Back to School Marketing – Implementing the Most Effective Strategies
Summer is coming to an end, and parents everywhere are rejoicing. It’s finally that time of year again – Back to School season! While parents may be happy to send their children back to school, what does this mean for businesses? Well, many will say that back to school season is the official kick off of the fourth quarter (Q4,) which is the most profitable quarter of the year for most businesses. This means you should definitely be putting in efforts towards back to school marketing this year.
According to the National Retail Federation (NRF,) $80.7 billion is projected to be spent during back-to-school season for K-12 and college students during 2019. Parents of K-12 students will spend an average of $697 in 2019, which is up from the average of $685 spent in 2018. Additionally, families with college students are expected to spend an average of $977 which is up from last year’s $942. Some of the most popular areas in which this money will be spent are: clothes, electronics, and shoes. If you don’t have a campaign aimed at back to school shopping, you will be missing out on some serious possible profits.
How can I market for back to school?
So – you want to get in on the action, but your business doesn’t seem relevant? You don’t have to be selling clothes, electronics, or shoes to be able to have a back to school sale. Come up with a creative way to tie your business into the season that makes sense. For example, if you have a lawn care business you can mention that Jimmy will be busy with football and won’t have time to mow the lawn anymore. Or if it is a restaurant, focus on how going out to dinner can be so much easier than cooking at home now that you are back to juggling a busy school schedule. Hair salons and makeup stores can focus on wanting to look good for the beginning of a new school year. Back to school marketing isn’t just for K-12 students, either. Once you think of college aged students, even more ideas can come into play. From dorm decor to a new car, the possibilities are endless. No matter what business you have, there is always a way you can tie it in to back to school savings.
Who am I REALLY targeting for back to school marketing?
Keep in mind that parents aren’t the only ones you are advertising to. Especially during back to school season, many times parents are simply buying what their kids are telling them to. Make your advertising relevant to current trends. What is popular with kids these days? It may be wise to even ask children for ideas. Their opinion is important when they are your key demographic.
Another thing to keep in mind is HOW you market your business. Nearly everyone of school age (and their parents) has social media today. Once again, it may be wise to ask some kids what social media platforms they are most often frequenting and focus your social media efforts there. Just because you use Facebook doesn’t mean teenagers in middle school do.
How can I compete during the back to school sale season?
While the opinion of kids matters, don’t discount mom and dad. While Susie may be surfing Snapchat, her parents are most likely to be checking the mail for sales. Direct mail campaigns are vital for any successful back to school marketing strategy. It’s important to note that you won’t be the only business trying to grab the attention of consumers at this time. Therefore, it’s important to stand out from the crowd. PrimeNet has a variety of unique mailers that are sure to get you noticed.
Make your sale valuable to the consumer. Try adding a school supply giveaway or a gift card to a place where the customer can shop for school supplies as part of your deal. Think of ways you can make your sale unique so that customers feel drawn to you versus your competitors.
Follow this advice, and you are sure to have an A+ back to school marketing campaign!
