While it is true that calendar apps on smartphones and tablets are rising in popularity, they are not likely to replace a tried-and-true wall calendar that hangs in homes and offices to provide a physical reminder of upcoming events and appointments that many people can reference. Trends in today’s calendars and planners are full-color, customized, and personalized miniature works of art. They also offer an incredible branding opportunity as well as return on investment since they are viewed every day of the year.
Customized calendars of all styles are on the rise, according to Amberlea Barnes of Drum-Line, Inc. “Classic wall calendars are being updated with custom photos on each month to tell an organization’s story,” she states. “Minimums are lower and it’s easy to access print quality photos. Clients can customize date blocks for special events.” Barnes adds that academic planners are also in demand. “Students are techie, but also have jam-packed schedules. Writing down assignments, appointments, and events helps students and teachers stay organized.” John Hicks at HotLine Products also sees this trend in custom calendars and the fact that they help customers share their own stories.
Calendars and planners have always been a key part of ADG’s business, Nick Augustine reports. “Tent-style desk calendars and custom calendars have seen growth for a few years running now,” he comments. “In particular, custom calendars are a great way to take something like your standard Scenes Across America wall calendar and instead incorporate your own images, branding, message, events, etc. Developing a completely custom design and layout can be significantly more impactful than just dropping your one-color logo at the bottom of a stock theme—and distributors are better presenting that today more than ever.”
Image personalization printing is new and catching on, American Calendar’s John Kilday III asserts, which allows individual customer names to be printed into the photo for each month. “This is great low-cost personalization that is very different, and people seldom throw out anything with their name printed on it,” he says.
One of the top trends in the calendar/planner market is digital printing that allows full color printing with very low minimums, according to Phil Martin of Warwick Publishing. The company is using new digital printing techniques and equipment to give customers a high-quality, full-color imprint with minimums as low as 50 pieces. “Full-color printing allows you to expand the potential customer base for more effective use to promote new products, new buildings, and special events,” Martin explains. “As they say, ‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’”
Beth Friese at Fey Industries expands on Martin’s sentiments. “Utilizing vibrant color photographs and process color printing to make messages pop have been the trend,” she says. “Design possibilities are endless with the option to use process color printing on items that traditionally were only offered with one or two imprint colors.”
Beacon Promotions’ customers are waiting later in the year before placing their orders, Gwen Brey reports, which she attributes to a combination of people not planning ahead combined with the quick turnaround times suppliers provide.
Due to the continued demand for calendars and planners, suppliers rely on a combination of new and best-selling items for distributors to carry. American Calendar is debuting “In-the-Image” calendars in an 11” x 17” twelve sheet, 12-photo monthly wall calendar, an 11” x 17” twelve sheet single photo wall calendar, one three-month in view commercial 12” x 32.5” size, six spiral bound desk tent styles, and one 18” x 12” desk pad size. According to Kilday, all these calendars offer individual name personalization on every photo in each calendar, with eight-image sets to choose from or a total of 96 different photos.
Warwick Publishing has seen success in using full-color calendars as a year-long “awareness” program for cancer awareness, don’t drink and drive programs, and remember the date programs as well as full-color custom high school and college sports schedules, new product introductions, new buildings, and personal photos offered, Martin reports.
Over at Drum-Line, vertical markets are important to its calendar business. According to Barnes, three months at-a-glance styles are popular for the logistics, food service, and manufacturing industries. “These are all growing markets and orders for this style calendar are up,” he comments. “Drum-Line introduced a custom photo, three months at-a-glance format to offer the customization trend with the desire for a three months view. Construction is another hot industry in a booming economy. New Contractor Calendars offer features that specifically target the scheduling needs of builders.”
Vertical markets are also the focus at ADG when trying out new wall calendar themes. “For example, this year we rolled out our Amazing Nature, Fruit of the Vine Vineyards, and Luxe Gallery Homes Wall Calendar themes,” Augustine says. “For those distributors wanting to compete better with direct-to-market selling operations, we have a Mix-and-Match category of Wall Calendars. This Mix-and-Match offer will allow an end user the opportunity to purchase different themes.” Augustine adds that calendar desk pads are a traditional style, best seller with high reorder rates that primarily sell to title companies, insurance agencies, banks, and credit unions.
New from Fey Industries are Chalkboard Magnetic Calendars and Prizma Peel-N-Stick® Rectangle Calendars—both made in the USA. The magnetic calendars have the look and feel of a chalkboard that come with a white liquid chalk pen and an adhesive clip. “The customized imprint on the calendar is vibrant with our exclusive ColorVastTM process color printing,” she details. “These chalkboard magnets have been popular for promotions in education, restaurants, schools, and sports, but would also be great for other industries as well.” The rectangle calendars also are available with same process color printing, and Friese adds allows the custom imprint to be showcased with vibrant full-color photographs.
Hicks at HotLine reports that the company’s new custom calendars are its fastest growing line, joining the best-selling appointment wall calendars. Beacon Promotions sees strong sales of the
universally appealing subject matters such as American Scenic, Motivation, and An American Illustrator, Brey notes.
