Promotional ideas and considerations for print online

When the festive season arrives, the hospitality industry lights up like a Christmas tree. Colleagues, friends and family are looking to celebrate, creating a chance for you to win customers, increase sales, and make memories. Opportunities include more table, room or event bookings, festive food and beverage sales, and gift-buying customers.

Below, we’ll look at practical advice and ideas on attracting more clientele using effective Christmas print campaigns.

Why is Christmas important for the hospitality sector?

People all over the country celebrate Christmas. It’s a crucial period for the hospitality industry to boost annual revenue. Customers feel festive and ready to splurge on unique experiences, treats and presents. This means a surge in restaurant bookings, social drinks, and shared adventures. The joyous time creates a platform to capitalise on festive produce, themed events, and added-value gifts.

Plan early for Christmas product and service promotions to make the most of this season. Printed posters, leaflets, point-of-sale materials, banners, magazine specials and adverts provide affordable and high-impact materials to drive sales.

What Christmas print campaigns work well for hospitality venues?

Special offer dishes and drinks are big winners at Christmas. Consider implementing ‘buy one get one free’ offers or ‘introduce a friend’ campaigns. These work well for events, activities, and food and drink offerings. Printed loyalty cards, stamp collection schemes, and timed bookings can also help keep customers returning.

When planning your print strategy, it’s essential to consider your target audience, budget, and goals. Are you aiming to increase bookings, promote special events, or showcase seasonal menus? Whatever your objectives, they will guide your choice of print materials. A clever campaign will always result in a fulfilling, profitable Christmas season.

Essential print collateral for the Christmas period

With hospitality Christmas parties and seasonal networking opportunities in full swing, it’s vital for company representatives to stock up on printed materials. Think business cards, information flyers and printed adverts to promote festive special offers.

High footfall areas include receptions, public spaces and convenience facilities. Capitalise on pull-up banners, pop-up stands, posters and leaflets that share key messages. Reception desks and notice boards offer prime space to publicise upcoming events, as well as snap frame posters on the backs of toilet cubicle doors. There’s also an opportunity to tailor your Christmas decorations. Showcase Christmas trees and embellish furnishings to enhance the guest experience but remember to keep it on-brand!

Looking ahead, consider 2025 calendars, diaries, notebooks, mugs and water bottles as quick-win, cost-effective gifts. These promotional items will help keep your name visible long after the festive season.

High-quality print this Christmas

With Christmas designs, it’s easy to fall into clichés. While a touch of tinsel and holly can add festive cheer, consider how you can make your print materials stand out. You might incorporate elements of your local area or unique aspects of your venue. Remember, your print designs should be eye-catching yet aligned with your brand identity.

High-quality print materials can make a significant difference in brand perception. Crisp, vibrant colours and premium paper stock are a must. Sophisticated print finishing varnishes and embossing can elevate your Christmas campaigns, making them memorable and impactful. If you’re unsure about design or print quality, consult a professional service like Panda Press.

Christmas print for food and beverage

Christmas presents a golden opportunity for food and beverage businesses to showcase seasonal offerings. Consider special menus featuring festive dishes and drinks. Eye-catching table tents are an excellent choice for presenting Christmas specials or promotions in restaurant and bar areas. In shared spaces or reception areas, display banners and posters work well for advertising future events and offers to a captive audience.

Printed gift cards or vouchers are perfect Christmas presents for staff, friends or family. They also ensure you receive the money upfront! For seasonal or limited-edition offerings, consider festive labels and Christmas-themed packaging for takeaway orders or gift sets. Bottle tags for wine, beer or spirits featuring yuletide messaging or serving suggestions are another brilliant way to encourage add-on purchases.

Personal touches can go a long way. Design and print personalised greeting cards to send to loyal customers and create festive coasters with your logo for in-house use or as giveaways. Branded calendars featuring food photography or recipes can serve as beautiful gifts for your customers, keeping your business front-of-mind for longer.

Seasonal print for travel and tourism

With printed materials, holiday and accommodation businesses can create a warm, festive atmosphere. Start by designing brochures highlighting special winter packages, festive destinations, and seasonal activities. Use direct mail personalised holiday cards to create repeat bookings from loyal customers and target new ones.

Think about what your guests will appreciate. Printed guides highlighting Christmas markets, winter solstice events, New Year’s Eve celebrations and seasonal activities provide helpful information. They may also seal the deal! Travel agencies, hotels, and tourist information centres offer convenient locations to spread the word. Create festive displays in travel agency windows or hotel lobbies using large-format posters or window graphics. They will attract passing trade and add to the feelgood festive mood. Remember to include cost-effective printed flyers. They provide a simple ‘takeaway’ method to promote seasonal messages.

Consider producing printed welcome kits to include holiday itineraries and information about local attractions. Exclusive key cards with festive designs also act as take-home souvenirs, further expanding your brand’s reach. And let’s not forget that branded, holiday-themed luggage tags are a practical gift for any traveller.

When it comes to branded merchandise, consider custom-printed travel journals with festive covers for guests to document their holiday adventures. Reusable shopping bags featuring winter travel scenes or festive imagery will benefit travellers during their holiday shopping. Eco-friendly packaging promotes sustainability while enhancing visibility. Why not offer an advent calendar featuring daily surprises and exclusive content to build excitement leading up to the holiday?

Festive print for the entertainment industry

Create buzz and excitement with printed materials at your entertainment venue. Promote holiday-themed events, concerts, or performances with eye-catching posters and flyers. Distributing your materials in high-traffic areas or through direct mail encourage repeat custom and increase visibility. Offering printed event programmes that include schedules, performer bios, and festive messages helps inform attendees and provide added value to the experience. Programmes, along with bespoke tickets, also act as cherished keepsakes.

Consider high-quality branded invitations for VIP events or special screenings to reflect the festive spirit. Special packages can include promotional items like t-shirts, hats, or tote bags featuring event branding or Christmas themes. These can also be available for attendees to purchase as souvenirs. Printed Christmas-themed props for event photo booths help encourage social media sharing and enhance guest engagement.

Finally, remember to decorate your venue. Produce portable large-format banners and signage that promote holiday specials or upcoming performances. Decorations like window vinyl or wall graphics reflect the festive spirit and enhance the venue’s atmosphere. Creating branded calendars featuring event schedules or highlights from the past year serves as reminiscent yet practical gifts for fans and patrons.

Wrapping it up

Christmas print campaigns offer a fantastic opportunity for the hospitality industry to boost visibility, attract customers, and increase revenue. From the initial planning stages to the last execution, infuse every step of your campaign with festive spirit and strategic thinking.

Remember, tangible print materials provide a refreshing change in the digital age. There’s something special about holding a beautifully designed menu or flipping through a glossy brochure – an aspect seldom replicated online. These tactile experiences help your business stand out in a crowded market and go a long way in providing a profitable yuletide.

As you embark on your Christmas print campaign journey, consider partnering with a reliable face-to-face and online printing service like Panda Press. With our expertise in creating high-quality print materials for the hospitality industry, we can help bring your festive vision to life.

Contact the Panda team today to learn more about Christmas hospitality print materials.