Getting your Fall Marketing Plan Ready
You have to admit it—autumn is a great season. The weather's nice, the changing colors of the leaves are mesmerizing, and your inner child is nudging you to look at back-to-school supplies and Halloween costumes because there might be something “cool.”
Try to muster up that childlike enthusiasm for your fall marketing plan! Take advantage of all that the season has to offer, and it should be a breeze:
Use those wonderful colors everywhere! Visuals are always a critical part of marketing, so make sure your images on social media—Pinterest, Instagram, whatever account you have—are full of those majestic fall colors. Take advantages of the golds, oranges, reds, purples, browns and more. Grab the reader's attention in your email newsletters with a new colorful header.
It's back-to-school time! If you haven’t already done so, consider establishing a relationship with the schools in your area, or your online reach. Can you offer discounts to students, parents, or teachers? Do your hours accommodate after-school shopping? How can you support your local schools? There are plenty of possibilities.
Kick off the football season with some fun! Challenge your social media audience with a football trivia quiz. Have a Most Dedicated Football Fan photo contest. Offer a discount for anyone coming into your store wearing the local high school team's colors or hold a giveaway for some local team swag.
Help a worthy cause! Volunteering is a great opportunity for your business to network with others and promote goodwill in your community. Thanksgiving food drives are always popular, but there are plenty of other ways. Check out this calendar for some month-long observances.
Be relevant! Make sure your email newsletters and social media are current—focus on the fall season and upcoming holidays, etc. What kind of content is your audience interested in? Fall beauty tips? Exercising outdoors in cooler weather? Healthy Halloween treats? If you’re unsure, you can check out what's trending on Google.
Tease 'em! Hollywood does it to us all the time with trailers for upcoming movies months ahead of the release. Start working up some excitement about your Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. Implement a countdown on your website. Offer some early bird specials to get rid of old merchandise. Ask customers about their favorite/worst Black Friday shopping memories—you're bound to get some insights on what not to do, as well as ideas you can use.
Don't forget your map! The best way to reach your destination is to have a plan in place. A social media calendar and a marketing plan can help keep you on track. Always keep notes on how well your promotions, etc. were received, as well as ideas for next year.
Imagine your fall marketing plan as a pile of freshly-raked leaves—and jump in!