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S T R AT E G I E S i n c .

S T R AT E G I E S i n c .2016 Holiday Incentives & Promotions Ideabook

Idea BookHoliday Promotions

2016Prepaid

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Table of Contents

UP THE ANTE FOR THE 2016 HOLIDAY SEASON ............ 3

IDENTIFY YOUR GOALS .......................................................... 4

IDEA #1: The Ultimate Product Promotion ............................... 5

IDEA #2: The Holiday Referral Power-tool ................................ 7

IDEA #3: The Perfect Online Holiday Incentive ........................ 8

IDEA #4: Make Way for New Product Inventory ...................... 9

IDEA #5: Thank Your Clients, Customers And Employees ...... 10

IDEA #6: Everyone Loves A Chance To Win ............................. 11

IDEA #7: Holiday Sign-ups and Renewals .................................. 12

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It’s that time of year again. The summer has finally arrived; but for marketers, June marks the beginning of the 2016 holiday promotion season. Arguably the biggest time of year, the holiday season can account for as much as 30 percent of annual sales.

According to eMarketer, total retail holiday season sales will increase a mere 1.8% from last year, which means retailers and manufacturers will have to create interesting and impactful promotions when gearing up for this immensely profitable time of year.

And while overall retail sales are projected to reach their plateau, e-commerce retail sales are predicted to grow 13.3% this year. This means that retailers and manufacturers must ensure they can offer a streamlined experience that bridges the gap

between online and offline, offering experiences compare to online giants like Amazon and ebay.

This high-traffic time of year is also the perfect opportunity to grow and build customer loyalty, by providing innovative promotions, rewards and experiences that truly make an impact.

So what are the ingredients to a successful 2016 holiday season?

Here are 7 powerful holiday promotion ideas to help you get started!

Up The Ante On Your Promotions For A Profitable Holiday Season

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At DCR Strategies Inc., We’re full of great ideas. Loyalty is our business. We offer you insight and experience that’s proven effective client after client; program after program.

We make it our business to help you do more for yours. Boosting your sales, delighting your customers and increasing your bottom lines are our committed goals.

Thinking of a Holiday Promotion Program?Consider the purpose behind your program and your ultimate objectives. There are many different options to choose from, so understanding your specific goals will help us build a program that achieves the desired results.

Before you begin, consider the following:

• Do you require a re-loadable or non-re-loadable incentive? Is it one-time or recurring?

• What kind of branding or design will be on the front of the card? Do you need it quick and easy, or bold and beautiful?

• How frequently will you be disbursing incentives? Is this a one-time promotion or an introduction to your loyalty program?

• Are you looking to acquire new customers? Increase purchase size, retain your existing clients, or all of the above?

We’ll be happy to walk you through the options that best suit your goals and needs.

What’s Our Goal? To Help You Achieve Yours!

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Offer customers more this holiday season!

The In-Pack/ On-Pack Holiday Incentive Program is perfect for those on a tight budget, campaigns with tight time-lines or as an incentive pilot program. This program has been proven effective for CPG companies, manufacturers and retailers.

Prepaid cards are quicker and more rewarding than other forms of rewards or thank yous. They offer added security and open-loop payment flexibility, meaning your customers can spend them where and on what, they like!

How it works:• Simply include a prepaid card in your

packaging or with purchase, as a one-time use incentive for purchases, a thank you or a seasonal gift.

• Our cards can be co-branded or generic - making them perfect for tight time-lines and budgets.

• Give a little or alot - prepaid cards can be loaded with various amounts allowing for a truly rewarding relationship.

IDEA #1: The Ultimate Product Promotion

The In-Pack/ On-Pack Holiday Incentive Program

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79%of Canadians would like to receive an open loop prepaid card to buy exactly what they want,

when they want.

-CPPO

Worried about customer and client satisfaction? Prepaid cards are the preferred gift for any occasion! A 2015 study by the Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization (CPPO), recently revealed some interesting stats regarding Prepaid holiday trends:

• 45% of Canadians have received an open loop card• 78% prefer open loop gift card versus closed loop gift cards that can be used at one retailer• 79% would like to receive an open loop prepaid card to buy exactly what they want, when they want. • 51% prefer a prepaid card because it’s more secure than cash• Millennials are most likely to have received an open loop card.

