Bumper show issue - Gift Focus magazine

marketingthe powerof promotionPromotional activities are proven techniques for expanding your businessand brand awareness. Here, Clive Harper, managing director of YankeeCandle® Europe explains a variety of methods to consider as part of aneffective marketing plan for successPromotional techniques have been part of thebusiness world for so long it’s assumed thateverybody is aware of what they are and howto implement them. But as society changes sotoo do consumer reactions and so we need tonot only embrace proven methods but alsoadapt to new evolving ones.The most well known form of promotion isadvertising. For an independent retailer thiscan be in the local newspaper, on the radioor in magazines. However, many newspapershave now moved online with consumersliking to have instant access from their desk.The internet will also allow you to havean instant ‘click-through’ to your website,allowing you to increase hits and sales.Running a competition can often resultin free media exposure in exchange for aminimum prize value. If you have a website,running a competition can increase hits ifthe competition entrant has to visit the site todiscover the answer to the question.“Working with the local media andcommunity is a proven method ofgrowing brand awareness and is thebest place to start for a small business.”Your local radio station offers an instantcommunication tool to the whole communityand they are always pleased to hear of localbusinesses that are providing an excitingevent, charity support or a competition. Youcan offer the station competition prizes fortheir listeners in exchange for a presentertalking about your businesses. If you areconfident enough you can suggest beinginterviewed live on air, but make sure youhave something to say! You need to have a‘news’ story, which the radio station feels thecommunity will want to know about.You can hold a loyalty event or a late-nightshopping experience with the aim of notonly rewarding loyal customers, but of alsoachieving local press coverage.Other businesses in your local area alsoprovide many promotional opportunitiesthrough collaborations. You can worktogether to place promotional material suchas posters or fliers in each other’s premises. Alocal coffee shop is a great business to target,as they may be happy not only to give yourfliers to their customers but to also positionsome of your products in their shop directingcustom to you. You can offer your respectivecustomers exclusive discounts, which isalso a good way of gauging how many extracustomers you are gaining by.Working with the local media andcommunity is a proven method of growingbrand awareness and is the best place tostart for a small business. However, thereare many new methods evolving to offernew opportunities. Social networking is agrowing tool, which is used by millions ofpeople worldwide. While Twitter was initiallycreated for business purposes it has nowbecome a communication tool for the worldand celebrity interest is rapidly spreading. Thesite allows you to instantly connect and ‘talk’directly to celebrities who you consider arerelevant to your customers and business. Bygetting a celebrity tweeting about your brand,you are instantly communicating to thousandsof ‘followers’ who are potential customers.Facebook allows you to create your ownbranded page on which you can ‘post’ product“You can hold a loyalty event or alate-night shopping experience withthe aim of not only rewarding loyalcustomers, but of also achieving localpress coverage.”and brand information. Twitter and Facebookcan be used together, for example you canannounce a competition on your Twitteraccount and advise customers to go to yourFacebook page for further information.Although it may be daunting for first timeusers, the best way to combat any fears is tohave a go! Try searching on social networkingwebsites for other brands, which you considerto be successful and see how they arecommunicating with their customers.Many of the brands you stock may alreadybe running their own social networkingcampaign. Search for them on websites andyou can see how they are communicating withtheir customers.Finally, marketing is a continual strategy.You need to continually use these techniquesto ensure success, changing the method tosuit what you have learnt from past results.A continual presence in front of your targetcustomer, whether it is online, through directmarketing, in print, radio or even televisionwill reap many rewards and give you theencouragement you need to drive forward. gFurther informationFor further information on Yankee Candle ®and advice about marketing telephone+44 (0)1454 454 500 or visit the websitewww.yankeecandle.co.uk.giftfocus 51