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Letter from the President
 

Dear friends:

 

This is the first issue of The GRA Group Evolution newsletter. You will learn more about a number of the effective promotional and sales incentive programs that have benefited many of our clients since 1961.

We are always working on improving our already award winning promotional and incentive advertising and marketing program.

 

We as a company are pleased to be able to offer you these Value Added Services in 2009:

 

MARKETING

  • Annual planning

  • Customized promotional programs

  • Direct mail advertising

  • Creation and updating of collateral materials

  • New product launch

 

eMARKETING

  • eMarketing programs, newsletters, brochures, sales flyers with measurable results

  • Develop and manage web site

  • Customer Relations Management

 

INCENTIVE PROGRAMS

  • Travel programs based on self liquidation through increased sales

  • Online reward programs

  • Loyalty marketing

  • Half a century of driving incremental sales via proven incentives

 

PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS

  • Quality premiums

  • Logowear

  • Preapproved premium and logo products

  • Web Based premium outlet

    -develop and manage your company store

 

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Internal and external communications, press releases, news bulletins and new product releases

  • Develop company newsletters or catalogs

 

BRANDING

  • Company branding

  • Product branding

  • Logo design

 

Let us help you grow in 2009,

 

John Rich

john@thegragroup.com  440.937.5105

The GRA Group Challenge: Develop a promotion to bring attention to a company’s 60th anniversary and the renovation of its counter area.

 

Solution: A Cinco de Mayo themed counter days event was held to kick off the reopening of the company’s newly remodeled counter area. Vendors who had been instrumental in setting up the counter were invited to participate with display tables. Added touches—including inflated cactuses, Mexican food and

music, and employees dressed in serapes and sombreros—gave the event a festive feel. Jars of salsa bearing the likeness of owners in Mexican garb were given away with purchases.

 

Results:  Customers love the new counter area’s look and feel.  Putting a little fun into monthly promotions not only rewards their customers for their purchases, but encourages them to return on a frequent basis. The average order has increased over time, increasing line items, decreasing transaction costs.

 

At the customers’ request, this promotion is repeated every year during the month of May, and has prompted other month long counter promotion's as well.

 
 

The Value of Advertising During an Economic Downturn

 

History has proven companies that maintain or increase their advertising investments in periods of economic downturns increase their sales and share of market, both during and after the downturn.

 

Here are the facts:

• Maintaining or increasing advertising budget  

  levels during economic downturns may be

  necessary in terms of protecting market

  position.1
• Advertising through both boom and down

  times sustains the necessary recognition.2
• Maintaining a company's advertising during

  an economic downturn will give image of

  corporate stability within a chaotic business

  environment, and give the advertiser the

  chance to dominate the advertising media.3
• Economic downturns reward the aggressive
  advertiser and penalize the timid one.4
• When times are good, you should advertise; 

  when times are bad, you must advertise.5

 

1 How Advertising in Recession Periods Affect Sales,

   American Business Media

2 Making A Recession Work For You, American Business 

   Media

3 Ibid

4 The Strategic Planning Institute

5 Making A Recession Work For You, American Business 

  Media