Cooperative Marketing Initatives Valentine’s Day
January 8th, 2009 at 02:51pm Lorie Obernauer
As we begin planning for 2009, it is a good idea to think about our marketing strategies for the upcoming year. Since many business owners are looking for ways to cut costs, this might be a good time to get together with other business owners in your community and make plans to increase marketing efforts to your customer base.
For example, all of the businesses in your neighborhood could join together to initiate a marketing program for Valentine’s Day. Select a day in early February when all of the businesses will offer special promotions to bring customers to the stores to preview their Valentine offerings. As a gift basket business owner, you might offer samples of chocolate candies that you’ll be using in your Valentine designs. The local florist could give away a rose or other type of flowers that might be an alternative to the traditional gift of roses. A local restaurant might tastings from their Valentine menus. All businesses could offer coupons for future purchases to customers who stop by on the Valentine’s Preview Day. Even the local dentist could get in on the campaign by offering a discount for teeth cleaning and a “beautiful smile” for the holiday of love!
Now is the time to think creatively about how you can increase your customer base and your sales. By working cooperatively with your neighbors, you can continue to attract customers while sharing the costs for your efforts.
Entry Filed under: Business Tips, Promotions
4 Comments Add your own
1. Valentines Day Gifts For Men | January 8th, 2009 at 3:55 pm
Lorie,
Excellent advice!! Generic Valentines Day Gifts are way too common. It’s as if young ladies know exactly what to expect these days. Do you have any advice for someone trying to sell Valentine Gifts online?
2. Shirley George Frazier | January 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
Lorie, this is a terrific idea. This type of initiative is important for many reasons, including getting to know neighboring firm owners if you don’t know them already, forging a united front to gain more community dollars, and creating good relationships for future collaborations.
It’s a winning effort from which shop owners and customers will benefit.
3. Lorie Obernauer | January 9th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
For ideas on how to increase business on your on-line store, check out these resources:
Prescription for a Successful Gift Basket Website> , by Flora Brown.
Web Sites: How to Create, Promote, and Profit On-Line, by Shirley George Frazier
4. Flora Morris Brown, Ph.D. | January 12th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Lorie,
This is an excellent suggestion. With the economic situation as it is now consumers are staying close to home and shopping more locally.
The Internet is a fantastic tool, but no match for personal contact and close relationships. I recently began shopping at my nearby hardware store rather than go further away to one of the big chain home improvement stores. It’s not only quicker, but also a warmer and more satisfying experience.
Thanks for mentioning my report, Prescription for a Successful Gift Basket Website.
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