3 Super-Simple Back-to-School Marketing Tactics
Children far and wide bemoan the start of school.
But as a small business, back-to-school time means revenue time — if you know how to effectively market your business with promotions.
You don’t have to sell school supplies to get in on the action.
Many consumers are drawn to purchase other items at this time of year.
In fact, businesses generate more revenue on this day than Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Valentine’s Day — to the tune of $68 billion!
Whether your business is in beauty, home improvement, or a restaurant, back-to-school promotions can significantly drive revenue — if you can come up with a great strategy to harness its potential.
Here’s what you can do.
1- Run a special
Consumers love a deal! And special discounts and deals drive traffic to your store.
Think about how much revenue small businesses can attract by running a Christmas special, President’s Day special, and so on.
The back-to-school season is just another way you can capitalize on consumers’ natural inclination to want to get something for less — or thinking they are.
During this season, consumers are out shopping, and they’re ready to pull out their wallets and debit cards. So don’t make them work hard to purchase from you.
Create a back-to-school campaign that will entice.
2- Target the right groups
Sure, you can get adults in on the deal by running specials on furniture, home improvement services (like ductwork cleaning) or a remodeling job.
But don’t forget to target the children and teens, either, if you can.
Youth need school supplies for the year, which is what drives people to the stores. But they don’t really need clothes to go back to school.
However, retail establishments have turned the back-to-school season into a frenzied spending spree for clothing.
Your salon or restaurant can target kids and get parents to bring them in by offering a discount on haircuts or a free dessert.
How about a “Shop till you drop, and kids eat dessert for free” lunch break promotion? Everyone needs a shopping break and a time to refuel!
Promote education
Perhaps your niche or industry doesn’t fit with the back-to-school theme.
You can still market to your target audience through education.
A yoga studio can create a campaign for the benefits of the exercise.
A home improvement company can teach homeowners the importance of tuning up the furnace.
A home remodeling business can showcase the perks of updating the kitchen.
You get the picture.
3- Use social media
Today’s savvy small businesses use social media to boost their back-to-school marketing efforts. However, your strategy should combine sponsored ads as well as organic strategies to market your business.
- Through the influence of your social media followers, you’ll maximize awareness when your fans spread the word about your specials.
- Engaging followers creates trust and starts conversations that build loyalty and grows your fan base — exponentially increasing the reach of your paid efforts. Make sure you’re responding to comments and and mentions on your social profiles. And offer in-store specials to your fan base to bring them into the store.
- Finally, now what works for your audience. If you’re a technology company whose products are costly, it’s likely the parents who are making the purchase decision. Be sure to target this audience, too.
Get ready
The average family spends almost $700 on back-to-school related items. Don’t miss out on this huge opportunity to get customers opening up their wallets at your registers!
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