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Make the most of the new royal arrival!

James Hardy, Head of Europe, Alibaba.com, gives his top five tips for making the most of royal baby souvenir sales

First came the wedding and then the Jubilee. Now, to complete the hat-trick, a royal baby will be welcomed into the world next month.

Savvy British businesses will be busily designing and producing goods, ready to cash in from the latest royal celebration. Who can blame them when, according to the Centre for Retail Research, a whopping £400 million was spent on royal wedding and Jubilee souvenirs.

Here are my top tips for making the most of the royal baby popularity for your business.

1. Stand Out Souvenirs

As soon as the Duchess of Cambridge’s pregnancy was announced, companies started to design and manufacture related souvenirs. Be ready to trade in an increasingly saturated market in the lead up to and beyond the birth of the royal baby. People will want to buy keepsakes, limited edition items and heirlooms, so think about what you could produce over and above a plate or mug. Being creative will help you stand out from the souvenir crowd.

2. Don’t lose quality for kitsch

Brits are known around the world for their humour, and there is no reason not to embrace kitsch artwork when designing royal baby souvenirs. However, it is imperative to maintain your usual standards of quality and workmanship when manufacturing souvenir goods. The royal baby is a global event, and there is incredible export opportunity, particularly to the Americas. Don’t risk your brand becoming synonymous with bad taste and cheap goods because of badly made baby gifts.

3. Tasteful, not tacky

Every pregnancy comes with a level of uncertainty. The acute morning sickness the Duchess suffered during her first trimester shows that she is not exempt from the trials and tribulations a pregnancy brings. As much is unknown until a baby is born, it is sensible to sell low key, tasteful merchandise to celebrate the royal baby. Businesses should steer clear of creating tacky, insensitive and bawdy goods.

4. A British baby with universal appeal

We know from the successes of the royal wedding and Jubilee, there is a global appetite to celebrate the British monarchy. According to the Centre for Retail Research, an extra 250,000 tourists came to the UK and spent around £41.25 million during the Jubilee celebrations alone. Royal baby souvenirs that prove the most popular will have a global appeal, avoid extreme patriotism and embrace the universal interest of the event.

5. First past the post

As many parents can attest, a baby will be born when he or she is ready. Monday 15th July has been given as an estimated date of birth for the royal baby, but the actual date could well be before or after this. Souvenirs alluding to the gender or name of the baby will have to go into quick production so items can go on sale immediately.

To make the most of the post-birth boom, manufacturers should be well prepared and ready to submit final designs and begin making tailored merchandise as soon as an official announcement is made.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alibaba.com .