Are you Getting Ready for Christmas and the Festive Season?

Christmas this year will be very different for many, both in our businesses and in our personal lives!

This year has certainly not been what anyone could have imagined. With parties and events cancelled in most countries around the world, the usual Christmas and New Years trade seems completely wiped out, however, that does not mean that all is lost!

This year has definitely seen a greater demand in both balloons and balloon decor for private and home events. It is very well known that during recessions there has always been a greater demand for balloons, and that has once again been proven this year with many companies, wholesalers and manufacturers reporting bumper sales.

So how do you prepare your business for Christmas 2020?

COVID has had a significant and immediate effect on consumer behaviour;

• Consumers have started to prepare and shop earlier than usual.
• Many consumers are turning to online shopping for the first time.
• More people are "searching" for local businesses.
• A large percentage of customers have no intention of spending less at Christmas than they did last year.
• Consumers are trying out businesses they have never previously purchased from.

Much of this information was from a report in JPI Media Local - Uplifting Business Predictions for Christmas 2020

It is apparent from looking at balloon-related Facebook Groups that many balloon companies have already started their Christmas campaigns. 

The annual 'Return of the Elf' sees many balloon companies inundated with orders for their impending arrival on the 1st of December! Side note: the term 'Elf on the Shelf' is a registered trademark and if you use these words in your marketing, you are very likely to encounter problems; many businesses have had their social media accounts disabled and often completely lost because of their use of trademarked names in their marketing, and 'Elf on the Shelf' is no exception. It is always worth checking first before using official names within hashtags! I have written a post on this topic - How to Avoid having your Instagram Account Disabled, or worse, Lost Forever!

Balloon & Party Stores

I am sure that many have already started to install their seasonal displays, NEVER underestimate the power of a great display. 

How fabulous is this display by Trish Robertson of Barossa Helium Balloons and Party Supplies in Tanunda, South Australia. Trish was inspired to re-create Luc Bertrand's beautiful QuickLinks Santa Mural  which has taken centre-stage in her window! 

Trish said; "I look at my window as real estate, just like shelving in stores is real estate. But the window is the most important real estate because it can decide if someone comes in or not. The other thing I don't do is fill it. I keep it simple so it jumps out. 

Trish also leaves her lights on in her store allowing her window displays to keep on working even when the store is closed!  

Design Ideas

Offering new and appealing designs will help you to attract customers and also set you apart from your competition, so taking the time to do a little research and learning will definitely help! 

Have you been joining Cam Woody and Eve Antonello for Happy Hour every Tuesday? This weekly Facebook live show covers different themes each week and has some truly fabulous ideas! Just in case you missed their Christmas session, I have added a link below! If you want to catch up on past classes, simply visit Mr Q's Facebook Page and select a video, they are all available to watch! 

Santa’s Little Helper - This delightful elf brings magic and cheer to any holiday gathering. Designer name: Cam Woody, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA.

The Joy of Christmas - Share the sentiments of the season with this beautiful display.

Designer name: Eve Antonello, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA.

Christmas is in the Air

Designer name: Cam Woody, CBA, Pioneer Balloon Company, Wichita, KS, USA

Social Media Marketing

There has never been a more important time to reach and inspire your customers with your social media posts.

As I have already mentioned, many more people are buying online - the convenience of online shopping has always been a huge benefit, but more importantly, the ability to order any product from the safety of your own home is highly valued during these tumultuous times. People are also trying out companies that they have never bought from before, and also seeking to buy from local and small businesses. 

Being creative and consistent with your posts will pay off greatly, and maybe just a little paid (local) advertising would be a benefit too - have you ever tried Facebook or Instagram advertising? For very little cost you can promote one of your posts - this can help you to reach more customers. It is very easy to do, you set your own parameters and budget, I would strongly recommend that you try it out. Be sure to check out your insights to see the effectiveness your posts, and hopefully you will also see a growth in new followers, as well as more enquires and sales too! 

Firstly, decide on what you want to promote and sell. This is dependent on what type of balloon business you have. There are those with stores, others who work purely with mail order, and balloon companies that can offer both collection or delivery services. Be careful not to overwhelm your customers with too many items, be selective and creative - anything and everything personalised is extremely popular, so maybe show a range of balloons and products that you have personalised. Leading on from the Elf in a balloon craze, has anyone ever thought to do a 'Letter from Santa' balloon? Just search 'Letter from Santa' and you will see some lovely ideas that could easily be adapted to balloons or could be sold along with a beautifully personalised balloon!

Qualatex have a fabulous range of ready-made social media posts that are freely available for anyone to use as part of their marketing campaign. These are available in a range of languages, or kept blank to allow you to tailor them specifically to your own business. Here are a few examples; some of the posts are animated, which is great as videos often attract more attention. If you start to ramp up your posting schedule, you might be very grateful to have some additional ready-to-go posts.

Our social media posts should get people into the Christmas and holiday spirit, they should be engaging and should create the desire to place orders. Make sure that you use stories as well as posts as stories have many easy-to-use features that encourage audience engagement — from one click polls to instant emoji slider stickers. Stories are also an opportunity to keep your business in front of your followers. 

Have you thought about running a competition? Competitions help to build community. When a contest is run effectively it is a great way to build a strong following, and it can incentivise people to follow you. It helps to build brand awareness. It will help you to increase your subscribers, increase engagement and of course increase sales too! 

I hope that this has given you some food for thought, a few ideas and maybe a little inspiration!

Happy ballooning! 

Sue

www.suebowler.com

Follow me @suebowler