CountryMax Holiday Gift Guide
Thirty eight years in the retail business and CountryMax had never done a holiday gift guide. That changed in 2021 when we created a digital gift guide showcasing a few key products in several of our key categories. As a pet, home and garden store, CountryMax may not be an obvious choice for holiday gift-buying. Our goal was to change that! Drive some shoppers to the stores in December (a typically slow time).
Designed like a traditional catalog, but delivered only online, this gift guide uses original photography and holiday marketing messages to give users gift-giving ideas rather than price-driven offers.
Results
More than 2,200 visits/views
977 updated customers records
338 new customer records
At least one product showcased in the guide sold out on the first day
Sales of “gift and food items” from our lodge area were up 57% YOY during the holidays
CountryMax Canning Guide
During the pandemic, America’s interest in traditional gardening and preserving took off. Suddenly people were digging out their grandmother’s recipes, notes and canning jars. CountryMax has always catered to homesteaders and the DIY crowd.
So we created a printed canning guide filled with interesting history, facts and scientific information about the multiple ways to can. The CountryMax canning guide is an eye-catching print piece filled with colorful photographs, hand-drawn illustrations and valuable canning information. In a world gone digital, the traditional paper-based guide feels valuable. And the content is useful for beginners and experienced canning customers alike.
Results
2.5% coupon redemption rate in stores
Multiple positive comments and thank yous from the canning community
Sold out of several types of canning supplies
CountryMax Lawn & Garden Guide
There’s an endless amount of information out there are about gardening and lawn care. But who are the experts? By producing this 28-page guide, CountryMax is asserting that, not only do we have a great prices on mulch plus a well-stocked nursery, but also the know-how to help people.
Results
For those just getting started, or veterans looking for a new tip or trend, the CountryMax Lawn & Garden guide provides valuable information, strategies and savings.
Initial magazine, featuring cover story penned by Fast Company co-founder Bill Taylor, and edited by yours truly.
Chief Optimist Magazine and Website
This one goes back a few years. It launched when content marketing was just becoming a “thing.” Created to help Xerox establish higher-level conversations with CTOs, COOs, and CEOs, it’s credited with driving nearly $5 million in incremental contracts.
A true thought leadership initiative, content covered cyber security, cloud computing, change management, machine learning, and more.
Results
The interviews were techy and fun. The topics with timely. Lots of original content plus some purchased through Forbes. The strategy was subtle. The selling was soft. Yet the results — 5 million in pipeline — were remarkable.