As we wrap up what has to be one of the weirdest years on record, (professionally speaking) I am looking back to collect data on what we accomplished. Joel Garfinkle, executive coach and author recommends "'tracking your wins’ so that you can see the successes and accomplishments stack up before your eyes.” This is a good practice because it can make a difference in your company’s lifetime trajectory, as well as increase your individual daily outlook.
In the spirit of this advice, I began to look back on our year and want to share some of our positives with you!
Choose Campaign
Not only did we win an ADDY award on this campaign, but at the time, we didn’t know providing and on-line eCommerce solution to our annual holiday campaign would be a major solution for many of our clients of the upcoming year too. We created a portal where we gave our top clients a choice of gift - they could decide for their own. In the post pandemic world, we are seeing company’s flex outside of their norms in so many different ways. This was our way to bend in that direction, and it was a major success!
Company Wellness
The beginning of 2021 we fielded many requests from our clients for WFH kits. As the new year began, many companies were still allowing their workers to have a more flexible schedule, so on the “to do” list was functional promo! However, there was no denying what was going on in the world around us - so we made a campaign that suggested “making lemons into lemonade.” We showed our custom capabilities in our promo selections, and showed off a well rounded “theme.” One more way to show that with a little ingenuity and brain power, we can come up with promotional marketing that can also share a little sunshine.
Stay Flexible
“Supply Chains” have become major buzz words the last few months of 2021, and challenges will probably continue into the new year, unfortunately. However, the challenges that have caused us to play a little bit of twister with our suppliers have helped us become more fluid with options in the process. Flexibility is key here, but also looking ahead and projecting what our clients might be needing in the future is key as well. This is helping us stay on top of our game and reaching out with proactive ideas and solutions.
For example, we had been kicking around the idea of sending our top clients an ice cream social they can enjoy in the office. This was a kit filled with all of the things you need to “sprinkle” a little fun into your day! We wanted to send freeze packed ice cream, a branded scoop, toppings and branded napkins. But, with the current state of shipping, this was going to be a challenge. We wanted to stay in front of any issues that might cause a negative effect on our “gift” so instead we included a gift card so that our clients could have their party on their terms. It was a win-win! Supporting our customers’ local business and relieving any concerns about melted, unedible ice cream.
Planing Out Your Next Move
Timing is everything, and it just so happens that, whether we’re ready or not, our 125th anniversary is upon us in 2022 – something HUGE to prepare for. We have been bouncing ideas for over three years about how we can share such a special occasion with our beloved clients and colleagues. But the real planning started about third quarter this year, and we are so excited to share it with everyone! One of the things we plan to do this month is take a look back over the year as a team and evaluate what we did right, and of course, where we can improve. This will help us take our company into the future with a clear agenda for upcoming campaigns, new ways we can support and wow our clients, and keep everyone motivated for future successes.
