Shannon Hein of Fort Collins, Colorado writes:
“I am helping a friend promote Branchies, a product she invented that lets people hang heavy objects on their Christmas trees.
“They attach easily to the trunk of your Christmas tree and support very heavy and bulky ornaments. They are a great way to transform your tree using themes you�ve never been able to create before. For example, you can decorate your tree with your favorite football helmets if you want!
“Of course, Christmas is over, but we want to get a jump on promoting this next year. What ideas do your Hounds have for promoting Branchies? We’re on the web at www.branchies.com
I think this is a tough site because it is so seasonal and there is so little copy on the site to help google. When I look at a site like I try to think of what would I be searching on in google to land on this site. And what is the problem I have that I am trying to solve. I never even thought of adding to a Christmas tree like this.
I would add more copy, maybe with a FAQ page of questions on problems and solutions so that google has something to grab on to, expand the number of pages.
How about adding a blog or blog page and asking for customer photos of things people hung off of their tree. Great way to add copy and also get customer comments. Best idea wins $100.
Try to expand the product to other seasons. Maybe for summer parties to hang outdoor lamps, halloween season. Any kind of event where you could hang stuff and then write blog or web site posts about.
Also change the Product and Order info to “To Buy” make the Product info another page
My suggestion is to “branch out” to other reasons for people to buy Branchies. Easter ornaments, gardening tools, every day uses, etc.
If you only focus on Christmas buying reasons, you won’t sell all year long, and that’s a disservice to a great product and customers who’ll benefit every day.
I went to your Web site and saw the huge size of these ornaments. I think your target market for these giant ornaments is not the typical homeowner, but the commercial market. These massive ornaments would look so much better on the giant trees that are put up every year in city parks, government offices, large bank lobbies, and shopping malls, among other venues. I would recommend that you target the commercial market through a holiday decorative contest. Encourage municipalities, large banks, malls, theme parks, etc. to purchase these ornaments with the idea of holding a contest for the most beautiful trees decorated with these ornaments. Various businesses and cities, etc. would then be invited to send in photos of their trees to determine who has the most beautiful trees. Anyone could vote in this contest with prizes awarded for the most beautiful trees with these ornaments across the country. Businesses in various communities would encourage people to vote for their respective trees through various ad/pr campaigns and other initiatives. The same would hold true for municipalities, theme parks, etc. Such a contest will open up markets for your ornaments nationwide; drive considerable traffic to your Web site, etc.
Marketing Specialist Dale Hutchings, St. Petersburg, Florida
For Christmas next year: send some to major consumer magazine editors in June or so. If they like them, they may feature them in the Christmas issues of their magazines. There are always articles about gift giving and how to decorate for the holidays.
Get Sales Reps to go out and sell your
product. Face-to-face descriptions, with good sales material, like a brochure, and a free demonstration will sell larger orders and result in higher profits.
Contact the buyers for multiple stores such as Big Lots. Make contact by telephone, then offer to send a free sample, or an email with a picture, price, and shipping information. Cartons of your product, to the right buyers saves time and grows relationships. You can always add new products to sell.
I’ve also had to do satellite interviews which can be difficult. I am in a room by myself with an earpiece, and a microphone attached to my shirt. I have to stare directly at a camera and I can’t see the person talking to me. I can’t play off the interviewer’s body language. I now have a greater respect when watching these types on interviews on TV because I know how tough they are.