Keep your brand fresh and relevant by updating your marketing to tie in with the season. With fall just a few weeks off now is the time to start planning and coordinating fall marketing strategies for your small business. Put the season to work for your brand by launching an autumn inspired marketing campaign.
Decorate for the Season
Give your branding a fall update from in store displays to your online presence. Create marketing JPGs using fall colors and themes. Change the colors of your logo to reflect the rich hues of the season. Make sure to keep your logo the same otherwise, so customers recognize your brand. Use these updated JPGs for your profile pictures on your social media accounts, and in your newsletter templates.
Pick a day and set a reminder for yourself to update everything back to normal, or to reflect the next seasonal change. Fall marketing is very much on trend during the autumn season, but once winter rolls around it will look dated fast.
Incorporate Fall Themes into Your Promotions
Hand out coupons cut into the shape of leaves or apples, or create an online coupon code using words like ‘fall’ or ‘pumpkin.’ Make these promotions reoccurring each year, so after awhile, customers will begin to expect them and look for your fall promotions.
Create a Hashtag
Launch your own hashtag that includes your business name and a tie-in to the season. Encourage your customers to post seasonally themed comments, pictures of themselves using your products or visiting your store or restaurant to Twitter or Instagram using your hashtag. Make sure to keep an eye on your hashtag and like any posts that feature it.
Hold a Contest
Engage with your customers by offering a contest. The prize can be a gift certificate or a free product or service. Create a coloring sheet kids can fill in, host a Halloween costume competition or ask entrants to submit a comment or photo on social media explaining their favorite fall activity.
You and your staff can judge the entries, or you can open it up to customers. People can vote in your office, store or restaurant or on your social media accounts.
Share Your Own Seasonal Experiences
In blog posts, newsletters and even social media posts include fall themes. Write about tips for carving pumpkins, or the best nearby orchards to pick Apples, recipes for Thanksgiving or anything else that ties into the season. Share photos of your staff dressed up for Halloween or pictures from your Thanksgiving themed employee potluck.
Dress Up for Halloween
Ask your staff to dress up during their shift; you can even consider a theme, so everyone’s costumes coordinate. If you are normally open when trick-or-treaters are out, have some candy ready. Post to your social media accounts early in the day letting customers know to stop by with their trick-or-treaters.
Start Gearing Up for Winter Holidays
Christmas is the busiest shopping season, so get things started a little early and give your customers a reason to start their holiday preparations. Run specials that encourage your customers to stock up and beat the holiday rush.
Serve Seasonal Treats
If you own a restaurant, make sure to carve out some space on your menu for seasonal specialties. From warm apple cider to pumpkin spice treats to candy on Halloween get in the spirit of the season with some tasty fall delicacies.
Poll Your Customers
Find out what fall foods or activities your customers want by polling your followers on social media. If you’re not sure which fall inspired treats to add to your menu, or which Halloween costume you should choose, create a poll on Facebook or Twitter and ask your followers to vote.
Start a Loyalty Program
Set the rules and have a reward ready. Create a card and get a seasonal stamp. Choose something like every time a customer shops with you, or every time they purchase a particular seasonal product they get their card stamped. With they accumulate ten stamps they get a free gift or a percentage off their next order.
Get Ready for Football
Fall means different things to different people, but for some it just means football. Ask your staff to wear their favorite team jerseys on game days. Offer a discount immediately following the game if the hometown team wins.
Partner with Another Local Business
Join forces with local businesses to drive business to one another. You can hand out coupons for their business, and they can do the same for you. For instance, work with a local coffee shop or bakery that has amazing fall themed beverages and treats, or partner with a shop that sells holiday decor. Any customers who already frequent both businesses will appreciate the coupons, but this will also give people who are not currently customers a reason to stop by.
Fall is a fun and festive time with a lot of activities going on. Getting into the spirit of the season is a fun way to engage with customers. With school starting back up this is also a busy time for a lot of people, so distinguishing your brand with timely marketing can help make your business stand out.
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