Seasonal Marketing Strategies: From Fall to Winter
As the temperature starts to drop and the crowds begin to fade, it's clear that fall is in full swing. But seasons aren’t just marked by a change in weather — more significantly, they’re marked by a shift in people’s mindset and behavior.
People everywhere are gearing up to hunker down and embrace a bit of R&R after a busy summer season. There tend to be less distractions and more downtime, which means your target audience is more reachable. Plus, with the holiday season just around the corner, it’s the perfect opportunity to drive sales.
November and December are the months of giving, and it’s full of holidays that you can leverage for your marketing strategy. From Black Friday to Small Business Saturday (and of course the big ones like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah), there’s no shortage of opportunities to sell. So, what’s the best approach?
1. Shift your tone
Now that the seasons have shifted, your tone of voice should too. Adopt a shared language that reflects the way your audience is feeling. Demonstrate that you get them. Fall is oh-so wonderful with the crisp air and the pumpkin spice whatever, but it can also be stressful with large doses of family time, pressure to give the right gifts, and juggling work all the while. Consider what specific problems your target audience is currently facing, and provide a natural solution. Reposition your product/service as the solve-all that they just can’t live without. Be sure to create a content calendar so that you and your team have a clear plan to follow and don’t end up winging it.
2. Warm up your leads
Using your new tone of voice, start to warm up your leads through an additional marketing push. Go beyond your typical efforts in order to capitalize on the holiday season. This can be done in a variety of ways. One option is running ads, which is a bit of an investment but no doubt a great way to drum up new business. Ads allow you to reach an entirely new and highly targeted audience, just make sure to carefully craft your message. Creating a multi-part email blast is another strong method for warming up leads. Email campaigns help bring your brand to front of mind and do so in a relationship-forward way, but don’t forget to include a clear CTA with each email in the series. Whatever approach you take, your goal should be to ‘bait the hook’ so to speak.
3. Get in the spirit of giving
Show your customers your generous side. Offer seasonal sales, giveaways, and promos. Whether you offer one great deal or a series of discounts is up to you, but be sure not to skip the above step of warming up your leads. Don’t just announce your promo and expect people to jump on it. Take some time to tease it out and build excitement. This will help ensure maximum awareness and engagement when you do finally announce your seasonal promo. You also have the option of what platforms to utilize. If you put the deal on your website for all to access, you widen your pool of potential users; but if you strictly share it with your existing network (via social media or email) then you maximize the odds of it being used because of the exclusivity component. The best route might be some combination of the two, where you have a minor promo for anyone who comes to your site, and a more special deal for those who already support your brand.
4. Strike when the iron is hot
Now that you’ve set the stage for your seasonal marketing strategy, it’s time for the crescendo. You’ve played the long game and worked hard to nurture your leads, so the time has come to cash in. Open up your promos, but put the pressure on by keeping a short time frame. Let people know that they need to act fast or they’ll miss out on a great, one-time-only deal. Really play to your audience’s emotions here, because that is what drives sales. In order to do that, you need to be sure that you understand what drives your consumers. If you can get inside their heads from step 1, your seasonal marketing efforts will be a great success.
The seasons have a huge impact on human behavior and emotions. Tapping into that shift and becoming more in tune with your consumers’ current standing will take your brand further than simply generalizing your audience throughout the duration of the year. It may seem like extra work, but it’s work that will pay off if executed properly.
