creating a successful thanksgiving campaign
TRANSCRIPT
Thanksgiving Day StrategiesSuccess Ideas for Today and Tomorrow
Presented by David Low - 2009
Vision Statement
Provide World Class service to our corporate retail partners and enhance Thanksgiving Day single copy sales
Goal and Objective Maximize single copy one day sales Use social media techniques to alert consumers of
The Bee and the Black Friday ad inserts Deliver The Bee in a timely manner to our retailers Produce the best Thanksgiving Day sales total in
the 152 year history of The Bee
Today’s Situation Newspaper single copy daily sales have stabilized How do we reach current and potential
single copy buyers? Provide better communication to our partners and the
value of the Thanksgiving Day edition Using the internet to our advantage
Create email blast campaign to generate interest Social media
How Did We Get Here? 2008
Sales of mid five digits - single copy newspapers Returns of 21.7%
Original assumptions that are no longer valid Consumers will buy the newspaper on Thanksgiving Day because
they always have in the past. Traditional ways of communicating to our audience are adequate
Communication Strategies Messaging by Audience
Utilizing traditional and non-traditional methods to increase our reach in the distribution region
Communication Strategies Corporate Retail Partners
Alert them starting 4 weeks prior that the Thanksgiving Day edition will be the largest of the year
Communicate to them on a weekly basis the importance of having sufficient draw that day
Use email and traditional mailings Reminder always includes mention of the Value of the
edition and $2.00 price (versus standard $.75 normal daily price)
Communication Strategies Corporate Retail Partners Create different reminder notices that builds their
excitement about the newspaper and the coming holiday Write copy for TCN Broadcast system that
automatically calls all of our partners the day before Thanksgiving.
Use TCN broadcast to over 1500 partner accounts. Phone calls from staff, starting 2 days prior to
Thanksgiving Day
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer Traditional Method
Triangle notices in all news racks regarding the value, size and $2.00 price, on Thanksgiving Day
Stackers on Thanksgiving Day in all retailers displays
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer Non Traditional Method Continued
Triangle notices in all news racks regarding the value, size and $2.00 price, starting 2 days before Thanksgiving
Stackers on Thanksgiving Day in all retailers displays Use brightly colored paper on all Thanksgiving Day
triangles and stackers to bring attention to the newspaper
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer Non Traditional Method Continued
Create “Black Friday” email blast to send 2 days prior to Thanksgiving
Designed to create a pre-day buzz to increase anticipation Alert consumers of the value of Thanksgiving Day
newspaper Feature several corporate retail partners
Consumers know where to pick up their copy Creates retail partner good will
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer Non Traditional Method Continued
Send to consumers who have never subscribed to The Bee
Target Demographic Men and women over 18 Consumers who have never subscribed to The Bee Employed
Emailed almost 25,000 individuals
Communication Strategies Single Copy Consumer Non Traditional Method Continued Twitter
Tweet information through VIP loyalty club, Bee writers, and through Public Affairs office
LinkedIn Reached almost 11 million people around the world from
multiple personal blogs Weekly blog about the value and size of the Thanksgiving Day
edition
Post Thanksgiving Strategies Day After Program
Deliver 5 additional copies to our retail partners that were closed on Thanksgiving Day
“After Thanksgiving” Stackers on retailers displays where applicable
Use brightly colored paper to bring attention to the newspaper still being available
Leave edition out until Saturday returns
Recommendation 2010 action items
Agents Provide assistance to help with field inserting program Agents and their drivers would get out earlier to start delivery
Production Move press run up additional hour
Street Team 5 individuals in 2009 Add additional person to assist in Roseville Rocklin area
Draws Grocery store chains that are opened should have their draws at
least doubled Use 2009 stats and review all single copy retailers and increase
draws to retail partners who sold out in 2009 Closer review of ONDM area draws
Recommendation 2010 action items
Customer service 1 additional person in 2010 to handle calls Ask caller their city and zip code to help with street team identification and
distribution When emailing street team member, keep each call incident separate to
eliminate missed emails Facebook
Use Facebook to alert consumers the month of November Twitter
Tweet throughout the month More tweeters Have VIP club tweet about Black Friday Start earlier in the month
Create a Cyber Monday edition Special insert to be sold on Sunday prior to Cyber Monday Advertising department could sell additional ad space to our ad partners Potential is huge for additional sales
Results We were able to provide World Class service to the
majority of our corporate retail partners Had late delivery issues in only one area
Communication to our retail partners and to consumers helped us to maximize our sales on Thanksgiving Day
Overall Sales of The Bee was almost equal to 2008 numbers
Returns were 24.1% Slightly higher than last year
In our main distribution area we were almost equal to last years sales numbers
In our outlying area we were down approximately 2500 units sold
Overall a very successful campaign