15 Ways Your Business Should Use Promotional Calendars

Occasionally first-time buyers of calendars get disillusioned with the performance of calendars as a marketing tool.   The box arrives by UPS and on top of the sales counter it goes with the flaps cut off.   Usually the words “take one” or “FREE” are additionally sketched onto the box with a marker.   That’s the extent of their calendar marketing effort for the year.

What a shame!   Printed calendars should be viewed as a tool that requires some planning and effort.   Sure, calendars will disappear off the shelf in this manner, but they can be used so much more effectively.   Here’s how:

#1. Have the calendars out-of-sight.   A calendar personally handed from your store staff to the customer as a “thank you” gift is much more personal and will garner lasting meaning to the recipient.

#2. Focus on distribution to three types of potential calendar recipients:  customers, prospects and business associates.

#3. Offer gift cards as an incentive.  Tell all calendar recipients that if it is their calendar on display in the home or office that ultimately refers new business they will be rewarded with a $25 gift card.

#4. Consider printing a special web address.   Tell customers if they use the calendar they will be rewarded with special offers.   Consider printing a special web address on the calendar with deals only calendar users can receive.   Then offer a new promotion monthly on the company website for those with this access.

#5. Write a special number on the backside of calendar.   Then tell your customers to save all their receipts for the year and to write this number on the backside of each receipt.   Have the customer turn in those receipts at year’s end for a special prize drawing.   This provides the business a tremendous way to track calendar distribution with sales activity.

#6. Add coupons to the calendars.   Did you know with many of our calendar styles we can develop a special insert sheet(s) with coupons?   This not only adds value to the calendar but gives you yet another way to track sales success.  Ask our sales professional about your coupon calendar possibilities.

#7. Use a custom calendar as your product catalog.   Imagine a new product each month being featured on a one-of-a-kind promotional calendar you’ve created.   Such strategy gives you year-round product promotion on a schedule you dictate by when products are showcased.

#8. Add stickers or sticky-notes before distributing calendar.  Insert inside the calendar stickers for special days of the month where you are offering discounts or other VIP sales activity for the calendar recipient.

#9. Promote a calendar exchange program.   Remind customers to bring in and prove how they used last year’s calendar (showing marked up days, etc.) to get a new calendar plus some incentive (i.e. free gift, store coupon, gift card, etc.).

#10. Suggest extra calendars are available for friends.   Often times calendar recipients don’t want to appear greedy, but they will gladly take additional calendars to help distribute to family and friends when they are offered that way.

#11. Get personal with calendars.   Did you know that with many of our calendars we can take a list of names and created a calendar printed especially with the recipient’s name on it?   Believe me, people are proud and happy to hang a calendar displaying your act of personalized thoughtfulness.

#12. Hang calendars where they get seen.   Of course, you will want to get permission first…but many high-traffic areas could benefit by displaying one of your calendars (coffee shop, churches, hospital waiting rooms, any place people gather with wall space).

#13. Inside all out-going correspondence from office.  Billfold/purse calendars and our peel-n-stic calendars offer convenient, postal-friendly ways to distribute calendars to current customers and business associates.

#14. Perfect trade show giveaway.   Yeah, but you say your trade show occurs in June each year?   No problem, many of our calendars offer split season or multi-year date pads which means your calendar can begin any month you want it to start.

#15. Left-over calendars?  NO WAY!!!  We encourage all of our customer who slightly over purchase on calendars to consider donating them to a local senior home or nursing facility.   These folks rarely get a calendar and consider it a highly cherished gift.   Besides, when family and friends come to visit they will be reminded of your caring spirit thinking of their loved one.

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