For New Greeting Card Companies
Congratulations! You’ve chosen an industry that takes pride in its work and helps people of all ages celebrate some of life’s most important events.
Starting a greeting card business can be relatively easy. But as your business grows, there is so much more you need to know. The GCA is happy to provide some useful tips, to help get you started building your business.
We encourage you to bookmark this page, and visit often for the latest information to help new and expanding companies and professionals improve their operations and increase their sales, all while doing what you love!
10 Marketing Basics for New Companies
Want to be successful in the greeting card space? As most of you know, there is no silver bullet. But when it comes to marketing your product lines, some of our GCA members have offered this handy list of things every new company should do when marketing their product for the first time. Perhaps these tips can be a starting point for developing your perfect marketing plan!
Without further delay, here’s the list!
1) Your website is key. Spend some quality time putting this together. Excite future visitors by uploading plenty of images of your latest cards!
2) Establish a retailer portal, for online ordering.
3) Have a social media presence? If not, start one. Already have one? Make sure it is regularly updated. Have a visually appealing product? Show it off! A well-populated Pinterest or Instagram site, coupled with regular sharing with your followers and retailers through other platforms and by other means, both in person and electronically, can be helpful to bringing constant exposure to your product.
4) Start spreading the word with e-blasts, using lists you can purchase from trade magazines and the annual tradeshows.
5) Reach out to some of the most influential bloggers for grassroots exposure.
6) Consider learning more about tradeshow logistics, through educational programs or the GCA Mentorship Program.
7) Exhibit and market at tradeshows:
– *Noted in April
– Atlanta in January (AmericasMart)
– New York in February (NY Now)
– Atlanta in July (AmericasMart)
– New York in August (NY Now)
– Vegas in January (Las Vegas Market)
– Many others!
8) Send samples and follow up to communicate with the editors of the leading trade pubs:
– Stationery Trends
– Gifts & Decorative Accessories
– Gift Shop Magazine
– Giftware News
9) Depending on the product and target consumer, try reaching out to select national/regional consumer publications. It’s difficult to get their attention. But when you do, it’s worth it!
10) Press releases to CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, WSJ and local TV. Sometimes, you hear crickets. But every now and then, a story will strike a chord with the media and they will run with it! Come up with a story that is truly compelling to improve your chances of success.
New companies should consider dedicating the bulk of their efforts in these areas.