TIP: Include a Prepaid card in your packaging or as a thank you gift with purchase this holiday season!

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One of the most successful prepaid promotion programs in the world to date, the General Mills Incentive to Buy Cereal Box Promotion encompassed 10 brands and was made available in over 1 million boxes across the US and Canada.

The ChallengeThe client needed a really interesting, new and impactful presence on store shelves. While packaging is a great strategy they needed something fresh and rewarding.

The SolutionPromoted on over 1 million cereal boxes around the world, each cereal box had the potential to contain $100 in cold hard cash, on a Prepaid Discover card.

The Results!Cereal boxes were embedded with a $10-$100 Prepaid card with each ceral brand on the card. The program grew so successful that people would actually bring metal detectors in-store in an attempt to locate the boxes that featured a card.

SUCCESS STORY

The General Mills Incentive to Buy Promotion Program

The General Mills Incentive To Buy Program Included over 40 million specially marked cereal boxes throughout supermarkets in the US – we incentivized new sales with pre-loaded network branded prepaid cards, in multiple denominations.

• Customers receive incentives immediately. • Specially marked boxes contain a prepaid card

worth up to $25. • Cards can be used at millions of locations

worldwide.• Capture important demographic information

about core customers.

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Referrals and customer satisfaction is the life-blood of any business.

Your best salespeople are the ones you just sold! When you have customers that are ready to recommend your brand, why not reward them for doing so?

If this sounds familiar, The Holiday Referral Card Promotion Program can help enhance brand loyalty, foster an ongoing relationship with your clients, and increase your sales numbers.

While Prepaid cards are a preferred gift, they are also valuable as a referral rewards and incentive tool. The secret here is that prepaid cards are re-

loadable, allowing you to send one card to a client as a thank you, and continually reward them for future referrals.

Referrals incentive cards make it easier than ever for businesses to reward, motivate, and recognize – while giving recipients the power of choice.

• Reduced costs and increased efficiency• Flexibility to create multiple custom programs

designed to drive specific behaviors• Enhanced brand loyalty• Ability to distribute cards on the spot

It’s also a great way to introduce your customers to your new loyalty program.

IDEA #2: The Holiday Referral Power-tool!

The Holiday Referral Card Promotion!

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SUCCESS STORY

FRIENDS AND FAMILY REWARDS PROGRAM

• Average 30% increase in sales attributed to the program.

• Customers receive cash loaded onto their card for every successful referral!

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ECommerce is Set To Explode Yet Again in 2016E-commerce retail sales are predicted to grow 13.3% this year. While total retail holiday sales will remain flat. -eMarketer

TIP: Include a Virtual Prepaid card in an email campaign, or as a brick-and-mortar gift to drive holiday online sales! Bridge The Gap Between Online And Offline

This Holiday Season With a Virtual Holiday Incentive Program!

Keep them thinking of you as they shop online!

Today more and more people are shopping online. It’s convenient. It’s fun. It’s a time-saver. And now there’s a anew way for your brand to be top-of-mind while online shoppers shop! You can treat them to free spending!

The Virtual Prepaid Incentive program gives your customers a free Prepaid cash card good towards any online purchase, simply for purchasing your products. Choose to present the card - on-package or as an email.

Keep your customers thinking of you, even when they’re online!

Put a Virtual Prepaid Card or Virtual Holiday Incentive program to work for your brand today. Benefits include:

• High perceived value• Current tie-in to online shopping trends• Freedom of choice• Reinforces brand loyalty• Cost Efficient

IDEA #3: The Perfect Online Holiday Incentive!

The Holiday Virtual Incentive Card Program!

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You may have seen it before. Purchase new tires and receive a $100 prepaid card, purchase a new fridge and receive a $250 Prepaid Visa Card, these promotions find themselves into every industry during the holidays and there is good reason.. They work!

Rebates Are A Powerhouse For Manufacturers! The manufacturer or product rebate works to help move product inventory during the holiday season. Offer a value added reason to choose your brand, over your competitors.

