Adding That Bit Of Spice To Your Retail Business' Life


The last days of 2007 are fast approaching. Have you started on your next year's marketing campaign for your retail business? This early, you should've mapped out even a small one your retail promotional calendar for next year.

If you haven't started your marketing calendar yet, why not do a total makeover this coming year? Even with an entire shop full of interesting and useful merchandise, have you ever wondered why people don't seem to flock to your shop?

It wouldn't surprise me if one of your clients says it's a tad boring to come in your store. You wouldn't want that to happen again this year, right. With strategic planning and a great calendar of promotional events, the year 2008 would definitely have something extra to add to your retail business.

And mind you, we don't mean just the usual markdown price cut you regularly have in the middle and last quarter of the year. We would like to see a specially planned marketing campaign this year. This means planning for several exciting events that would give your clients and customers the motivation to shop in your store on a regular basis.

Planning for your promotional campaign for your retail business starts with choosing the most suitable marketing collateral - from the more popular ones (i.e. brochures and catalogs) to the most cost effective (i.e. postcards and flyers). Whatever you choose be sure to have them fit your retail business, your target clients, as well as your goals.

Next, you start your marketing calendar which contains all your planned and actual events for the whole year. Try to coordinate your special events with the major holidays, retail trends, seasons, and other occasions that would help you create a more interesting retail plan. And don't just stick with the national affairs; also include those events that are celebrated in your local community.

In addition, make sure that you schedule your marketing events 3-6 months in advance. So you won't be pressured and stressed when it's time to implement your plan.

Here are some of the major holidays and events celebrated in the U.S. , Canada and the United Kingdom to help you map out your marketing calendar for 2008:

January to March - New Year's Eve, Super Bowl, Bank Holiday in the UK, and back-to-school; Valentine's Day, Mardi Gras, President's Day, Black History Month, Ground Hog Day; Easter, Passover, Academy Awards, Spring Fever, St. Patrick's Day.

April to June - Baseball opening, April Fool's Day, Tax Day, Earth Day, Prom Season; Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Victoria Day in Canada, Memorial Day; Flag Day, Father's Day, Graduation Time, start of summer vacation, Wimbledon Opening.

July to September - Canada Day, Independence Day, Summer Break; Start of school, Tax-Free Sales; Labor Day, opening of NFL, Autumn.

October to December - Columbus Day, Red Ribbon Week, World Series, Book Month (October), Halloween; Election Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, start of Winter Sports; first of Winter, Christmas, end-of-year celebrations.

For more information, visit www.printplace.com to learn more about flyers, postcards and catalogs.


More Resources

Seven Ways to Waste Your Money on Yellow Pages Advertising
Each year there is a Yellow Pages arms race where competitors in each category are encouraged to out spend each other. There is only one winner in this arms race, and it is not you! Too many advertisers waste their money on Yellow Pages advertising without first considering their marketing strategy.
50 Surefire Business Card Tips
Business cards are one of the most powerful and inexpensive marketing tools you can use. Here are 50 surefire tips to make the most out of your business cards:Your business card must communicate more than just your contact information.
Brochures - The Ultimate Sales Tool
"How brochures can help you stand out from the competition, close the deal, and even build repeat business."Most brochures are nothing more than a collection of a few pictures and a few details about a business.
Commercial: Consumer - Discounts - Misleading Advertising
Marketing is an important tool for attracting customers. It is commonplace to see banners announcing bargains of "70% off the retail price.
Mobile Detailers; Customer Window Displays
Mobile detailers have all types of customers, many of whom are self-employed. We know that these customers love their automobiles as most Americans and therefore love the services we provide.
Create A Killer Brochure: 9 Steps to the Perfect Piece
If you are creating a brochure, make sure you follow these 9 steps to get best return on your investment:1 Grab AttentionYou need a hook that gets your audience interested. The headline or main text is your first chance to grab attention.
Advertising Inserts
One of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper.
Media Savvy - How To Lead, Persuade And Influence
The ability to lead, persuade and influence are integral skills for effective managers. The capability of telling a story that inspires, motivates and informs is an essential part of this process.
Power Headlines for Promotion Success
Do you send email to your Online audience to let them know about an upcoming teleclass, your service or your book? Do you have a seminar "flyer" on your web site? The biggest mistake professionals and entrepreneurs make is to announce, rather than promote themselves. Each piece you send or put on your web site should begin with the #1 copywriting winner--the headline.
3 Elements To A Deal-Sealing Classified Ad
Have you ever wondered why your perfectly fine classified ad fails to attract the attention you desire? There should be dozens-no, hundreds-of perspective buyers swamping your e-mail inbox with offers. After all, you are offering a mint baseball card, a vintage coat, pristine used car, those wholesale-priced sporting goods, and whatever other attractive items are in your inventory.
Internet Advertising: How To Use The Golden Rule To Enrich Yourself.
What is the golden rule of internet advertising?Give, so you may receive.It is as simple as that.
What Makes Advertising Successful?
MANY INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS COME INTO PLAY MAKING A SUCCESSFUL AD: 1. PERSUASIVE SELLING COPY.
Marketing to Multiply Results of Your Advertising
It works without fail, every time. It can work with everything you are selling or promoting. It works on the principle of giving before receiving, and of offering more in value than you are getting in cash.
Direct Response Advertising; Radio vs TV
Radio advertising vs. television advertisingMany new advertisers assume that they should start on radio and "move up" sometime later to TV.
Your Eye Catching Publicity Flyer
Your website is done, your business cards have been delivered, and your brochure has received accolades. In the promoting department you have everything you need, right? Well, there is one item you lack and by having this item in your arsenal it can be a dealmaker for you.
Top Design and Marketing Tips from a Branding Expert
This month, we wanted to share some general tips relating to your graphic design that we've come up with over the past year:Always include an address on your business card, even if you are operating a small business out of your home - it greatly increases your credibility and makes you look much more established! If you're concerned about privacy, a Post Office box is a great way to go. When signing up for a Post Office box, consider using a "Mailboxes" store instead of the Post Office - you'll get a street address instead of the typical "P.
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU
The Ultimate, "Must-Have" Home-Based Business for YOU aUnderemployed, Unemployed, or Industrial Age IndividualAllow me to educate you on the issue of job security andpaint you a picture of what the aftermath can be if youremain comfortable at your regular job. Job security is anold-fashioned term that claims the longer an employeeworked for a particular company, the more precious thatperson became.
Create Your Dynamic Elevator Speech
So, what's an elevator speech, and how do you get one?What Is It?An elevator speech is a short (15-30 second, 150 word) sound bite that succinctly and memorably introduces you. It spotlights your uniqueness.
The Power of...
You certainly must know that Many Big Marketers consider COPYWRITING to be the most important skill you need to be earning online.There's a lot of good copywriting around.
Getting the Most Out of Your Networking Group
Here is my personal list of things to do at your networking group:(1) Bring your business cards. Sound simple? Well, I regularly meet people at networking groups who have forgotten their cards or their cards are at the printers.

