Invoice Messaging

With the advent of eMails and electronic invoicing, a great portion of our invoices and monthly statements are now sent electronically. Unlike traditional printed "statement stuffers" in snail mail, tagging product messaging at the bottom of the email adds no cost, but increases the positive communication we can have with our customers.
Messages were designed for three types of communication: image building, time-sensitive events, and new product introductions, and fit at the bottom of the emailed communication.

New Product Introductions:

Banner ads could be timed for new product introductions, and can be targeted geographically if, for example, a product is rolled out a selected locations, such as North Main Lumberyards only, or due to contractual limitations, available in New York but not Pennsylvania.

Time-Sensitive Events:

Special deals can be promoted, such as a sale on smoke detectors to coincide with National Fire Prevention Month, or special events, such as our annual appearance at the Empire Farm Days.  The ads can be created ahead of time and placed into the queue. They can be turned on or off remotely, so if an event is doing better than expected, we can stop additional messages from being sent to avoid customers arriving when our stocks are depleted, or change an offer to reflect an evolving supply situation ("New Models now available.")

Image Building:

We can create messages for our vendors to send out to current and/or future customers. The message can tie-in with the vendor's existing campaign, or, more likely, we can create the message to enhance the vendor's image with our customers.

Signs, Signs, everywhere signs

A unique part of the 2010 Vendor Marketing Program were the billboards. This allowed us to present a variety of clients, and client messages, that underscored the broad range of products we offer, while presenting a Big Message in a stylish and timely manner.

This particular billboard was facing the traffic traveling towards the Big Box competitor just a few miles down the road, one that typically sells their CFLs for more than double the price at which we sell our CFLs, giving a nice double meaning.

The idea of the "twisty light bulb" was intriguing. The main thrust of the advertising was always the cost-saving and environment-saving aspects. But, they are just fun to look at, and play with visually. Here's one of the ideas that generated smiles from the client, but didn't make the final cut!