on the 1st of December. This means you’ve got 8 weeks to design, print and mail your brilliant concepts.
Remember: Complicated print jobs with special print finishes can take longer to produce, especially if you are combining treatments like foiling and die-cutting in the same project. Your printing company will also be in full festive printing swing at their busiest time of year.
So, if you’re reading this at the end of October you’re already off the mark.
Below is a list of the top festive printing ideas for your company.
Christmas Cards
- These are perfect for any type of client and can be bought in large numbers, reducing the price per unit.
- Personalise the cards by hand writing the messages inside and hand write the address to avoid cards looking like mass marketing.
- Use spot UV or gloss laminate to make cards more interesting and give more of a luxury feel.
- Die-cut shapes into the design of your cards.
- Use unusual artboards to make a brilliant first impression – metallic artboards can produce amazing effects at a cost effective price
- We recommend sending christmas cards between 1st and the 15th December to be safe. Remember, during the Christmas season not all businesses operate on their usual business hours.
Takeaway: It’s not just Christmas card printing you should think about, check out these other great christmas promotional items below. They are perfect to give to your customers to make sure your the company they think of the next time they need products like yours.
Wall planners
- These are a perfect Christmas if your company deals with other businesses. A wall planner will go up in your client’s office and everyone who works there will see it every day, use it to plan staff annual leave and to make a note of important meetings or events coming up in the year.
- You could even sell the area around the actual calendar to other local businesses who want to advertise there!
- Create a competition for your customers. Encourage them to take a photo with your printed wall planner in their office and email to you – everyone who takes part will be entered into a draw to win a hamper or other festive prize. Post the results on social media to generate a buzz and add some fun to your campaign.
Voucher Christmas Cards
- Christmas cards with a tear-off (perforated) panel can be used as a voucher or special incentive to reward customers and give them a reason to visit you in the New Year. A subtle, yet effective festive printing, marketing tool.
- Use your voucher panel as a voucher, reply card to collect customer details and feedback, a tear off calendar or an invitation to a special event.
Takeaway: Whatever you do don’t make it too serious – remember your festive printing should be fun!
Promo Diaries
- These gifts are, again, fantastic if you deal with other businesses.
- A diary will be used daily- if it is covered with your logo, the client will be constantly reminded of the services you offer.
- Give these to your own staff and have the most organised New Year ever!
Mobile Phone Holders
- More of a novelty gift, these display smartphones neatly next to a handy calendar and your contact details.
- These are guaranteed to be kept on a client’s desk and used daily for phone-holding or for calendar reference.
Desk Notepads
- At Proactive HQ, these are an essential for recording telephone messages, instructions from the boss or everyone’s sandwich orders.
- You could put calendars, to do lists, crossword puzzles, Sudoku, useful codes or numbers or sketch pads in the corner of these to make them more interesting.
- Don’t forget to put your logo and contact details to remind clients of your services!
Desk Calendars, CD Case Calendars & Hanging Calendars
- Client will use these daily to refer to the date or month, and every time will be reminded of your company and the services you offer
- Calendars last longer than a bottle of wine or a box of shortbread and are perceived to be of high value.
- Design different sides with a different image – perhaps something that’s relevant to your business or to the clients. (If you sell surfing equipment onto sports shops, why not design a calendar with shots of water sports or the beach?)
Festive printing tips:
- Don’t just give calendars away – why not sell them?
- Run a design competition for kids and sell a calendar with the best pictures to the mums
- Make your festive printing fun – dress up in festive outfits and take a group photo and use ti on all your festive promotions
- Strip off like the calendar girls and flash some flesh in the name of charity
- Put some seasonal recipes onto each month, this will make the calendars more sellable