Gain and Retain

Gain and Retain

With over 700 million Christmas cards still being sent they are a vital means of staying in touch with family and friends and reminding customers that you are still there and you care. With this in mind we’ve listed some top tips for you to maximise your sales this year.

Good luck and here’s to a successful Christmas season..

1. The Message

“What will NOT sending a personalised Christmas card to YOUR customers this year say? Unfortunately it may say “we are no longer here”, particularly if cutting costs have meant that you have cut back on communicating with your valued customer base throughout the year.

REMEMBER – it costs 7 times more to reach out to a new customer, so looking after existing customers is the smart way to focus your efforts.

Sending a personalised Christmas card this year not only gives the right message to customers it can also say a big ‘Thank You’ to hard working staff. Customers and clients do appreciate the gesture of a personalised Christmas card and they help strengthen the relationship and ‘emotional bond’ between your company and theirs, securing future sales in one of the most cost effective ways.

2. Get that sale!

A card’s not just for Christmas!......well, it is but here are 5 ideas for Christmas card uses and customer messages:

A personalised Christmas card from CCA Occasions can be used to say;

  • Thank you for your business
  • Well done, we are both still here during these difficult times
  • You are a valued customer/client and your business is important to us
  • A quality card (all CCA cards are produced to the highest standard) says “we are a quality business and you are a quality customer”
  • Well done to a great team (to all valued employees)

3. Don’t forget a Calendar

Gain two orders by offering personalised calendars, they are year round advertising.

TRIED AND TESTED METHODS

5 Top tips for gaining orders:

  • Last Years Customers – send a copy of last year’s order - these can be found online in ‘My Account’ in ‘My Documents’ as well as them being sent out with your marketing material for the season. This takes away the hassle factor and more or less guarantees a repeat order ‘just choose a design – we have all your details’. It’s also a good idea to keep a record of your customers for the last three years and mail them, even if they missed a year it could be an oversight and they may appreciate a reminder.
  • All Customer Database – send a full brochure or prospect mailing to all the customers on your database outlining the benefits of personalised Christmas cards, even if they have never ordered them before. It is important to keep the contact names up to date, quite often an order is lost because of a change in personnel or responsibility. It is worth checking who is responsible for ordering before sending a mailing, research has shown that this person is usually the MD’s secretary, and they are just waiting for you to take the hassle out of ordering.
  • Prospect Mailing – it’s worth building your own prospect list. One way to do this is to offer a recycling service – you only need to visit a few large companies in your local area, not only do you get an idea of the style of cards customers are sending, but also who exactly is sending personalised Christmas cards – you also get brownie points from the large companies for being a local recycler! Don’t forget, getting their Christmas card order could also open the door to other business too.
  • Drop in business – make sure everyone who comes into your premises leaves with a personalised Christmas card brochure.
  • DON’T FORGET TO SEND ALL YOUR VALUED CUSTOMERS A PERSONALISED CARD! Remember, a good proportion will think it’s the least you can do. This could be used as a marketing tool and be sent out in September letting them know the CCA Christmas range is now available along with a ‘may we be the first to wish you a Happy Christmas’. A personal message from the team makes a difference and shows how much their business means to you as well as adding a personal touch to your business relationship.