More Advertising Information:

Related Articles

Direct Mail Catalogs & Brochures: Write Captions That Sell
Many prospects skim through catalogs and brochures, glancing at the photos and reading the accompanying captions only when a particular image arouses their interest. That's when you have their attention.
5 Newspaper Advertising Myths Revealed
What I'm about to reveal are myths that most people thinkare 'true.'They seem set in stone yet they are deadly to theadvertiser.
How To Get Big Sponsorship Money for Your Band, Tour, Event or Production
Touring is a bands greatest opportunity for success. But, touring can be very expensive.
Mortgage Marketing - Broadcast Advertising vs Direct Advertising
Do you know how to design and deploya marketing campaign?Even if your ad budget is small you should still plan and measure the results of you advertising. This process is the key to your ultimate success.
Just What Are Consumers Thinking?
Research would indicate that consumers don't know what they're thinking. According to an article written by Jack Shimell (2002) for Quirk's Marketing Research Review, Consumers make their decisions and react to advertising based more on unconscious emotional processes than on conscious rational processes.
Advertising That Annoys: The Real Story
Critics conclude that entertaining or "creative" commercials sell better than those that are bland. But liking the commercial may not really be that important in the scheme of things.
Cable Ads 5 Bucks!
Cable has grown from 13 houses connected togetherin 1948 to coverage of nearly 70% of allhouseholds in the U.S.
Advertising: 10 Powerful Secrets To Help You Sell Your Ad Space Like Crazy
If you want to sell more ad spaces, you must read and use the secrets I am revealing here:1. Give your customers a discount when they spendover a certain dollar amount for ad space.
Good Design Makes Good Sense
Organized your pencils and pens lately? Sorted your clothes into a logical system in your drawers? Then you already understand the basic elements of good design: it's practical, it's systematic, and it makes life easier.In the same way, marketing materials that use good design make business easier for your customers.
Lamination of Signs
I suspect that everyone has an idea of what lamination is even if you have only seen it in passing. Restaurant menus are a common example.
Media Savvy - How To Manage Your Time To Gain The Best Media Coverage
Did you know generating positive media coverage is four times more effective than advertising? Getting exposure in the media is far-reaching, utterly credible and free. As an added bonus you may well attract an audience that you never anticipated.
Never Be Caught Cardless Again: Five Tips to Help You Remember Business Cards
Sorry, I Don't Seem to Have a Business Card With Me..
Marketing Messages with Add Zest & Appeal
Boring is one thing you can't afford to be when it comes to marketing your business. With more than 3000+ marketing messages pummeling consumers on a daily basis, you need to be more, and do more, if you want to be heard above the racket.
Advertising Inserts
One of the best and easiest ways to advertise without having to worry about shelf life of those who would most likely use your services or buy the products from your small business is to use inserts in your local newspaper. A marketing piece might also be to insert our flyers in the daily newspaper.
Create Your Dynamic Elevator Speech
So, what's an elevator speech, and how do you get one?What Is It?An elevator speech is a short (15-30 second, 150 word) sound bite that succinctly and memorably introduces you. It spotlights your uniqueness.
Advertising Agency In Boston: Tips and Tricks
The big news on Wall Street last year was the initial public offering of Internet search engine Google. If you were a visitor from another planet, you might be asking yourself, What big, sophisticated, high-technology company is behind the success of Google? Could it be IBM, Microsoft, Intel, Apple, Oracle, SAP, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco, Dell, Xerox, Sun Microsystems, Philips or Siemens? Of course not.
Forgot The Ad Budget? Dont Panic!
Bob is excited about his new business. He secured funding.
Fax Advertising : Hitting Your Target Immediately
In the business of marketing and advertising, it used to be that companies that wanted to get the word out quickly to key customers on a new development would rely on email with follow-up phone calls. But with the new technologies available in fax broadcasting, fax advertising has taken over as the advertising medium of choice when it comes to contacting your customers at the speed of light.
How to Make a Fortune from Unique Resistance-free Advertising
One of the most powerful offers you can use in your advertising is the word Free.But, you may well ask? how can I make a profit giving my products and services away without charging for them?Which is the exact reason why you need to understand the 'LVC Formula' which stands for the Lifetime Value of a Client!Here's how it works.
Womentisements
The unnecessary and extensive use of female models in advertisements is common not only in America & Europe, but also in Pakistan and rest of the world. Women are used to sell everything from cars to cigarettes.