11/ 01/ 2004
by Tamara E. Holmes
For consumers, the holiday season is a time for gifts, food, parties and merriment. But for savvy small-business owners, the holiday season is a time to show clients and customers an appreciation for their business and further cement the professional relationship in the process.
For customer-driven companies, alerting customers to holiday sales is crucial to making the small business stand out in a busy holiday season, while for client-driven companies, small gifts, cards and other tokens can remind clients about the company's services. For all holiday promotions, planning is key.
Small-business owners who depend on certain clients for much of their business might consider sending those clients a gift or token. A lot of money needn't be spent. Rather, a small gift lets clients know that you're thinking about them, and at the same time it reminds the clients about your products or services.
Since most people consider eating to be a major part of the holiday season, they are often receptive to gifts of food and other goodies. A box of designer cookies or a fruit basket, for example, might help clients get into the holiday spirit. If your client works in an office setting, a package of candy or other type of food might not only find its way to your client's desk, but also to the office kitchen where other people in your client's office may hear about you.
Another way to put your company's name in front of clients' eyes is to do so literally, by giving them gifts that may find a permanent place on their desks, such as a coffee mug, a fountain pen or a paperweight.
If you want to be a particularly aggressive marketer, you can send small gifts to potential clients – those you have not yet worked with. A note accompanying the gift could let the potential client know that you're interested in setting up a meeting to talk about future business arrangements. In doing so, the potential client is likely to believe you take his or her business seriously since you're willing to make an extra effort to reach him or her without the promise of a return on investment.
Even if you don't want to spend money on gifts, it's a good practice to send clients holiday cards. Greeting cards provide an inexpensive way to connect with clients and make them feel appreciated. However, because different people celebrate different holidays, it's best to send generic holiday cards unless you know definitely that a client celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa.
Customer service businesses can also get in on the holiday spirit by offering special promotions. Naturally, companies that sell items that make good holiday gifts will expect to get a boost in business during the holiday season, but even those companies that sell products or services that are not traditionally purchased as holiday gifts can get in on the action. If you have access to postal or e-mail addresses of past customers, you might send them a holiday greeting offering a discount on a product or service they've purchased before.
Another way to capitalize on the holiday season is to have small tokens available to give to customers who buy products or services during the holiday season. If the token is something that will remind customers about your business, that's all the better.
For example, a small business that sells hats might give away a holiday ornament in the shape of a hat. It could also give customers a magnet for the refrigerator that's shaped like a hat and has the company's name and logo on it.
The key to holiday promotions is recognizing that there is an opportunity to connect with clients and customers in a meaningful way. Not only do clients and customers feel a little bit special, but also they are forced to think about your small business, and that can yield benefits to your company beyond the holiday season and into the next year.
