It’s been an unforgettable year (although for many of us, it’s one we would rather forget). Like us, we’re sure you’re looking forward to getting a little respite over the festive period and taking some time out to recover from the challenges you’ve had to face in the last few months.
You could be tempted to shut up shop for a fortnight and forget about your professional commitments altogether. However, trust us when we say that a little extra work on your business, not in it, before the New Year could make all the difference to your Q1 2021.
Regroup
Unless December is your busiest time of year, the days leading up to Christmas will inevitably run at a slower pace than usual. When your clients are heading off grid and your colleagues are enjoying (Zoom) party drinks, you can use this rare downtime to think about what’s worked brilliantly for you this year, what’s not gone as well as you’d hoped, and what steps you can take now to strengthen your brand from January onwards.
It’s the perfect time to reflect on your marketing approach and use everything you’ve learned in 2020 to develop a harder-hitting promotional strategy for the next 12 months.
Rethink
Chances are your priorities are a little different compared to this time last year. Thanks to the COVID crisis, your business has probably had to evolve and pivot in ways you never thought were possible. Any change in direction – whether it was consciously intended or it’s down to circumstances that were out of your control – needs to be reflected in every single asset you own. This could mean making tweaks to everything you use to present your business to your customers, from your website all the way through to your product labels, your packaging and your printed merchandise.
Review all the tools you are currently using to advertise your products or services and reinforce your brand amongst your target customers. Ask yourself: do they really reflect what your organisation is all about? Do they stand up to what’s being presented by your competitors? Are you investing as much in your company image as you would like? If the answer is ‘no’ to either of these questions, it’s time to plan better designs and devise a more impactful merchandising strategy.
Redo
Think about how you could change your designs to better reflect where your business is at right now.
Perhaps you could be using recycled woven labels in place of printed labels to communicate your new mission to use more sustainable materials (like us!).
Maybe you could be trying out fun graphics or more sophisticated finishes on your printed mailing bags, packaging boxes and promo cards to leave a longer lasting impression on your audience.
There’s so much you can do to level up your promotional game – it’s just a case of finding an approach that’s going to deliver the best return on investment.
The team here at Hallmark Labels will be more than happy to discuss your options in more detail. From coming up with designs that will maximise the value you get from your merchandise, to helping you explore ways to add extra pizazz to your products, our staff would love the opportunity to introduce you to new concepts. Contact us today to arrange your free consultation in December and get some great ideas in the bank before you take a well-deserved break!
