An effective method to ensure your business remains at the forefront of your clients' minds is through a promotional wall calendar. Despite the prevalence of modern technology, printed calendars have not lost their significance. Almost everyone maintains one or more wall calendars prominently displayed in their homes or offices.
Custom wall calendars offer the opportunity to showcase desired photography, promotional messages, and essential company details such as your name, logo, slogan, and contact information. These calendars can be designed as a single large sheet or multiple pages bound in quarterly or monthly configurations, catering to popular preferences.
When it comes to promotional giveaways, advertising specialties, and marketing gifts, few options rival the impact of a custom-printed wall calendar. It serves as a cost-effective choice that ensures prolonged exposure for an entire year, making it an unparalleled promotional item.
Below are 9 benefits of using a custom-printed calendar to promote your business-
1) Increases Brand Awareness - a custom-printed calendar is the perfect mechanism for promoting the qualities and image of your brand. Capturing dynamic photos of your personnel, products, services and facilities allows you to creatively present your brand identity in a way that reinforces the unique value you bring to clients. In addition, the colorful photos of a custom calendar provide a clear yet subtle way to communicate the benefits of your brand without using a lot of words. A single phrase or catchy tagline is usually all that needs to be printed on each photo. Also, most calendar designs will incorporate your company's name, logo and contact information so that it is visible at all times.
2) Builds Goodwill - providing a free gift, such as a custom calendar, to a prospective client can act as a lead-in for developing a positive connection. Likewise, providing a useful gift to a current client can further enhance an existing relationship. Creating goodwill with clients encourages brand loyalty by making them feel good about doing business with you. It's no secret that most people prefer to do business with companies they know and like. Goodwill also increases the likelihood that clients will refer you, which further contributes to the long-term success of your business.
3) Practical and Useful - for most people, a calendar is a daily necessity. Just about everybody has at least one wall calendar they refer to regularly. So, in addition to being an effective tool for promotion and brand awareness, a custom-printed calendar serves a very practical and useful purpose for the recipient. Even though your calendar prominently displays your company name, logo and contact information, it will be viewed as a welcomed gift rather than blatant advertising.
4) Provides Ongoing Exposure - the more useful the item, the greater the chance it will be kept and used. Once hung, a wall calendar will almost always stay put. This means your organization's name and marketing message will be seen over and over again for at least twelve months. Not many marketing strategies offer such lasting impact for so little investment. Also, bear in mind that the exposure provided by the calendar is not just to the recipient but also to everyone else who sees it on the wall.
5) Tangible - a printed calendar exists in physical form. As such, your promotional message will likely be placed in a highly-visible place and make a meaningful statement. It will not be a fleeting message like an online banner ad, radio spot or TV commercial. Also, unlike a digital calendar that must be viewed through a cell phone app or computer program, a printed calendar does not require an electronic device in order to be viewed. A wall calendar may be low-tech, but it will be readily available to promote your offerings and influence purchase decisions.
6) Encourages Reciprocity - almost everyone likes to receive gifts and freebies. Even though a calendar may be distributed with no obligation, giving a gift to a current or prospective client leaves a very favorable impression and increases the probability they will like you, remember you, and do business with you. Also, most corporate calendars are hung in an office or cubicle-the very place that buying decisions are made. Hence, the gift of a calendar can be a positive start toward building an ongoing business relationship.
7) Inexpensive - custom-printed calendars have a high perceived value yet are actually very economical to produce. Plus, compared to mass advertising through the Internet, billboards, radio, TV, etc., you won't waste a dime on messages that miss the mark. You have total control over who receives a copy of your promotional calendar. This allows you to tailor the marketing message to the needs and interests of your specific audience. Because custom calendars provide targeted brand exposure for such minimal expense, they are one of the most cost-effective promotional items you can buy.
8) Extremely Simple - a printed calendar is very straightforward. It is a popular item that everybody knows how to use. It doesn't need assembly, instructions, or batteries. Unlike promotional apparel, it is always the right size. It won't wear out prematurely or break if you drop it. Your marketing message and contact information are always prominently displayed. Also, a printed calendar lies flat and takes up minimal space. This makes it very easy to inventory and distribute. Plus, calendars are relatively light in weight and can be mailed affordably.
9) Offers a Variety of Options - A custom calendar can be printed with virtually any images, message, theme, color, layout, or size you prefer. Paper stock can be gloss or matte coated, or uncoated. Also, there are several binding styles suitable for multi-page wall calendars. For example, saddle-stitch binding places staples through the fold line, spiral binding uses a flexible plastic coil, and wire-o binding uses double-loops of metal wire. All three binding methods allow the calendar to hang flat against the wall.
Remember, the First Calendar Wins!
As a general rule, the first calendar on the wall stays put. This means if your company or organization is going to distribute a calendar at year's end, you'll want to make sure it arrives before any other companies' calendars. So start your calendar creation process as early in the year as possible.
Also, get your printer involved from the beginning so you understand all your options and have time to make necessary decisions. When planning a fully-custom calendar, you will need time to produce and gather the photos and artwork. Creating the perfect calendar takes a little planning, but the results can be amazing and long lasting.
If you'd like to learn more about using custom wall calendars for promotional purposes, give Formax a call at 866-367-6221. Or, if you already know your specs, submit our easy quote request form. Whether you need 200 or 2000, we look forward to assisting with your next calendar project!
Take care! Rick