A co-branded Visa or MasterCard prepaid card is easy to distribute, easy to use and can be tracked to identify customer preferences and purchasing. As a preferred holiday incentive, they also provided an instant advertisement every time

they are used. Ensure you brand is always in your customer’s wallet with a carefully planned and executed Prepaid Rebate Program.

Benefits Include:

• Easy-to-administer card-based rebates• Increase sales while reducing costs and

building awareness of your business. • Streamline distribution of rebates and lower

related costs• Offer choice and value to customers• Provide an opportunity to promote a custom

marketing message• Plus, build brand awareness with each card

usage

IDEA #4: Make Way for New Product Inventory

The Holiday Manufacturer Rebate / Incentive Card Program!

Gift and incentive cards have been the most popular gifts across America for the past eight years and open loop cards continue to grow in popularity.

According to the Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization (CPPO):

78% of customers prefer to receive open loop Prepaid cards!

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Everyone wantMotivated people work harder and if you create a solid rewards program, it’s easy to foster loyalty among your customers, and a culture of excellence among your employees.

Whether you’re in manufacturing, government, finance, real-estate, retail or any other business - incentives can still play a large role in the profitability of your business. Let your customers know you appreciate them with a Prepaid Card.

Here are a couple great client thank you ideas for the holidays:

• Offer a co-branded prepaid incentive card to all your workers as a seasonal gift

• Offer a card as a thank you for something out of the ordinary, or as a holiday thanks

• Include a $20-$100 Prepaid card in your Christmas mailings as a thank you for past business

• Virtual or physical cards available for those with time or cost constraints

IDEA #5: Thank Your Clients, Customers And Employees

The Thank You Holiday CardProgram

For Sales Agents, Brokers, Distributors:

Offer your clients a Prepaid card as a thank you for continued business.

• Prepaid Cards are easy to issue and can be branded with your name and company logo

• Clients can use the cards at millions of locations worldwide, on whatever they like

• Foster loyalty towards your brand

For Retailers and Manufacturers

Offer your customers a Prepaid Card as a Holiday Incentive Card.

• Offer rewards in any denomination as a “carrot” for your most profitable products

• Example: Buy two and receive a $20 Prepaid card, refer a friend and you both get $10, Purchase Brand A receive a Prepaid Card.

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Everyone loves a chance to WIN BIG! While many smaller promotions may not appeal to your target audience this holiday season, everyone loves a chance to Win Big.

Offer a ballot, or draw with the chance to earn a few great prizes.

Prepaid cards are the perfect incentive for chance to win programs. They are simple to use. Easy to distribute. And can be given to any number of recipients, in any denomination.

Thinking of offering a Chance to Win Program?

Try offering rewards at different levels, to help generate the most traction for your program. By offering many smaller rewards, with one large chance to win, you can capture the attention of ALL your customer segments.

For large promotions offer $10 Prepaid cards, $25 Prepaid Cards and a chance to win a $1000 Prepaid card.

IDEA #7: Everyone Loves A Chance To Win!

The Chance to WINHoliday Promotion Program

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SUCCESS STORY

PEPSI MAX CHANCE TO WIN PROGRAM

TIP: Offer a variety of incentive levels - (IE. $10 Prepaid cards, $25 prepaid cards and a chance to win a $1000 pre-paid card)

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The Holidays are a great time to get people to sign-up to your services. The New Year is also the perfect time to remind your customers how much you appreciate them. So why not show them, with a sign-up or renewal incentive.

The Renewal incentive works by offering a value-added incentive for renewing your existing services. Especially at this busy and expensive time of year, customers are looking for ways to save. Rogers for example, launched a $10 gas card campaign, just for renewing their services.

Benefits Include:

• Branded cards provide an instant advertisement

• Build and foster brand loyalty• Reduce customer attrition• Help increase revenue • Can be linked to referral programs for

increased impact• Rewards are quick, easy to use, and fit any

audience.

IDEA #8: Renewal Rewards for Holiday & New Year Promotions

The Holiday Sign-Up and Renewal Incentive Program!

TIP:

RENEWAL EXAMPLE

ROGERS BETTER CHOICE BUNDLES

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