The holidays are a time of celebration, giving, and some of the fiercest marketing campaigns people could possibly think of. Big corporations spare no expense on commercial advertisement as they try to occupy as much advertorial space as possible. For smaller businesses, this is the time to get creative and be resourceful in your marketing methods. Just because you can’t occupy a highway billboard doesn’t mean you can’t expose your brand to an enormous population. A small business can spread their brand just as easily through small but handy giveaways:
1. Tree Ornaments
What better way to keep your brand exposed then to become part of the consumer’s holiday décor. A colorful ornament with your brand name on it will definitely find a visible home for the holidays. Give one away with a purchase of a certain amount at your store. Who knows it might serve as a good reminder for some last minute gifts as well.
2. Logo Cookie Cutters
Making your brand synonymous with sweets will definitely help make some fans in a household. If you’re in a kitchen appliances/dishes business this is must for the holiday season. In any case, a cookie cutter could be another good giveaway with a large purchase or certain amount of referrals.
3. Writing Utensils
All of those Christmas cards, present tags, and gift lists are not going to write themselves. Custom pens are very cheap in large bundles and are one of those minor giveaways that are greatly appreciated during the holiday season. Give a customer one of these with any purchase. They might be using to sign the gift tag to very item they just bought.
4. Hand Warmers
Branded hand warmers are sure to be held on to tightly throughout the holidays, literally. Like pens, hand warmers are relatively inexpensive to buy in bundles and are greatly appreciated gifts during the cold months that carry the winter holidays.
All of these items serve key purposes during the holidays and are not easily discarded like pins, bracelets, or key chains. They will keep your brand exposed throughout the holiday season a few of them might even be kept for the next year. If nothing else these giveaways show the consumers that you appreciate their business and wish them happy holidays.
Alice Jenkins is a writer and marketing consultant who enjoys helping smaller businesses find creative ways to compete with the big boys during the holidays.