Only 42 Shopping Days until Christmas!

In August we ordered our Christmas cards. We didn’t do it because I’m a huge fan of Christmas and because we can’t wait to put up the decorations (I’m not and we can!) We ordered our cards well in advance, because we have a plan for our marketing, which allows us to make the most of our limited budget and not miss any opportunities.

This blog is not about Christmas shopping. It’s about how to plan ahead so you make the most of the opportunities that come your way, without costing you a fortune. Here just one good reason to plan ahead with your marketing.

Christmas is coming!

In July the Christmas card catalogue dropped through our letter box. Instead of chucking it into the recycling bin and refusing not to think of anything festive until November, we went through the catalogue and picked our favourite design. Then we looked at our database and counted the number of clients, suppliers and hot prospects to whom we want to send our cards this year. That showed exactly how many cards we needed to buy and we placed the order in the middle of August. The cards were delivered a couple of weeks later and they’ll sit in the cupboard until November.

Why did we order the cards so early? Because the company from whom we buy them gives us a really great discount of 20% if we get our order in before the end of August. That’s a really good saving! And the other reason for ordering so early, is because we hand write all the envelopes and write personal notes into every one. We each sign them and then stick stamps on, ready to go into the post box in the first week in December. That way, they reach our friends and colleagues in plenty of time to be enjoyed.

We’re can make the most of the early bird discount, because we maintain a database of our contacts. We keep it up to date all through the year, with all sorts of details, including who we’d like to send our Christmas cards to. That way, when it comes to early bird ordering time, we can do it quickly.

Having a Marketing Plan means that you can save money and grab good opportunities.

So what’s in your Marketing Plan for the rest of this year? How is your Plan looking for 2014? How will it help you save money and get better results?