The fourth quarter tends to be a lucrative season for print on demand sellers, who often do a brisk business with holiday shoppers. By contrast, the first quarter of the new year is often a bit of a lull, characterized by lower order volumes and generally anemic sales.
While print on demand sellers may appreciate a brief reprieve following the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the fact is that having a weak Q1 puts you behind the curve, making it that much harder to ultimately hit your annual sales goals. Fortunately, there are some strategies and activities that may help print on demand sellers have a more prosperous January, February, and March.
PoD Tips: Making the Most of Q1
For print on demand 2023 Q1, there are a few strategies we’d recommend.
Emphasize Seasonal Wear
Your Q1 success may come down to the types of products you highlight in your print on demand store, and in your various marketing channels. We’d recommend making custom apparel a high priority, and in particular items that emanate warmth. Lean into the season by showcasing custom hoodies, beanies, and other items well-suited for cold weather.
Offer Sales Incentives
Following the holiday season, a lot of your consumers will be shopped out, and potentially looking to tighten up their finances. To bring them back into your store, you’ll want to offer some appealing incentives. BOGO offers can be great, along with significant savings coupons with each purchase.
Consider Seasonal Sales
Christmas may be in the rearview, but Q1 brings plenty of other holidays and special days that might provide you with a good opportunity to entice buyers. Consider holding a special print on demand sale or promo event to celebrate the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras… you name it.
Launch New Products
Q1 can be an ideal time to try out some new product offerings, piquing the interest of your customers and coaxing them to take a chance on something out of the ordinary. Make sure you market new product launches heavily, leaning on your social media channels, email newsletter, and more.
Focus on Relationships
One of the most important ways to maintain your sales into Q1 is to redouble your efforts at personal connection. In particular, nurture the relationships you have with your current customer base. Use social media and your email newsletter to vocalize your gratitude. Let your loyal customers be the first to hear about new product offerings. Consider offering special discounts just for your recurring consumers.
Repurpose Holiday Items
A lot of the custom apparel, custom merch, and personalized gifts that you offer for the holidays can work just as well for winter. That’s because holiday items are often selected with cold weather in mind. So, rather than immediately jettisoning those products, you may be able to adjust your messaging to get further use out of them.
Plan for the Print on Demand 2023 Success
In addition to these sales and marketing activities, there are other things you can do during Q1 to position your print on demand store for a successful year. Some examples include:
- Get out your calendar and start planning new product launches for the rest of the year.
- Map out major promos and sales, extending into summer and even next Christmas.
- Start developing a cache of marketing assets, including blogs and videos.
- Review your sales data from last year to forecast 2023, setting reasonable goals.
- Double check that you are working with the very best print on demand fulfillment partner. (We’re always happy to discuss the benefits we offer to our clients here at Gooten!)
Be Strategic Heading into 2023
It’s hard to believe another holiday frenzy is behind us. Now’s the time for print on demand sellers to keep their eye on the ball, pushing ahead to maintain their order volume well into the coming year.
Here at Gooten, we’re thrilled to help our partners position themselves for success in the new year. We’d love to talk with you about developing the best Q1 strategy. To chat with the Gooten team, reach out to us at any time.