Suppliers agree that calendars have an excellent ROI and are basically an ad that lasts all year. “Many calendars are flat and work great for mailing out,” Brey at Beacon Promotions explains. “The repeat orders are high, as every year a new calendar is needed. It’s common for an end-user to get the calendar and be asking for next year’s calendar several months before the start of a new year. Calendars are used both in businesses and homes, so several advertising markets can utilize a calendar.”
Kilday of American Calendar recommends distributors explain the many benefits of calendar advertising. “It is especially successful in building and construction companies and those that service them,” he comments. “They need a big calendar to show important dates with room for notes, deadlines, and much more. Large commercial calendars can advertise their customer’s services every day for about 10 cents a week! That’s an amazingly low cost to have an ad on your customer’s desk or on their wall every day.”
“Full-color digitally printed calendars are probably more easily sold as a year-long ad that’s right in front of your customer every day rather than actually saying the word ‘calendar,’”
Warwick Publishing’s Martin affirms.
ADG’s Augustine believes is a “bit of an art”—with the key being distributors offering clients an opportunity to provide their end user customers with a year-long tool that they can rely on receiving time and time again. “Timing is key, you don’t want to be handing out calendars in December or January,” he says. “Calendar sales start in December of the year prior so recipients need them no later than late November.”
Barnes at Drum-Line maintains that calendars are excellent holiday gifts that suit any size business. “Most calendars are easy to mail or ship and are a fantastic way to show customer appreciation,” she states. “Select a calendar that begins in December and send it to clients early, so they’ll be more likely to use yours.” She adds that HR departments use calendars as interoffice motivational tools by adding the company’s mission statement and other reminders for the year. She advises distributors to include a calendar or planner in all fourth quarter presentations.
In conclusion, Hicks at HotLine Products keeps things simple. “The salesperson has to believe in the product and have answers ready for any push back he or she might receive,” he states. “Speak to the value and brand exposure over a 12-month period.”
Case Studies
Phil Martin, Warwick Publishing
Warwick has had several orders for “marrying” two of its most popular products. For years, the Value Stick Calendar has been a staple of the calendar business with appeal in both the home and office, and because of its very light weight, it’s easily mailed. Couple that with the ever-popular holiday greeting card and you have the perfect low-cost holiday “thank you.” Quality foil-lined envelopes are supplier-free with the greeting cards and the Value Stick easily slips in and often rides along for free postage. A local tree service wanted to thank its customers and had a budget of $1,500.00 for its 500 customers and chose a Value Stick calendar and foil-stamped holiday greeting card for each. The greeting card sends a personal holiday message and comes with free envelopes, and the Value Stick calendar rides free and will be a year-long reminder of the company’s services!
John Kilday III American Calendar
A local bank had a budget of $5,000.00 for a thank-you gift for 1,000 of its smaller commercial accounts with average monthly balances of under $250,000.00. They gave out the American Calendar I55DX “In-the-Image” spiral bound desk calendar, one thousand pieces were sold at $4.43 (D) each. Each of the 12 different monthly photos had its customers first and last, or just their first name in the photo. It’s a gift they will hopefully keep all year long and be a daily reminder of the bank’s services.
Gwen Brey Brey, Beacon Promotions
A non-profit organization was looking for an item that would do two things: thank its volunteers and also get some exposure to the organization. It mailed the stapled Inspiration calendar along with a thank you letter to all its volunteers. The non-profit felt that many of the volunteers would keep the calendar in their kitchen, which is a main gathering space in many homes. With the calendar hanging in a high-traffic area, they felt that the organization’s name would get a lot of exposure. The non-profit saw an increase in the number of volunteers and plan to do this each year. The volunteers felt appreciated and they will need a new calendar each year to keep track of their schedules.
Amberlea Brown, Drum-Line
Full-Color Academic Planners provided to students at a major university promoted support services available on campus. A planner is useful for students and teachers to keep up with events, assignments, and deadlines. The clean, modern design with both monthly and weekly views appeals to the student demographic.
A real estate developer chose custom photo wall calendars, featuring stunning photographs of custom-built homes, to mail to over 500 customers and prospects. The calendars were inserted into envelopes, making it easy for the end user to mail.
Nick Augustine, ADG Prom0
A distributor’s client wanted to spend around $4 or less to engage their customer base. The company had originally been thinking about a drinkware item that it could award to social media participants as well as at company sponsored events. We ended up proposing a custom wall calendar which had date blocks for their events. The client was originally hesitant of the idea of giving out calendars. After a discussion about a lack of photos the client could provide us, we were nearly back to looking at inexpensive drinkware options. We then came up with an idea to tie in the client’s social media marketing. We developed an approach where the company had a contest for the best photos submitted from its events. The top 14 photos would be chosen to be used in its calendars. Not only was the company able to come up with a cool way to engage with its customer base, but the calendar itself became an annual contest that the company still uses today. The best thing about a calendar? They expire and are reordered each year, you just need the right strategy implemented.