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Get Ahead of the Holidays: How to Drive Early Excitement and Even Earlier Sales

The holidays might seem far away, but in the print jungle, the early bird doesn’t just get the worm—it gets the sales. Businesses that start their holiday planning early don’t just stay ahead of deadlines; they capture the best sales opportunities. As print resellers, your advantage is guiding customers to plan and print now before the rush pulls resources thin.  

At Zoo Printing, we know how to balance long-lead promotional items with fast-turn essentials, and we’ve built an entire lineup to help you stay ahead of the pack. Let’s walk through five proven strategies to spark excitement, motivate action, and position yourself as both a trusted advisor and a sales leader this season. 

  1. Lead the Flock: Start Holiday Conversations Early

By mid-to-late September, smart businesses are already in holiday planning mode. If you’re not initiating conversations by then, someone else will. By starting early, you’ll help your customers secure earlier sales and avoid last-minute stress as the holiday season approaches. Think strategically:  

  • Long-Lead Times: Promotional products like custom items and branded apparel take more time, promote these first. 
  • Fast-Turn Favorites: Postcards, business cards, and flyers (a Zoo Printing specialty, with fast turnarounds) let customers extend or refresh campaigns closer to the holiday peak.  

Expert takeaway: It’s not just about printing early, it’s showing customers you understand timelines and can build campaigns around them.   

  1. Start With the Staples: Tradition Still Sells

The holidays thrive on tradition. That’s why, year after year, certain print essentials keep delivering sales and why positioning them first sets the tone for bigger campaigns.  

  • Greeting Cards: From corporate greetings to family sentiments, everyone loves sending a festive message. Add our specialty touches like foil or spot UV to make them stand out.  
  • Postcards & Rack Cards: Budget-friendly, versatile, and quick to produce (fast turnaround = reseller advantage). 
  • Promo Products & Packaging: Hang tags and labels make great add-ons for holiday packaging or gift branding. And here’s your chance to remind customers: these require early ordering to beat the holiday rush. 

Zoo Difference: While everyone can sell a postcard, not everyone can deliver the speed, selection, and wholesale prices that set Zoo Printing apart.   

  1. Spark Action With an “Early Bird” Special

A little incentive goes a long way in getting customers to order before the holiday stampede. Consider offering discounts or bundles for orders placed before a certain date—something like “Order by October 15 and save.”  

Here’s why this works: 

  • Customers win with lower costs and faster peace of mind 
  • You win with a balanced workload before December deadlines tighten 

And don’t overcomplicate it. Zoo already equips you with ready-to-use marketing page to help push your promotion and secure your sales early.  

  1. Create Buzz With Holiday Events

If you have a storefront or office, consider a holiday open house. This is a win-win:  

  • Showcase your own printables (banners, signage, table tents) in full Zoo-quality production. 
  • Give visitors a hands-on look at print possibilities while upselling seasonal campaigns.  
  • Send out invitations via direct mail or EDDM postcards, great for doubling as a marketing effort and a product sample 

Expert insight: Customers want proof of value. An in-person experience shows them how print elevates holiday marketing and reminds them why you’re their go-to source.  

 

  1. Inspire With Samples: Show, Don’t Just Tell

The best way to inspire your customers? Put print in their hands. Create sample kits with holiday cards, postcards, labels, or packaging ideas so they can see (and feel) the quality for themselves. 

 

Think of it as leading with your stripes—standing out in a crowded holiday marketplace by showing exactly what makes your offering unique. 

Our best advice? Have some unique seasonal print on hand for your customers to see and feel. Standout sample ideas:  

Zoo Difference: Competitors may offer standard cards, but our lineup includes specialty finishes and premium touches that let resellers deliver products customers can’t get elsewhere at competitive turnaround times.  

Ready to Get Ahead of the Holiday Rush? 

From greeting cards to premium packaging and the right products, Zoo Printing has everything you need to help your customers shine this season. We don’t just supply print, we equip resellers with the tools, speed, and specialty finishes to own the holiday rush.  

Explore our full product lineup and swing by our Sales Resources page for tools to help you generate excitement (and sales) long before the sleigh bells ring. 

Because in the print jungle, it’s not just about being ready for the holidays—it’s about being ready first.