Don’t Let the Holidays and Holiday Traffic Walk By
With the holidays here, there are a number of people out shopping and looking around for all sorts of things. Don’t let them walk on by, capture them with a few straightforward ideas. Making an impression during the holidays is a great time to make an impression.
1. Matching funds
Your local newspaper runs a drive to collect monetary donations for people in need. The paper keeps a running tally. Perhaps your business announces you will match the final amount received. You could place a reasonable cap on the amount that might be designed to match the first $X amount raised or something if you want to cap it. But people are motivated to give more when they know heir gift will be doubled…or, better. You must publicize your efforts, or you’re missing the opportunity to make the impression you are trying to make. Although word will spread and affiliated organization will give you credit, you still need to let the world know you are giving back. Prepare press releases and put up signs in your locations. Publicize it all on your website and social media. People in your community support your business and they want to know you are taking steps to support your community.
2. Holiday Concerts
Doesn’t every town have one? If not, there’s probably a performance of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” somewhere. There might be sponsorship opportunities, but here’ another idea. Buy a block of tickets and give them out to your best customers or your sales team to share with their prospects. You all attend and enjoy the show together. What better way to get some new clients?!?!
3. Sponsorship Opportunities
You own a retail store or business. Your town does fireworks on New Year’s Eve. Who pays for that? Likely, the town council is looking for a sponsor. That’s you. They put out lots of publicity drawing people to the event. You are named as the sponsor. You get new clients. Bingo! There are lots of opportunities to sponsor events and organizations, especially nonprofits. It’s all good and all goes to a good cause.
4. Toy, Clothing, and Food Drives
With the holidays, there are people giving serious thought to helping the less fortunate. They take action by writing checks and donating stuff. If you think of teaming up with a local charity to place large collection boxes for a specific item or items like clothes or food, there are several organizations that either collect or deliver to charity daily.
5. Public Television Fund Drive
This assumes the campaign aligns with the holiday season, but they often do. Get some people in your company to donate their time by being volunteers wearing shirts with your company’s name on them. They staff the phone bank one evening and they are filmed on TV, possibly with a banner of your company in the background. If you have a very small staff, perhaps your company can supply food for other volunteers onscreen to enjoy with your business recognized as the donor.
6. The Open House
Your real estate company can have some Open House events. Your agents have prospects for listings and purchases. Hold a part at your office, tenting and heating a section of the parking lot or area of your business for the purpose. If the office is on the small side, have it indoors. Provide ample food and drink for newly relocated prospects to feel they are part of the community. Your agents can introduce them around to local business owners and everyone’s happy.
7. Holiday Parties
You own a company with other businesses and individual clients donating money to help out a local charity. It’s a great incentive to get involved and you are the one who brought it to the attention of everyone. Send out invitations to the party you host at a restaurant or country club or something. It’s a private party and everyone feels singled out and special. In our area, a local architect held a similar event at an upscale food court he designed in the center of town. It was quite an impression.
All of these ideas, and more, will help get you some more business. Quantifying these is not difficult. You have a pretty good idea of who attends or donates and a good idea of how your business improved. It’s a good way to not let the good holiday traffic go by without trying to capture some of that business.
Contact us here at PTC Computer Solutions to help understand the retail market and business technology of today. For more on the ever evolving Retail market and how to stay involved and relevant, contact us today. We work hard to stay ahead of the cutting edge and can assist your projects in understanding where you should be putting your efforts.
David WB Parker is a principal of Parker Associates of Jacksonville, Florida, marketing consultants to the real estate industry; President of PTC Computer Solutions, IT Specialist, and an active real estate sales professional with Barclay’s Real Estate Group based in Jacksonville, FL. He can be reached at 904-607-8763 or via email davidp@ptccomputersolutions.com.