Quarter 4, 2019

Holiday Marketing: The Fundamentals

Marketing works hard all year driving sales, furthering customer relationships, boosting reputations and leading to organizational growth. But marketing is called on to work especially hard during the final “golden quarter” of each year — the busy holiday season.

This is the time when people are ready and willing to shop and spend. Which simply means they'll be even more receptive to marketing messages that tout your holiday sales events and highlight your promotions and offers.

It also means that there's no better time to connect with your prospects and customers on an emotional level, with marketing that enhances their seasonal joy while relieving some of the stress that's all too prevalent during this hectic time.

But where to start? Safeguard's FREE eBook, Holiday Marketing Fundamentals, is full of tips, insights and information that'll keep you on track during this very important time of year. You'll want to refer to it again and again for help in these critical areas:

• Creating an effective holiday marketing plan
• Updating your brand for maximum benefit
• Readying your website for the holidays
• Ensuring that you can be found online
• Sending effective holiday emails
• Driving sales with social media
• Making the most of print marketing

Best of all, your Safeguard consultant is standing by, always ready to provide the assistance, ideas and advice you need to make your holiday marketing effort a success.

Download your FREE copy of Holiday Marketing Fundamentals today.

Are you ready for the end of the year?

December will be here before you know it. How prepared are you to finish out the year where payroll data is concerned? Remembering items like automobile benefits, bonus payroll and address changes are things to start working on now.

In fact, there are so many things to remember and prepare for that we’ve prepared this general checklist to assist you:

• Review upcoming holidays and resolve conflicts with scheduled pay dates or bank closings

• Meet with staff to discuss increased holiday work hours and early business closures

• Review staff vacation days in order to make sure things are covered during the holidays

• Notify all employees to review their TD1 status; all those claiming Exempt for this year must complete a new TD1

• Meet with your accountant to update your business income and expenses year to date

• Make sure you have expense receipts and bank statements reflecting checking account activity

• See that all employee addresses are up to date with accurate social security numbers, and get postage amounts ready for mailing employee T4s by February 28

• Make sure you have a plan for employees requesting a duplicate T4

As you use this list to help you get payroll-ready for year’s end, remember that your Safeguard consultant is also available to help you with other business challenges all year long.

Order these five printed items now and beat the holiday rush

Holiday shoppers seem to do their thing earlier every year. And as someone with a business to promote, you should be going the early-bird route as well. Holiday print marketing keeps you fresh in customers' minds during the most potentially profitable time of year. Plus, getting your printing done early frees you up to do all those other important things the season entails. Want to beat the rush? Print these five holiday marketing items now.

1. Holiday cards
High-quality greeting cards are the perfect way to send warm holiday wishes and express gratitude for your customers' support over the past year.

Tip: Personalize your holiday cards with a handwritten message. It's a great addition that makes people feel extra appreciated; you may want to reserve this special recognition for your best customers.

2. Calendars
You can remind prospects and customers who you are, what you have to offer and where to get it, 365 days a year, with full-colour calendars customized with your artwork, photos, holiday offers, sales events and more. Great for giveaways, perfect as mail-outs or special recognition for new or repeat customers, calendars are a powerful addition to your marketing tool kit.

Tip: Get your calendars into customers' hands as early as possible and beat your competitors to the punch. December can even be the first month on your calendars, making them useable immediately.

3. Booklets & catalogues
A booklet or a catalogue is a great way to boost awareness of your business, keeping it at the top of your customers' lists when they're ready to shop and buy. Booklets and catalogues can be distributed in your place of business, or you can send them out via direct mail, which works especially well when you position them as last-minute holiday gift guides.

Tip: Booklets and catalogues don't just have to be about products and services. When you share ideas, testimonials and success stories, customers will feel even more comfortable with your business.

4. Shopping bags
Holiday shopping bags, customized with your logo, turn each and every customer into a walking billboard for your business. And when you choose more durable cotton or canvas bags, jute totes or euro shoppers, you boost the chances of customers using them again and again, which extends their marketing potential even further.

Tip: If your holiday marketing budget is tight and precludes a redesign of your packaging, you can always order colourful, festive stickers customized with your logo and apply them to bags and gift boxes.

5. Signage
You can attract drivers and window-shoppers alike with strategically placed banners, posters and large format wall graphics that promote your holiday specials and drive traffic to your place of business. Indoors or out, big and bold announcements of what you have to offer can work all season long and are especially effective in engaging last-minute shoppers.

Tip: Choose flexible, durable vinyl banners that can withstand the elements for outdoor promotions. Highlight in-store sales with canvas banners or posters.

Your Safeguard consultant can provide ideas, advice and help with these and many more print marketing and business solutions. Make contact today. And make your holidays brighter and more profitable.