Back-to-school marketing… more than school supplies… do it right!

Business Buzz by Candice Sealey Tue, Aug 19, 2014

We’ve already passed August 15, which means “Back to School” is on the minds of many parents and teachers. That being the case, be mindful of a few things:

1) The “Back to the School” season affects a myriad of sectors, including clothing and accessories, school supplies and even electronics (2) Back-to-School promotions don’t necessarily have to terminate at the end of August (3) Despite parents’ eye on the purse strings, kids still influence purchases.{{more}}

Over the past few years, customers have been trained to expect big savings in August, so even if they can’t make the logical connection between a lower price on a particular item and kids going back to school, they will still take advantage of a sale! A well timed invitation to enjoy a reward for being responsible parents can drive a lot of sales! This can be the case for beauty and jewellery stores, as well as home improvement outlets.

See how you can make your customers happy while reaping financial returns.

Focused and timely targetting: Who are your adverts targetting? You may have the nice back-packs, durable shoes, school supplies, but kids are not often excited about going back to school and though they influence their parents’ purchasing, when it comes to these specific items, it’s the parents who are on high alert for the best sales; therefore ensure that your back- to-school marketing is geared towards the parents; however, since very often, the kids may accompany the parents to buy the item, ensure that your in store displays are designed capture the kids’ attention.

The “One size fits all” campaign does not necessarily produce the best results. Do you know your customers’ shopping patterns? Be mindful of which days of the week or times of the day are busiest or the slowest. Align this with any interviews or social media content that would be used during the campaign. Do you know at what times of the day or evening, individuals are on social media the most? How can you use this information to your advantage for the back to school season? Do you know at which times of the day your customers or potential customers are listening to particular radio stations?

Cater to parents and don’t forget the teachers!

In addition to finding the latest deal for back-to-school, parents also desire time for themselves. If your business offers a service or product that parents can benefit from, you can use the back-to-school period to entice them. Is your salon or spa taking advantage of the back-to- school season? Do you know how your restaurant or gym can make use of this season? Targetting the parents and teachers will help you to reach a larger market and have a greater return on your investment.

Spending doesn’t end in September – Consider displays of items that could be useful in the classroom or in the home, dry erase markers, board easers, hand sanitizers, sealed bags, lunch kits, foil, cling wrap and electronic equipment, among others. Consider offering deals through late September and even beyond to appeal to parents and children at all stages of the back-to-school season.

You need a digital marketing strategy…. So, you are having a back-to-school promotion; have you decided what material you will be sharing through social media? Have your graphics, images and messages for Facebook and Twitter been created? How will you drive traffic to these sites or your website so that you increase your back-to-school sales? Can images/graphics on your instagram page be beneficial to your campaign?

Stretch your brain…Create ideas – Create a link between your product and back-to-school! Have you considered how your pharmacy or health/nutrition store or even your Ministry can create a successful back-to-school promotion/campaign? How about a “be on time for school” special if you are a watch retailer? How can your dental clinic benefit from this period?

The bottom line is your back- to-school ideas can only be limited by your imagination… Think about your target market, how back-to-school impacts them and how your products and services could fit in. Let Ignite! help you develop an effective back-to-school campaign or promotion. Candice Sealey is founder of Ignite! Full service Marketing & PR Consultancy Company offering tailored services to help businesses succeed. Create new sparks and get better results for your business.

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